…As Abia wins $400,000 by UNICEF for PHCs
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has said that his administration is conserving funds for the state through execution of projects by direct labour.
This is as he said that the State had won $400,000 price from UNICEF for its giant strides in improving Primary Health Centres.
The Governor who spoke during a media parley Friday night in Umuahia, said that the use of direct labour in the execution of some road projects had proved to be advantageous.
According to him, a road project in Aba which contractors demanded N3.5 billion to execute, was eventually delivered through direct labour at N1.2 billion only.
He explained that apart from being cost effective, direct labour also provides engineers in the Ministry of Works the opportunity “to practise what they studied.”
Otti said: “Using direct labour not only makes us to save more money but makes us to utilise the expertise of our engineers. They are happy that they are given the opportunity to practise what they studied.
On the UNICEF largesse, he said Abia won the grant for coming second in the South-East in terms of improving PHCs.
He promised that the on-going renovation of 200 PHCs across the 184 wards would be delivered within 100 days.
He commended the Commissioner for Health over his efforts to reposition the Abia health sector.
Otti hinted that the the construction of the proposed medical village would commence in the first quarter of 2025.
He further said that the State Government and foreign investors from Portugal would in a week time, sign a Memorandum of Agreement in Lisbon, Portugal, for the revamping of the moribund Enyimba Hotels into a five-star international hotel.
The Governor said that the State Attorney General and the Director General of Greater Aba Development Authority, GADA, would be headed for Lisbon to seal the deal.
Recall that the foreign investors had about three months ago, visited the state and indicated interest in investing in the hotel.
Gov. Otti said that the hotel would have 255 rooms and other world-class facilities found in a typical five-star hotel.
According to the Governor, the project, when realised, will help boost tourism and the economy of Abia State.
Otti who said his administration was poised to make Abia a preferred destination for investors, vowed to put in place the needed atmosphere that would support business growth.
He said that under his watch, the economy of the state would witness a leap, explaining that his intension for the on-going massive infrastructural development in the state is to make Abia the choice of investors.
Otti said the State had also signed an MoU with an investor willing to invest $120 million dollars in palm production.
Responding to a question on whether his administration is following the 30-year development plan of the State, Otti said he would adopt any development plan “that makes sense and works for the state.”
Otti said his administration was making spirited efforts to open up the state and make it a model for others.
