Abia State Governor Alex Otti is set to roll out a 25-year strategic roadmap aimed at the holistic development of Aba, the state’s commercial nerve centre. The “Greater Aba Master Plan” will serve as a long-term framework to reposition the city for modern growth.
Speaking during a media briefing at Government House on Monday, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, announced that the master plan was a product of collaboration between the state government and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Kanu explained that the comprehensive blueprint rests on four key pillars: road and transport infrastructure, economic revitalisation, sustainable urban development, and flood mitigation.
According to him, “The state government, through a collaborative effort between the Greater Aba Development Authority and UN-Habitat, has been working assiduously for a while now to deliver on this master plan.”
Highlighting each area, Kanu said the initiative will address transport and connectivity issues in Aba, energise the economy through structured industrial and commercial zones, foster planned urban expansion, and tackle the city’s long-standing flood problems.
He noted that Aba’s transformation is integral to Governor Otti’s broader vision for economic sustainability and urban resilience.
In the health sector, the commissioner said that the Otti administration had already inaugurated 17 new primary health care centres across the state under the Project Ekwueme Scheme, with the next centre in Bende LGA slated for launch on June 20. The facilities, he said, are fully equipped and staffed to enhance access to healthcare.
He revealed that the state’s health insurance program has already enrolled over 91,000 residents, with a move to expand coverage to the informal sector underway. Additionally, a new intensive care unit is now functional at the Abia State Specialist and Diagnostic Hospital to boost emergency and surgical response.
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Education infrastructure is also receiving attention. Kanu disclosed that renovations at Abia State University hostels are nearing completion, while recruitment in key academic areas will soon begin. At the College of Education in Arochukwu, internal road construction, library upgrades, and retrofitting of lecture halls are all in progress.
Touching on recent security challenges, the commissioner admitted to some breaches but assured that security agencies remain on high alert to maintain stability.
Governor Otti’s ambitious development roadmap, especially with UN backing, is widely viewed as a progressive step toward repositioning Aba as a vibrant urban and economic hub in Southeast Nigeria.
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