President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to visit Abia State ahead of May 29 to inaugurate the reconstructed Port Harcourt Road in Aba and flag off the ambitious $1.3 billion Abia Medical City project.
Governor Alex Otti made the announcement during a media briefing in Umuahia on Wednesday evening. He revealed that the 6.5-kilometre stretch of Port Harcourt Road, rebuilt by Julius Berger, has been completed and will be officially handed over to the State Ministry of Works within days.
The road project was one of Otti’s earliest commitments after assuming office in 2023, originally slated for a two-year timeline. With its early completion, it stands as a major milestone for the administration.
During the same visit, President Tinubu is also scheduled to lay the foundation for the Abia Medical City, a landmark health infrastructure initiative designed to reduce the need for medical tourism abroad. Once operational, the facility is expected to serve not only Nigeria but the entire West African sub-region and generate an estimated $200 million annually for Abia State.
Governor Otti highlighted broader efforts in the healthcare sector, noting that 103 out of 200 primary health centres under renovation have reached 70% completion. He affirmed that work is ongoing on the remaining centres, with a long-term goal of revitalizing all 900 PHCs across the state. In addition, several general hospitals are currently undergoing modernization.
To support the growing healthcare system, Otti said the state has approved the recruitment of additional medical personnel, with financial resources already allocated for their salaries. He also disclosed that the World Bank is partnering with the state to renovate 68 additional PHCs.
The Governor emphasized that health, infrastructure, and education are strategic pillars of his administration’s development agenda.
In the education sector, he announced that school enrollment in Abia has climbed to 700,000 students, thanks largely to the state’s free and compulsory education policy up to Junior Secondary School 3. To meet rising demands, the government is hiring 4,000 new teachers, adding to the 5,000 already in the recruitment pipeline, with a special focus on mathematics, science, and technology training.
On concerns regarding unpaid pensions to retirees of Abia State University (ABSU), Otti said he was unaware of any outstanding issues but has directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to investigate and report back for immediate action.
He also mentioned that a newly approved 5,000-bed hostel at ABSU would be ready within three months, alongside ongoing renovations of existing student hostels.
Governor Otti closed his remarks by expressing gratitude to Abians for their continued trust and assured them that more developmental projects would be unveiled soon.
