By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to visit Abia State before May 29 to inaugurate the reconstructed Port Harcourt Road in Aba and flag off the proposed $1.3 billion Abia Medical City project.

Governor Alex Otti made this known during a media parley in Umuahia on Wednesday night. He disclosed that the 6.5-kilometre Port Harcourt Road, reconstructed by Julius Berger, is now complete and will be handed over to the State Ministry of Works within a week.

The Governor awarded the reconstruction project shortly after assuming office in 2023, with an initial two-year completion timeline.

Governor Otti further revealed that President Tinubu would also officially launch the Abia Medical City project during his visit. The medical city, a flagship project of the Otti administration, is projected to eliminate the need for overseas medical tourism for Abians and Nigerians at large.

The facility is expected to serve as a referral medical centre for the West African sub-region and generate approximately $200 million annually for the state.

Highlighting achievements in the health sector, Otti said that 103 out of 200 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under renovation across the state had reached 70% completion. He affirmed that work on the remaining 97 PHCs is ongoing and pledged that all 900 PHCs across the state will be revitalized.

Several general hospitals are also undergoing upgrades, according to the Governor, who emphasized his administration’s commitment to ensuring the availability of quality and affordable healthcare.

Otti noted that his administration had approved the recruitment of additional health workers and made financial provisions for their remuneration to close the human resource gap in the health sector. He also disclosed that the World Bank is supporting the renovation of an additional 68 PHCs in the state.

The Governor said that his administration is deliberately prioritizing health, infrastructure, and education due to their strategic importance to societal development.

In the education sector, Otti announced that school enrollment in Abia has increased to 700,000, thanks to the government’s free and compulsory education policy from primary school to Junior Secondary School 3.

To meet the growing demand, the state is recruiting an additional 4,000 teachers, in addition to the 5,000 already being hired. The Governor said efforts are also being made to train teachers to enhance education quality, with a focus on mathematics, science, and technology.

Responding to concerns about alleged unpaid pensions to retirees of Abia State University (ABSU), the Governor said he was unaware of such claims and directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to investigate and report back with accurate information for necessary action.

He added that the newly approved 5,000-bed hostel for ABSU would be ready within three months, and that existing student hostels are also being renovated for improved student welfare.

Governor Otti concluded by thanking Abians for their continued support and assured them of greater developmental strides in the coming months.