Abia postpones commissioning, flag off of Port Harcourt Road, medical city

…Rolls out activities for 2nd anniversary

The Abia State Government has postponed the commissioning of the 6.7 kilometres Port Harcourt Road in Aba and the flag-off ceremony of the Abia Medical City project earlier scheduled to hold on May 23, 2025.

Okey Kanu, Commissioner for Information, announced this while briefing news men at Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting.

According to Kanu, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, billed to commission the Port Harcourt Road and flag off the Abia Medical City project, would not be available due to his busy schedule.

The commissioning and flag-off would now be held in the first week of June.

Kanu noted that in line with the transformative projects of Governor Alex Otti in Aba, Enyimba City, some Aba residents would be organising a carnival on May 23rd to celebrate the projects done in the city.

He explained that the event is not being organised by the government.

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“On a happy note, let me inform you that despite the fact that the commissioning ceremony will not be held on May 23rd, there will be a big carnival in Aba.

“This event is by the residents of Aba and has nothing to do with the state government.

“It is a huge testament to how the people of Abia Mega City appreciate what his government is doing,” Kanu said.

The Information boss announced the roll out of the activities marking the second anniversary celebration of Governor Alex Otti and said it would commence on May 25th with an interdenominational service at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia by 1.00 pm.

May 26th would be the Abia Anniversary Executive Council meeting, while on May 27th, Priscilla Otti, wife of the governor, would visit orphanage homes and celebrate Children’s Day with Abia children.

He added that on May 28th, Kalu Idika Kalu, former Finance Minister, would deliver the Anniversary Lecture, while May 29th would be the grand finale with a state broadcast by the governor at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

He further disclosed that, on May 23rd, the wife of the governor will play host to Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, who will be on hand to launch her initiative to support vulnerable persons in the state.

The commissioner said that the Council has set up a committee to plan for the commissioning of Primary Health Centres (PHC) undertaken by the state government under “Project Ekwueme”.

He said that the commissioning ceremony would be done in one PHC for each of the 17 Local Government Areas.

Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, Commissioner for Health, in his contribution, said that the Project Ekwueme, which was flagged off on January 28, 2025, is now completed.

He also gave more information about the Abia Medical City project, which has been rescheduled to be flagged off next month.

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“From the first week of June, over a period of 17 days, we are going to be commissioning in each Local Government, one after the other. The details will soon be worked out and communicated.

“It is important for us to know that this project is real. It is not imaginary. And I am sure some of us, as we are moving around the state, would have seen the PHCs in different places as they are being completed.

“I also want to say that the medical city is a very good project that is not just for Abians, but for the country, because the enormity of the project is such that it has not happened anywhere in this country before.

“So, His Excellency, the President of our dear nation, wants to be the one who will flag up the medical city because of its enormous dimensions and, of course, the prospects that are to follow from such a project.

“His Excellency has directed that the access route to the medical city location should be constructed. In fact, construction work is going on now,” he concluded.