In a strategic move to boost the economic and industrial growth of Abia state, the state government will soon launch a new State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Policy.
The policy which would be launched through the Ministry of Industry and SMEs will seek to leverage on the national policy on MSMEs to develop one for the state in line with business peculiarities prevalent in the state.
The Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu announced this on Monday, at Government House Umuahia while briefing news men on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
He explained that the policy document, which would be ready for launching before the end of September 2026, would put Abia in the forefront amongst other states in the country.
“The policy document from the state will be a major addition and will put Abia in the forefront amongst other states in the country.
“The policy document will seek to act as a primary framework to foster an enabling business environment aimed at a 30% GDP contribution by 2030 for the state, to enhance access to finance, trading and market equality.
“The policy will focus on transforming the business sector, addressing rural-urban imbalances and stimulating job creation, particularly through the growth initiative,” Prince Kanu stated.
The Information Commissioner said that the state government would soon launch the Citizens Contact Centre, an initiative designed to strengthen governance and position the citizens to be part of the governance process in a most innovative way in the state.
“The centre, when launched, will improve communication and the feedback process between the citizens and the state government.
“The centre will help government to track complaints from the citizenry, thereby improving the official communication and feedback process that government requires for effective planning.
“Finally, the centre will reduce the complaints of citizens in the state government offices, even for the simplest of reasons,” Prince Kanu stated.
Prince Kanu further informed that the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) has been awarded full accreditation by the West African Community of Physicians for training of Doctors in community medicine.
He said that, “This accreditation will last for a period of five years. Of course, it speaks to what that health facility has come out to be. We recall that when this government came into office, it met the hospital in a very sorry state.
“They had lost their accreditation. The first thing we did was to get the accreditation back for many of their causes. Today, we are singing a different song,” Prince Kanu stated.
He said that the AMPA and Abia State Government collaborative free medical outreach would be taking place from the April 11th to April 17th, 2026, informing that free medical consultation, free general surgeries, free eye care and surgeries and free training for health workers would be offered, while venue for the medical outreach would be at the Aba General Hospital and Abia Specialist Hospital Umuahia
He added that the State Ministry of Health is collaborating with the Jimmy Carter Foundation on free hydrocele surgeries, revealing that so far, about 74 patients have been identified who will undergo surgeries, and that the surgeries which started on Monday, March 16th, would be held at the Aba General Hospital, the Abia State Specialist Hospital in Umuahia, and the Nkporo Cottage Hospital.
Prince Kanu, who disclosed that the Abia State Government has commenced the implementation of the CONHESS Salary Scale for local government health workers, said that the implementation of the Ministry of Health digital health is going on well and disclosed that the construction of the Ukwa East General Hospital has started and the contractor has a period of 9 months to complete the work.
The Commissioner announced that the outbreak of Lassa fever has not been noticed in Abia State, adding that, the state’s Ministry of Health is working hard to ensure that all border towns leading to the state are kept under surveillance.
The Commissioner for Health Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche was present at the press briefing.
