The Abia State Government says it will commemorate the 35th anniversary of the creation of the state with the commissioning of completed projects and the flag-off of new ones rather than elaborate ceremonies and awards.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, announced the decision on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a press briefing at Government House, Umuahia, following the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Abia State was created on August 27, 1991, and will mark 35 years of its creation on August 27, 2026.
Kanu said the Otti administration intends to use the anniversary to showcase ongoing development efforts and commence additional projects expected to directly impact residents.
According to him, the approach represents a departure from what he described as the traditional manner in which such anniversaries had been celebrated in the past, often with elaborate ceremonies and awards.
“The government will use the occasion of the celebration to commission a number of projects while flagging off new ones,” Kanu stated.
He said the administration believes that the anniversary provides another opportunity to deliver tangible projects rather than devote resources to what he described as grand celebrations.
“The government will not embark on any such grand act. We will use the opportunity to continue to commission projects, flag off new ones, and generally improve the living standards of Abia citizenry,” the commissioner said.
Although the government did not immediately provide a comprehensive list of projects scheduled for commissioning or flag-off during the anniversary, Kanu indicated that infrastructure and development would form the centrepiece of the celebration.
The announcement comes as the government also disclosed fresh interventions in housing estates in Aba and Umuahia.
The State Executive Council directed the Ministry of Housing to undertake sanitation and remedial works at the World Bank Housing Estate, Abayi Umuocham, Aba, following concerns over deteriorating infrastructure and misuse of parts of the estate.
The planned rehabilitation is expected to cover roads, street lighting and environmental improvements, while the government has also indicated that street trading and farming along roads within the estate will be stopped.
Similarly, the Ministry of Housing is to collaborate with the Ministry of Works to carry out rainy-season maintenance at Amaoba Housing Estate in Umuahia pending the permanent reconstruction of roads within the estate.
The state government has also provided a new transformer for Amaoba Housing Estate to improve electricity supply to residents.
The government says its decision to commemorate Abia’s 35th anniversary through projects is consistent with the Otti administration’s emphasis on infrastructure and improvement of public services across the state.
