Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has called on the UN Habitat to fast-track the delivery of the Aba master plan as well as extending their work to Umuahia in order to transform the capital city.
Otti made the call at the Government House, Umuahia when he received in audience the UN Habitat, West Africa portfolio manager, Matthias Spaliviero, who visited him.
He said his government was committed to transforming Umuahia, the state capital, to give it a status befitting of a state capital.
The governor disclosed that government had awarded contracts for the establishment of a bus terminal in Umuahia to enhance the beauty of the city and ensure sanity, adding that a similar thing would also be done in Aba.
According to him, there was need for the UN Habitat to look at the drainage system to address the issue of flooding in the cities.
“We are advancing in our quest to develop Aba and address the environmental challenges in the city. While you are working in Aba, extend your work to Umuahia to add value to what we are doing because it is the capital city. We want to transform that city
“We have given approval for the establishment of a terminal where all types of transportation empties into. We also have deployed that to two locations in Aba. So, the earlier you fit what we are doing into the master plan to make it consistent with what we are doing the better.
“Ensure that you leave behind people who have been properly trained, who can carry on the job,” Otti said.
Spaliviero, earlier in his speech, said he was in the state for a support mission, explaining that the UN Habitat intended to show full commitment to the state through technical assistance.
Spaliviero noted that there was the need for sustainable urban renewal through engagement with the people, especially in Aba, regretting that Aba people had poor sanitary culture and were not taking care of infrastructure provided by the government.
“Our mandate is to promote transformative change in urban cities and settlements. We want to show our full commitment to Abia State. We do have a contractual agreement with Abia State. This is our strategic plan. So, the overall objective is sustainable urbanisation as a driver of development and peace to improve living conditions for all,” Spaliviero said.
By Udoka Agwu
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