UMUAHIA—President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is expected in Abia State to inaugurate the reconstructed Port Harcourt Road Aba, before May 29.
Governor Alex Otti who disclosed this during a media parley Wednesday night, in Umuahia, said the 6.5-kilometre strategic road would be handed over to the state Ministry of Works in a week as the contractor, Julius Berger, had completed the project.
Otti awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the road shortly after assuming office in 2023, with a completion date of two years.
The Governor also said President Tinubu would, during the visit, flag off the proposed Abia Medical City project estimated to gulp a whopping 1.3 billion US Dollars.
He explained that the medical city, a flagship medical project of his administration when completed, would end overseas medical tourism by Abians and other Nigerians.
Gov. Otti who said the city would serve as a referral medical centre in the West African sub-region, added that it would be generating about 200 million dollars for the state per annum.
The Governor who said his administration had posted some remarkable achievements in the health sector “less than two years of being in charge”, added that 103 out of the ongoing 200 Primary Health Centres projects had attained 70 percent completion.
Otti who said work was also progressing in the remaining 97 PHCs, assured that all 900 PHCs across the state, “will receive the touch of the new Abia”.
The Governor who said several General Hospitals were also receiving attention at the same time, explained that the aim was to ensure the availability of quality and affordable health service in all public medical facilities in the state.
He disclosed that his administration had approved the engagement of additional health workers to bridge the yawning gap in healthcare service delivery, adding that financial provisions have already been made to pay the new hands.
The Governor further explained that apart from the 200 PHCs currently being renovated and equipped by the State Government, the World Bank, “is also renovating additional 68 PHCs in the state”.
He said his administration was very intentional about investments in the health, infrastructure, and education sectors considering their critical importance in the development of any society.
The Governor revealed that school enrollment in Abia had soared to 700,000 following the free and compulsory education policy of his administration from primary school to Junior secondary three.
He said that the upsurge in students’ enrollment, informed the recent directive by his administration to engage additional 4000 teachers besides the initial 5000 being recruited.
“Beyond recruiting new teachers, we are also ensuring that our teachers receive the necessary training to be able to provide the needed quality education that can make our products globally competitive”, Otti said.
“We are paying special attention to mathematics, science, and technology so we can have tech experts and gurus in robotics”, the Governor added.
Responding to a question, Gov. Otti said he was not aware that pensioners of the Abia State University Uturu, ABSU, were owed 24 months, and directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to investigate the claims and furnish him with the facts for necessary action.
He said that the 5000-bed hostel he recently directed to be built for the institution would be ready in three months.
The Governor added that he had also directed the renovation of old students’ hostels in the institution to make them conducive for students.
Otti who thanked Abians for their sustained support to his administration, assured that more transformations would be witnessed in the months ahead.
