…Moves to acquire 60% asset of EEDC
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government said it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with MTN Nigeria Ltd, for a digital transformation of the state covering six crucial areas.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this at Government House Umuahia while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
According to him, the strategic partnership is the outcome of several months of meetings and negotiations between Abia State Government officials and the Management of MTN.
He gave the key areas as coverage of 100% of the population and space of the entire state with broadband access before the end of 2025; and device ownership scheme for Abia civil servants.
Shedding more light on this, Kanu explained that MTN would finance the acquisition of laptops, smartphones, and Wi-Fi devices for Abia state civil servants.
Other key areas of the partnership include digital governance (provision of cloud services and dedicated cloud computing services); establishment of Abia digital mall; provision of 4G and 5G services in Umuahia, Aba, and Ohafia before the end of the year; and provision of a digital marketplace to drive both e-governance and e-commerce in the state.
According to the Commissioner, the partnership would help the state to leverage technology to drive socio-economic growth.
Speaking further, the Commissioner said that, in a major move to enhance the power initiatives of the Otti-led administration, Abia State Government had submitted a bid for the acquisition of 60% interstate electricity asset of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in the state.
He informed that the initial offer was submitted recently while the negotiations for the 60% acquisition of the assets of EEDC has reached an advanced stage.
He added that the process of ring-fencing the eight Local Government Areas in Abia Central and Abia North was ongoing.
Kanu announced that the Solar-for-Health-Power Project, an EU-sponsored project would be launched in a week’s time.
He added that while the EU would bring 70% finance for the project, Abia Government would bring 30%.
Not less than nine health facilities in the state, are being targeted in the pilot stage.
