Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has unveiled a comprehensive plan to turn waste into energy, revive ailing industries, and expand development across key sectors including Education, Health, and Infrastructure.
Governor Otti disclosed this on Thursday during the October edition of the Monthly Media Parley tagged: “Governor Alex Otti Speaks”, he said the state is shifting “from waste evacuation to recycling and power generation” under a waste-to-wealth initiative.
The Governor disclosed that feasibility studies have been completed and discussions were ongoing with investors to convert waste into methane gas and electricity using models from Europe and other advanced economies.
He noted that the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) has continued to achieve remarkable success in maintaining sanitation across the major cities of Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia, as well as other Local Government Areas of the State.
On industrialization, the Governor revealed that discussions with the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) were at an advanced stage for the state to take over and revive key industries, including Aba Star Paper Mills, Modern Ceramics, Umuahia, International Glass Industry, and Aba Textile Mills.
He said that the whole idea is for the Government to recover the industries and hand them over to experts to be managed under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement which would in turn create employment, raise the State’s GDP, improve Internally Generated Revenue, and reduce poverty levels.
In education, Governor Otti revealed that over 5,000 new teachers had resumed work, while 4,000 more would soon be employed, adding that schools were being upgraded into smart learning centres while teachers were undergoing digital training to improve classroom outcomes.
The Governor said that any school building that fails an integrity test would be demolished immediately to protect pupils and create safer learning environments across communities.
He also disclosed that more than 8,000 solar streetlights have been installed under the ‘Light Up Abia’ project, while the state’s offer to purchase the Umuahia ring-fenced area from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) had been accepted.
The deal, according to him, would guarantee stable electricity supply across nine Local Government Areas and allow Aba Power to distribute surplus power statewide.
On healthcare, Governor Otti said 79 primary health centres were being built or renovated, with 771 medical professionals currently being recruited through a transparent, merit-based process.
He commended Security Agencies for effective collaboration in maintaining peace and thanked President Bola Tinubu for commissioning eight newly reconstructed roads in Aba.
The Governor also announced plans to flag off new road projects, including the 25km Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road, the 13.1km Ariam–Usaka Ring Road, the 9.3km Ihechiowa Road, and several others in Isiala Ngwa North and South Local Government Areas.
Governor Otti assured residents that his administration would not relent until every part of Abia experiences the impact of governance through improved roads, schools, power, and health care services.
