Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, says his administration has engaged the United Nations Habitat (UN-Habitat) to develop a comprehensive Master plan for Aba and Umuahia, with a view to enhancing urban development and infrastructure in the State’s key cities.
Governor Otti made the announcement at the Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Center Umuahia, during the closing ceremony of a-2 day retreat organized for the Governing Council and Management of the Abia State University, Uturu(ABSU).
The Governor noted that while work on Aba’s Master plan has been completed, efforts are ongoing by the UN Habitat to complete that of Umuahia.
“I want to inform you that we had already engaged the UN-Habitat for Aba and Umuahia Master plan and they are already working.
“I think they (UN-Habitat) are through with the Aba master plan and they are on Umuahia.That is just to agree with you the lecturer that there was no master plan for Umuahia but we will produce it.
“Master plan does not mean you draw something from the air. You need to look at what exists”, Gov Otti explained.
The Governor who also addressed concerns about land allocation for infrastructure projects particularly, the proposed Abia Airport, said an aerial survey showed that land earmarked for the Airport was lying fallow, despite claims that it was farmland.
“It is always a challenge when you want to develop a place and people are taking of land for cassava and all that.
“Of course, cassava is very important but you realize that the amount of land that our forefathers needed for cassava is no longer the same amount of land that we require today because of improved seedlings, better yields and technology.
“When we are trying to set up an Airport in Abia, some people said it was their farmland so, we did an aerial survey and we found that the place was lying fallow, Cassava is not even planted.
“Now I hear they have gone to Court. What they do not know is that land belongs to Government”, Governor Otti stated.
He announced that contractors handling the Airport project will commence work on the Airport runway next week Tuesday.
Governor Otti who expressed concern over ABSU’s decline in National University rankings,
tasked members of the Governing Council and Management of the institution to improve the University’s rating to ensure it takes it’s rightful position in the comity of States across the country.
Earlier, while delivering a lecture, a former Surveyor General and retired Permanent Secretary in the Abia State Civil Service, Dr. Hezekiah Madumere, harped on the need for government to develop a comprehensive Master plan for Aba and Umuahia to enhance urban development.
