Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has vowed that his administration will maintain its momentum in delivering modern road infrastructure and quality healthcare across the State.
Governor Otti made the vow on Tuesday, while speaking at Ibeku High School field, shortly after commissioning several projects executed by his administration across the three Local Government Areas in Abia Central Senatorial Zone.
The projects include; Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) retrofitted at Owerinta Isialangwa South, Amibo Umuahia South and Ekeoba Umuahia North under Project Ekwueme and 8.3 kilometres Isieketa -Obikabia road, Isialangwa South and 1.5 IBB Way Umuahia North.
The Governor emphasized that ongoing projects across the State are designed to directly impact the lives of ordinary Abians.
He revealed that the Healthcare centres being renovated across the State are not mere facelifts but fully equipped facilities capable of handling most of the basic health needs of the populace.
“We have 200 Primary Health Care cientres that have either been retrofitted or are in the final stages of being fixed, and they are not just being fixed as an empty shell.
“As we fix them, we equip them with the latest equipment so that you can walk into a primary health care centre and get attended to properly”, he said.
Governor Otti noted that with 80 percent of health cases treatable at the Primary Health Care level, the State’s healthcare strategy is to reduce the burden on General Hospitals or Tertiary Health Care centers.
“It means that it is only about 20 percent that will be referred to either the General Hospitals or the Tertiary Health Care Centers. So we want you to be comfortable in your domain”, he emphasized.
The Governor disclosed plans to retrofit a total of 948 Primary Health Care Centers across the state in phases, with the first batch of 200 completed, adding that renovation works are ongoing at the 22 General Hospitals across the State.
He pointed out that the Abia State University Teaching Hospital has reclaimed its accreditation following the first phase of retrofitting, with work now underway to upgrade it into a fully functional tertiary medical facility.
Governor Otti used the occasion to announce the immediate rehabilitation of the Ikot Ekpene Road, a key route linking the newly commissioned IBB Road, despite its Federal status.
“We are aware that it’s a Federal Road, but like we have always said, the Federal Government does not use any road. So whether it is Federal or State, it is Abia people that use it and we are going to fix it”, Governor Otti said.
The Governor reminded residents of their role in securing government assets against vandalism and appealed to citizens to fulfil their tax obligations, stressing that the execution of such capital-intensive projects requires adequate funding.
“There is no security better than the security you provide. And anytime anybody wants to vandalise public properties, report them to the appropriate authorities. And we can assure you we will deal with them”, he said.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, and the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Otumchere Oti, commended Governor Otti for his bold initiative in retrofitting Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the State to world-class standards and constructing access roads in line with his administration’s infrastructural development agenda.
They also emphasized the importance of safeguarding the public facilities and urged beneficiaries to take responsibility for their protection and maintenance.
In an interview, of the General Manager, Abia State Debt Management Office and Coordinator of the Abia Central Project Ekwueme, Dr. Kingsley Nwaigburu disclosed that the Governor approved the retrofitting of 64 PHCs in Abia Central Senatorial Zone alone.
Dr. Nwaigburu further explained that the initiative has ensured that every ward in the state is now equipped with a functional Primary Healthcare Centre capable of providing essential health services to residents at the grassroots level.
Also speaking. the Traditional Ruler of Ekeoba Kingdom, Ohuhu, Eze Ambassador Iheanyichukwu Nwokenna, described the retrofitting of PHCs under Governor Otti’s leadership as a “new dawn” for the State.
He commended the Governor’s commitment to leaving a lasting legacy in Abia’s development history, noting that the renovation of the Ekeoba Primary Health Centre had given his community a renewed sense of belonging, adding that no previous administration had taken such a bold and impactful step.
