Abia State Government has unveiled plans to launch a comprehensive 25-year Greater Aba Master Plan, a long-term blueprint aimed at driving the sustainable development and transformation of the State’s commercial hub.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu described the initiative as a product of collaboration between the Greater Aba Development Authority and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
According to him, the master plan is anchored on four key pillars including, road infrastructure and connectivity, economic development, sustainable urban expansion, and flood management.
“The State Government, through a collaborative effort between the Greater Aba Development Authority and UN-Habitat, has been working assiduously for a while now to deliver on this master plan.
“The master plan, which in the main will address the land-use infrastructure and communication goals of the authority, is designed to rest on four pillars.
“The first pillar is road infrastructure, which includes transportation development and connectivity within Aba.
“The second pillar will deal with economic development of Aba and will focus on industrial zones, upgrades, and formalisation of commercial hubs within the city.
“The third pillar will address sustainable development and planned urban expansion of Aba.
“While the fourth pillar will focus on terrestrial resilience and flood management, which, of course, has been a perennial problem of that city”, the Commissioner explained.
He announced that the State Government had commissioned three additional Primary Health Centres (PHCs), bringing to 17 the total number completed under the Project Ekwueme Scheme, adding that a fourth PHC is slated for commissioning on June 20 in Ngu, Bende Local Government Area.
Prince Kanu noted that the centres are fully equipped with modern medical facilities and staffed by qualified personnel to improve healthcare delivery and accessibility across the State.
The Commissioner also revealed that enrolment in the State’s Health Insurance Scheme had reached 91,227, a figure he described as “encouraging”, and added that the Ministry of Health had received approval to extend coverage to the informal sector in the coming weeks.
The Information Boss disclosed that a newly operational Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Abia State Specialist and Diagnostic Hospital is now operational to enhance emergency medical response and specialised surgeries.
He confirmed that no cases of Monkeypox, Cholera, Diphtheria, or Lassa Fever were recorded in the State between Epidemiological Weeks 20 and 23.
On infrastructure projects, Prince Kanu noted that the public infrastructure overhaul by the Government is gaining momentum with the renovation work on the Michael Okpara Auditorium at over 60 per cent completion, while the Office of the Secretary to the State Government is also nearing completion.
At Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, he said the first phase of the power restoration project had been completed, with Phase Two awaiting approval while the renovation of the institution’s hostels is also nearing completion, with building handover expected within two to three weeks.
Prince Kanu added that following the approval of the State Executive Council, the University would soon commence recruitment of academic staff in critical areas.
At the Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA), the Commissioner said various projects including internal road construction, library upgrades, and auditorium retrofitting were ongoing noting that they are part of efforts to enhance course accreditation and raise educational standards in the institution.
On security, Kanu acknowledged incidents of breaches but assured that the State Government is determined to tackle the situation with a robust response, reaffirming that security agencies were on high alert to maintain peace and security across the State.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr. Ikechukwu Monday, while emphasizing the restoration of power supply at ABSU, informed that the State Government has commenced the process of transferring regulatory authority from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority.
He added that the State Government would soon flag off the CKC Aba Water Scheme, among others.
