Abia State has been selected as one of six beneficiaries of a $700 million water and sanitation initiative under the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme funded by the World Bank.
The announcement was made on Monday following the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Addressing journalists, Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, said the development signals growing international confidence in the state’s governance reforms.
Kanu noted that Abia’s inclusion in the programme reflects the impact of ongoing transformations across various sectors of governance, attracting the attention of multilateral development partners.
“Abia State is getting all these recognitions and sponsorships around the globe because of what is going on in the state today,” he said, adding that global financial institutions are increasingly focusing on the state.
He further disclosed that the previously suspended small-town WASH project supported by United States Agency for International Development has resumed under a new funding arrangement through Mercy Corps.
Work is expected to continue on water schemes in Ubakala and Ariaria.
In the power sector, Kanu revealed that the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Agency has issued interim licences to three companies—New Era, Aba Power, and Geometric Power—as part of efforts to boost electricity supply.
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He described the ongoing “half-year power restoration project” as 85 per cent complete, with full electricity expected in parts of the state, including Ohafia, before the end of the second quarter.
The state government has also commenced a 1.8-megawatt microgrid solar project aimed at powering central bus terminals in Umuahia and Aba, in line with its broader energy transition agenda.
On appointments, the commissioner announced that Governor Otti approved the appointment of Prof. Deka Chioma Okoropo as Chief Medical Director of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, alongside Dr Nkiru Kachidia Maduwe as Project Coordinator for NEWMAP under the Ministry of Environment.
Kanu added that the governor, who marks his third year in office this month, will celebrate the anniversary in a low-key manner, focusing on commissioning completed projects and flagging off new ones across the state’s three senatorial zones.
He said the anniversary would also serve as an opportunity to assess the administration’s development strides so far.