Governor Alex Otti has called on Abia State residents to safeguard public facilities being established by his administration and to prevent any acts of vandalism.
The governor issued the directive on Wednesday while addressing a crowd at the Ibeku High School field in Umuahia, shortly after commissioning a range of projects executed across three local government areas within the Abia Central Senatorial Zone.
Among the projects commissioned were retrofitted Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) at Owerinta in Isialangwa South, Amibo in Umuahia South, and Ekeoba in Umuahia North under Project Ekwueme. Also unveiled were the 8.3-kilometer Isieketa–Obikabia Road in Isialangwa South LGA and a 1.5-kilometer stretch of IBB Way in Umuahia North LGA.
Otti urged community members to take ownership of these developments, saying, “Ensure that everything that we are putting in place—the infrastructure, the roads, the equipment we are putting in those primary healthcare centers—is secured. Because there is no security better than the security you provide.
“Anytime anybody wants to vandalize public property, report them to the appropriate authorities. And, we can assure you, we will deal with them,” Otti assured.
The governor further disclosed that he had directed the Commissioner for Works to begin the reconstruction of the Ikot-Ekpene Federal Road, which connects to the newly commissioned IBB Way.
“We have seen that the Ikot-Ekpene road, linking it (IBB way), is in a very bad state. And I have just moments ago given instruction to the Honorable Commissioner for Works to go and fix that road.
“We are aware that it’s a federal road. But, as we have always said, the federal government does not use any road. So, whether it’s federal or state, it is Abia people that use it. And we are going to fix it,” Gov. Otti stated.
He also pledged that his administration will continue commissioning both road projects and the 200 PHCs that have been retrofitted or are near completion.
Speaking at the event, Commissioners for Health and Works, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche and Engr. Otumchere Oti, commended Governor Otti for his bold leadership in upgrading PHCs to world-class standards and constructing access roads to align with his broader infrastructure agenda. They emphasized the need for local communities to protect and maintain these facilities.
Dr. Kingsley Nwaigburu, General Manager of the Abia State Debt Management Office and Coordinator of Project Ekwueme for Abia Central, highlighted the scale of the health initiative. He revealed that the governor approved the retrofitting of 64 PHCs in the central senatorial district alone, asserting, “The project is real and not an audio project.”
According to Nwaigburu, the initiative has had a significant impact, ensuring that every ward in Abia State now has a functional primary healthcare center to serve local populations.
Also addressing the gathering, the traditional ruler of Ekeoba Kingdom in Ohuhu, Eze Ambassador Iheanyichukwu Nwokenna, described the PHC upgrades as “a new dawn in the state” and a clear demonstration of Governor Otti’s commitment to creating a lasting legacy.
He added that the newly revamped facilities—particularly the Ekeoba PHC—have brought a renewed sense of inclusion to his community, noting, “No government in the past has undertaken such a bold step.”
Governor Otti was accompanied at the commissioning ceremony by the Chinese Consul-General and his delegation. The event drew numerous dignitaries and featured cultural performances as well as special presentations from the benefiting communities in appreciation of the projects.
