The Abia State Government has paid a counterpart fund of ₦3.5 billion to facilitate the commencement of road upgrades and the establishment of agro-logistics hubs across 10 local government areas under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme (RAAMP).
Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu disclosed this during a press briefing at the Government House in Umuahia on Monday. The briefing followed an expanded State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu explained that the counterpart fund is a prerequisite for unlocking further support from development partners, including the World Bank.
“So the state has paid its own counterpart funds, and we expect that with a similar action from the World Bank, that project will kick off around the state,” he said.
He added that construction work on the selected roads and hubs would begin soon in the benefiting LGAs.
Commissioning of Smart Schools Begins
Kanu also revealed that Governor Otti will officially commission one of the 20 completed Smart Schools on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Umuahia. This move aligns with the governor’s earlier announcement during an interdenominational Thanksgiving service to mark the commissioning of various projects.
18 New Laws Signed by Governor Otti
In a major legislative development, the commissioner announced that Governor Otti has signed 18 new executive bills into law, recently passed by the 8th Abia State House of Assembly. This brings the total number of executive bills signed into law since the start of Otti’s administration to 30.
“This landmark achievement seeks to institutionalize the reforms and transformations that have so far taken place in Abia State,” Kanu noted.
He praised the administration’s progress in its first two years, calling the achievements “monumental” and assuring citizens that greater strides lie ahead.
Activities Marking Two-Year Anniversary
Kanu outlined the schedule of activities to commemorate Governor Otti’s second anniversary in office, starting Tuesday, May 27. Highlights include:
Tuesday, May 27: Children’s Day celebration and a visit by the First Lady to orphanages and destitute homes.
Wednesday, May 28: A public lecture by former Finance Minister Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu.
Thursday, May 29: Governor Otti will deliver a state broadcast, followed by a grand parade and a special state banquet in the evening.
Friday, May 30: A novelty football match between members of the executive and legislative arms of government.
Legal Framework to Support Development
Also speaking at the briefing, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna, emphasized the significance of the new laws in advancing the government’s agenda.
“These bills underscore His Excellency’s commitment to institutionalizing the reforms and changes that he’s bringing into governance in the state,” Uwanna said.
He described the laws as foundational to the administration’s development efforts, stating, “These bills also form the fulcrum, the engine block for all the roads that you see, for the infrastructural development that is going on across the state, for the massive reforms that are being carried out all around the state.”
