By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM

The Abia Government has approved the establishment of an SME Village and Innovation Hub in Aba to boost small and medium-scale enterprises, Gov. Alex Otti has said.

Otti said this on Friday night, during the February edition of his monthly media parley at the Government House, Umuahia.

He said that the hub would serve as a centre for enhanced productivity and innovation.

He also said that the facility would serve as a center for sale and repair of computers and mobile phones.

Otti said that it would strengthen the capacity of local entrepreneurs and expressed optimism that collaboration with the Export Group Lab at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic would help to strengthen the initiative.

He said that the State Government had taken a principled stand to support SMEs in the state and that land had already been acquired for the project.

He disclosed that the State Government had completed the acquisition of Afro Beverages from Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and begun receiving expressions of interest from prospective investors.

The governor also said that similar investor interest was being recorded for Star Paper Mill in Owerrinta, adding that government preferred competent private sector operators to manage the firms sustainably.

According to him, the objective is to restore industrial operations, create employment opportunities and prevent the companies from collapsing again.

He said that his administration had declared emergencies in health, sanitation, and infrastructure and that significant progress had so far been made.

Under Project Ekwueme Phase One, Otti said that 200 primary healthcare centres across the state had been rebuilt, retrofitted, or remodelled, though some had yet to become fully functional.

He directed that all the necessary facilities be made fully operational within four to six weeks.

He said that 77 additional centres had been renovated under the World Bank-supported IMPACT project, bringing the number of functional primary healthcare facilities to over 277 statewide, ahead of the next phase.

Otti said that US-based Quantus Medical Foundation had been engaged to give training to healthcare professionals, while pilot digital health programmes were launched in selected hospitals to migrate services from manual to electronic systems.

He said that the state recorded strong public participation in the measles and rubella vaccination campaigns, describing the exercise as beneficial to thousands of residents across the state.

The governor said that the construction of a new general hospital had begun in Ukwa East LGA, complementing upgrades at 11 PHCs to strengthen referral systems for secondary care.

He also highlighted ongoing expansion works at Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, and rehabilitation projects at specialist hospitals in Amachara and Umunneato to improve tertiary and specialist healthcare delivery.

On roads and infrastructure, Otti said that the erosion-ravaged Ovom Street was reconstructed, rescuing homes and adjoining routes from further damage.

He disclosed that over 31 additional road projects were ongoing under the Ministry of Works, Greater Aba Development Agency, and Greater Ohafia Development Agency.

Otti said that the dry season was being maximised to accelerate construction works on the various project sites.

He also said that the payment of the arrears of workers’ leave allowance had begun, while entitlements owed to former councillors from 1999 to 2022 would be settled gradually, with a phase-by-phase approach.

On the Nsulu Airport project, Otti said that compensation payments resumed on 23 February, with over 4,000 of nearly 10,000 claimants already paid.

He assured the people of transparency, saying that names of claimants were published and works were proceeding without interruption.

He also said that the reconstruction of the over 50-decade-old Enyimba Hotel, Aba into the Radisson Blu Enyimba International Hotel had begun.

The governor further said that the hotel would have 250 rooms, an international convention centre, and a leisure park, when completed, describing it as a transformative investment for the state.

In education, Otti said that the recruitment of approximately 4,000 teachers was ongoing, adding that 24,000 applicants had been shortlisted from more than 36,000 submissions received on the state’s job portal.

He said that the shortlisted applicants were scheduled to write computer-based tests.

On power, the governor said

that serious efforts were being made to restore power supply in Ohafia, Bende, and Ukwa East LGAs.

He also said that plans were on to acquire a majority stake from EEDC and wheel electricity from Geometric into Umuahia, while the Etche Community in Rivers successfully transitioned from Port Harcourt DisCo supply to Geometric.

Otti said that the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, recently set up in Aba, was also planned for Umuahia and Ohafia to protect victims and promote social reorientation against sexual assault.

He reaffirmed that security remained his administration’s top priority, pointing out that collaboration with security agencies had ensured that no part of Abia fell under non-state control. (NAN)

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