The Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, with members of the Expanded Abia State Executive Council received and celebrated the 2025 Abia TechGirls Star, Miss Grace John Nkpa, on Monday, July 7th after the Weekly Executive Council Meeting.
The highly elated Chief Executive of Abia State, thanked the Star Girl, Miss Grace John for putting Abia State on the global map in the 2025 TechGirls Competition where she secured a spot out of the 3 statutory slots to 3 best from Nigeria in the prestigious TechGirls International Exchange Program, a global initiative for the manpower development of the Girl-Child sponsored by the US Department of State for Education and Culture.
The Governor encouraged Miss Grace to remain a good ambassador of the State even during the three months intensive hands-on tech workshop, mentorship and leadership training at the Virginia Tech. University, United States of America, urging her to come back to Abia at the end of the programme to share and cascade the knowledge and skills gained from the program to her peers in Abia State and Nigeria at large. The Governor donated the Naira equivalent of $5,000 to support Miss Grace’s trip to the United States of America.
The Director-General of the Abia State Orientation Agency, Mrs. Ureh Abazie informed members of the Abia State Executive Council that the TechGirls program is not an ordinary platform but a life changing opportunity where successful teenage girls are selected strictly on merit from 37 countries around the world (3 representing each country) who share a passion for STEM, Leadership and Global Innovation, are assembled at the Virginia Tech University, USA, to undergo various training alongside the brightest young minds across the globe. She thanked Miss Grace for making Abia and Nigeria proud by being among the 3 successful candidates from 3 States in Nigeria (Abia, Delta and FCT), selected from over 250 Thousand competitors.
Earlier in her speech, Miss Grace John Nkpa from Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, the 15 years old, grade 12 student of Academic Planet School, Aba, spoke eloquently about her remarkable journey to the top spot and express her joy and pride for making it to the stage to represent her School, Community, State and Nigeria. Miss Grace encouraged other teenage Girls to dream big and beyond borders. She appreciated the Executive Governor of Abia State for availing her the stage to address the State Executive Council and promised to make the State proud during and after the programme. Miss Grace received a standing ovation from the members of the Abia State Executive Council.
The Director, Academic Planet School, Mr. Nnamdi Ajah thanked Governor Otti for his infrastructural strides across Abia State, huge investment in the Educational sector and for prioritising Education in the State. He assured the Governor that Academic Planet School will continue to support the laudable Government Educational policies and contribute their own quota in the State development through capacity building.
Miss Grace came alongside her mother, the Director of Academic Planet School and some members of her immediate family.
UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Government House, Umuahia.
07-07-2025.
