By IJENDU IHEAKA

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia says the “Project Ekwueme” delayed completing the 200 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) rehabilitation within four months deadline because it added accommodations to each PHC per ward.

Otti said this during his monthly Media Chat on Friday night at the Government House, Umuahia.

He said the decision to add accommodation to each of the 200 PHCs was to ensure they render 24-hour services to Abia people.

He said the project had covered five local government areas with 120 PHCs completely rehabilitated.

He said the general hospitals were being rehabilitated with Obingwa nearing completion, while Abayi Aba Cottage Hospital was ready for inauguration.

Otti said the Umunnato General Hospital was being upgraded to a Specialist Hospital and would soon be awarded for construction.

He said that Amachara, Okpu-ala Ngwa, Ukwa, Ohafia and Arochukwu General Hospitals were also being rehabilitated.

He said the Abia State Health Insurance Agency had enrolled 101,000 persons in the scheme.

The governor also said the government was working hard to improve education at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

He said that one smart school had been completed in Umuahia, while 61 other schools were at different levels of completion.

“We have identified 51 secondary schools, five secondary schools per local government and 170 primary schools, making it 221 that are being rehabilitated,” he said.

The governor said the free education had put a strain on its primary school system and its structures, necessitating some changes.

He promised to take care of the future of Abia children by ensuring their education was made hitch-free.

Otti said that the administration had employed 5,394 teachers and posted them to different schools to beat fresh pupils enrollment pressures.

He also said that some of the teachers were being reposted to ensure they were conveniently disposed to give their best.

He urged the teachers, who did not find their postings satisfactory, to report to the government.

He said the upgrading of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba had helped to attract a N2 millon TETFUND High Impact fund, making it the only high’r institution to benefit from the fund in the South-East.

Otti promised that with the construction and equipping of the polytechnic’s permanent site being perfected, the institution would start its new academic session at the site.

He said their old site was also being renovated, hence the enrollment was increasing.

He expressed the hope that with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Science and Technology courses, the institution would in the next two years double its enrollment.

Otti said the government was also upgrading the Abia State College of Education with its roads, lecture theatres, fences, and electricity being fixed and getting it ready for competitiveness in the next academic session.

He said that Abia State University, Uturu was having its hostels, Faculties of Agriculture and Law and others reconstructed with contractors mobilised.

He said that the institution would soon get a 15 megawatts turbine for independent power generation to support the university and its environs.

He said that the institution had moved from the restoration of its accreditation to the phase of rehabilitating its structures, necessitating equipping it for optimum operations.

He said he had approved the hiring of 771 health professionals with at least 2,000 persons applying, and 1,200 shortlisted for further screening.

He said the civil service commission would soon invite applications for consultants to get hands to make the hospitals efficient.

Otti also spoke on roads, saying that 50 were being rehabilitated by direct labour, while 30 were on contract, although the rains were getting in the way.

He said with the approval of the 2025 supplementary budget of N150 billion, the development authorities of Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia had increased their work pace.

He said the arrangements were about to be concluded to buy off Umuahia and adjoining local governments from Enugu Disco to take charge and deal with electricity in Abia.

The governor said the state government was lighting up the state with solar power to improve security and nightlife with its economic benefits.

He urged Abia people to plant trees and help make the ones the state was planting to survive for beautification.

Otti said the four bus terminals being constructed, with two in Aba, and one apiece in Umuahia and Ohafia, were nearing completion.

He said his government chose a different part in youth empowerment, away from handouts that were trending in some other states.

He said the Youth Talent Hunt, Youth Leadership Academy, TechRise and Ethnocentrique Fashion programmes and financial support to cooperative societies were Abia’s empowerment initiatives supporting youths. (NAN)