Abia State Emerges Beneficiary Of $700M World Bank SURWASH Project As Executive Council Highlights Gains In Water, Power And Governance
Abia State Emerges Beneficiary Of $700M World Bank SURWASH Project As Executive Council Highlights Gains In Water, Power And Governance
Abia State has been selected as one of six states to benefit from the $700 million Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Project funded by the World Bank.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday at Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu attributed the state’s growing recognition by multilateral donor agencies to what he described as the unprecedented transformation across all sectors under Governor Otti’s leadership.
“The massive transformation going on in all facets of governance in the state is responsible for the recognition we are receiving from multilateral donor agencies,” he said.
He further revealed that the previously suspended USAID Small Town WASH Project has resumed under a new funding arrangement, with Mercy Corps stepping in as the new funder. The project will involve the rehabilitation of the Ubakala and Ariaria water schemes.
On power, the Commissioner disclosed that the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Agency (ASERA) has issued three interim licenses to key operators in the state’s electricity market, including Aba Power and Geometric Power, alongside New Era.
He added that the Ohafia Power Restoration Project has reached 85 percent completion, with delivery targeted before the end of the second quarter of the year.
Prince Kanu also announced the commencement of a 1.8-megawatt microgrid solar power project aimed at powering the central bus terminals in Umuahia and Aba. According to him, the initiative aligns with the state government’s integrated energy transition programme, demonstrated by the deployment of electric vehicles under the Abia Green Shuttle Bus Service Scheme.
In the health and environmental sectors, the Commissioner disclosed that Governor Otti has approved new appointments, including Nneka Chioma Okoronkwo as Chief Medical Director of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, and Nkiru Chidia Maduekwe as Project Coordinator for the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) under the Ministry of Environment.
He said the appointees would be formally inaugurated by the Governor on Thursday at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Umuahia.
Prince Kanu further disclosed that the Otti-led administration will mark its third anniversary this May, maintaining its tradition of celebrating with the commissioning of completed projects and the flag-off of new ones rather than ceremonial festivities.
“The third-year anniversary will enable the state government to flag off new projects and commission completed ones across the three senatorial zones. An outline of activities will be made available in due course,” he added.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Ikechukwu Monday, explained that the SURWASH initiative focuses on rehabilitating water infrastructure to ensure potable water supply, particularly in the Ubakala and Ariaria axis.
“For the Ariaria water scheme, the plan is to link it to storage facilities in Okigwe, Aba. There are also long-term plans to interconnect water schemes across the state to ensure sustainable pipe-borne water supply,” he said.
He noted that contractors are already on-site at Ubakala, describing the project as a significant milestone in restoring potable water to households across the state.
Engr. Monday commended Governor Otti for fulfilling his campaign promises, particularly in the water sector, noting that projects under the SURWASH programme have been strategically distributed across the three senatorial zones.
He added that the state’s electricity market is now fully operational, with ASERA issuing two distribution licenses and one generation license to key operators.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, was also present at the post-EXCO press briefing.
