In his review of development projects during the May media chat, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, admitted that he did not meet the expected target in infrastructure renewal in the basic education sub-sector in the last three years, in keeping with his promise.
He, however, promised that in the remaining months of the year, the nozzle of infrastructure renewal would be channelled to achieve the massive renovation of school buildings and perimeter fences for security and a conducive learning environment in schools across the State.
“We will put ourselves under pressure to put the schools in the proper shape,” he said, as he declared that the recruitment of 5394 teachers and the next batch of 4000 have brought the enrollment in public schools to 300,000 and 500,000.
He also announced the completion of two smart schools, while others are at various levels of completion.
Governor Otti noted that the government has done well in tertiary education with a 10,000-capacity hostel in the State University, other infrastructure upgrades at the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, the College of Education, Technical Arochukwu and the restoration of accreditation of all courses in all three tertiary institutions.
He disclosed that through a deliberate policy of fiscal discipline, the State’s resources are being managed with utmost transparency and accountability, resulting in the reduction of the inherited debt profile significantly by about 60%, from about N191 billion in 2023 to less than N50 billion at the end of 2025.
“The BudgIT state of the states report moved Abia from No. 17 two years ago in 2023 to No. Four last year in 2025. And we believe we will continue to do well. These are independent rankings. It just gives you an idea of how the government is being run.”
On road infrastructure, Otti said 414 roads, about 864.12 km have been constructed in the three years of his administration roads with street lights and drainage systems and another 82 at different levels of completion.
He further revealed that the health and environmental services have recorded significant successes as the state now evacuates about 13 tonnes of refuse weekly, while over 2,000 jobs have been created through the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, just as 821 healthcare professionals were recruited, while 771 have already resumed duties across hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
He disclosed that over 93,000 residents have enrolled in the state health insurance scheme and that 277 primary healthcare centres have been retrofitted across the state.
“Out of the 277 healthcare centres retrofitted, 200 were handled by the state government, while 77 were supported by the World Bank. So far, 121 of them are fully functionalized.”
He added that reconstruction works are ongoing at General Hospitals in Ikwuano, Arochukwu and Okeikpe and Ohafia, while tertiary health institutions at Amachara, Abia State University Teaching Hospital and Umunneato are undergoing remodelling and major upgrades.
