Abia State Governor,  Alex Otti has commissioned and flagged off the Ariaria and Ubakala Water Schemes as well as the Ecumenical Centre and the rehabilitation of the N1.3 billion Ubakala Water Scheme in Umuahia South LGA and Ariaria in Aba South, which is financed by USAID through the Mercy Corps.

Flagging off the two water schemes Governor Alex Otti thanked the Mercy Corps for the assistance extended to Abia State and assured that the projects would also be commissioned at the same time.

“I want to thank them for this support and their resilience. N1.3 billion is a lot of money and we cannot take it for granted. We have flagged off the two projects. So, when we return here again, it will be for commissioning the water schemes.

He described water as critical to life, hence, his government’s decision to take it as a critical project.

“And that is why this government has taken it as one of its critical projects, to ensure that we have portable water across the State,” he said.

The Governor disclosed that the Aba regional water project has reached 95% completion adding that the flagged-off is an additional boost to the Ariaria regional water.

Governor Otti similarly flagged off the construction of the 1,000-capacity Christian Ecumenical Centre in Umuagu Ibeku in Umuahia North LGA in fulfilment of his campaign promise.

Otti said: “As I said earlier, this centre was one of the things we had vowed to do when we came into office. This land where we are standing was acquired in 2009 and has somehow remained fallow waiting for this day.”

He made it clear that the Ecumenical Centre is not going to be funded by the State Government but from his private purse.

“I have already provided the land, I bought that land in 2009, that’s 17 years ago,” he added.