The Abia State Government has unveiled plans to transform key markets in Umuahia, including the Ogwumabiri Market at Ossah, through comprehensive renovation and, where necessary, relocation to more suitable sites, as part of a wider urban renewal programme aimed at boosting commerce, improving infrastructure and ensuring sustainable city development.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu explained that the government is taking a holistic approach to modernising markets within the state capital to create a more conducive environment for traders and consumers while addressing planning and environmental concerns.

He also announced that the tendering process for the construction of the Pocket Estate Layout in Umuahia has been concluded, with the list of successful contractors expected to be released during the week.

On infrastructure, the Commissioner said the Ministry of Works is currently executing direct labour road projects at 46 locations across the state. He noted that three road maintenance projects have been completed, while two additional roads have been incorporated into the ministry’s maintenance programme.

According to him, the completed projects include the failed section of the Nkwoagu Junction–Nkwo Mbala Road in Umunneochi Local Government Area, the second phase of the Akara Junction–Ovim Bridge Road in Isuikwuato LGA, and the rehabilitation of Mazi Okoro Avenue in Obinkita, Arochukwu LGA.

He added that rainy season maintenance has commenced on the Opopo Junction–Azumini–Obehe Road, a federal highway linking the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, as well as the access road to Obingwa General Hospital and the Obingwa Local Government Headquarters.
As part of measures to strengthen urban planning and public safety, Kanu announced that the state government has introduced mandatory soil and geotechnical testing as a prerequisite for obtaining building permits in Umuahia.

He said the policy is designed to improve structural integrity, prevent building collapse and safeguard lives and property by ensuring that every building is designed in accordance with the soil characteristics of its location.
The Commissioner further revealed that the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA) has intensified drainage desilting operations across flood-prone areas of the capital city to mitigate flooding and improve environmental sanitation.

Areas currently benefiting from the exercise include Adelabu Street, the drainage channel from Shoprite to Uwalaka Street, Asaba Street Junction, Ndume Otuka Road, Winners Church Ndume Road, Church of Christ axis and Finbarrs Road.
The latest decisions of the State Executive Council underscore the Otti administration’s commitment to modernising markets, expanding infrastructure, strengthening urban planning, improving road connectivity and building safer, more resilient communities across Abia State.

…. Receives Massive 2027 Endorsement From Imo Indigenes In Abia

Governor Alex Otti has directed the immediate calculation and payment of entitlements to workers disengaged between 2011 and 2012, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to justice, fairness and inclusive governance.

Responding to an appeal for the recall of workers disengaged between 2011 and 2012, the Governor explained that many of those affected have now reached retirement age and may no longer be able to return to active service.

He therefore directed that their outstanding entitlements be computed and paid without delay. According to him, the directive applies to all affected workers irrespective of their state of origin, noting that similar payments had already commenced for eligible beneficiaries following verification exercises.

This is a testament to the sincerity of  his administration as thousands of Imo indigenes resident in Abia State gathered in Aba to endorse him for a second term in 2027, citing his transformational leadership, infrastructural renewal, improved security and people-centred policies.

The endorsement came during a grand civic reception organised by Ndi Imo in Abia on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in honour of Governor Otti and his wife, Mrs. Priscilla Otti. The event attracted Imo indigenes from all the 27 Local Government Areas resident in Abia State.
Addressing the gathering at the pavilion of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Governor Otti assured residents that his administration would continue to implement policies that benefit everyone irrespective of state of origin, reiterating that there is no discrimination based on origin under his government.

The Governor thanked the Imo community for the overwhelming show of love and solidarity, particularly in honour of his wife, who hails from Mbaise in Imo State. He assured them that his administration’s achievements over the last three years represent only the beginning of greater developments to come.
“This is just the beginning. We have been here for just three years. By the grace of God, in the next five years, you will see even greater things. Once you have found your feet, there is no going back to Egypt. We will continue to develop and do better,” Governor Otti declared.

Governor Otti also appreciated the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Perry Opara, for identifying with the event. He assured him that Imo indigenes living in Abia enjoy equal rights, security and opportunities as citizens of the state.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Uzodimma, Chief Perry Opara described the massive turnout as evidence of the cordial relationship between Imo residents and the Abia State Government. He noted that Governor Otti, whose wife is from Imo State, has continued to carry every resident along in governance and urged the people to remain peaceful and law-abiding.

In their separate remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Chibuike Achigbu; Chairman of the Steering Committee, Chief MacDonald; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ndi Imo in Abia, Chief Boniface Mbachu, represented by Chief James Odocha; National President of South East Town Unions, Chief Emeka Diwe; Labour Party Zonal Women Leader for Abia South, Mrs. Lilian Ezenobi; the State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW); and the Founder of the Local Boys Movement, Abia State Chapter, Comrade Chukwuma Azode, unanimously endorsed Governor Otti for a second term in office.

They applauded his visionary leadership and transformational achievements in infrastructure, security, stable electricity, economic development and good governance, describing his administration as one that has restored hope and confidence among residents. They also praised the First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, describing her as a worthy daughter of Imo State whose support has continued to strengthen the Governor’s success.

Delivering the vote of thanks, an Imo indigene and Commissioner in the Abia State Local Government Service Commission, Chief G.C. Duru, reaffirmed the unassuming support of Imo residents for Governor Otti’s re-election in 2027.

Speaking with journalists, Dr. Ikechukwu Ijemba, a Board of Trustees member of Ndi Imo in Aba and proprietor of Chris Mary Hotel, said Governor Otti’s administration has provided appointments for qualified sons and daughters of the community while transforming the state’s infrastructure, electricity supply and security architecture. He said these achievements informed their overwhelming endorsement.

Other stakeholders, including the Leader of Echezona Street Vanguard, Mr. Michael Aniorji; Managing Director of Kingswell Hospital, Aba, Dr. Ugochukwu Okoro; Chairman of Ngwa Market, Chief Ejim Munachimso; and broadcaster, M.C. Ifeanyi Ahanaihu of Magic FM, described the current administration as the most impactful since the return of democracy.

They likened Governor Otti’s developmental strides to those of the late Governor Sam Mbakwe and expressed confidence that history would remember him for positively transforming Abia State.
Several coordinators of Ndi Imo across the various Local Government Areas, including Ambassador Cosmos Ukata (Oru East), Barr. Uche Anyaiam (Nkwere), Mr. Chinedu Okere (Ngor Okpala), Mr. Augustine Opara (Aboh Mbaise), Mr. Frank Onuoha (Ahiazu Mbaise), Mr. Christian Orumadu and Chief Ferdinand Onuoha (Njaba), also commended the remarkable pace of development across Abia State. They noted that increasing property values, improved infrastructure and enhanced security clearly demonstrate that the state is on a new trajectory of growth.

They further disclosed that many eligible members of the Imo community resident in Abia have obtained or transferred their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to Abia State, expressing their determination to support Governor Otti’s re-election bid in 2027.
The colourful event featured cultural displays, traditional dances and masquerade performances showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Imo State, adding glamour to the celebration of unity, inclusiveness and transformational governance in Abia State.

…Federal Government Applauds Abia’s Agricultural Revolution

Abia State has taken another significant step towards advancing the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda with the official flag-off of the Abia State Farmers’ Input Support Programme.
This is an initiative designed to empower 18,634 verified farmers across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas with improved farm inputs aimed at boosting food production, creating jobs and strengthening food security.

Flagging off the programme at the Umuahia Township Stadium, Governor Dr. Alex Otti, described agriculture as a critical pillar of economic diversification and sustainable development, reaffirming his administration’s determination to transform the sector from subsistence farming to commercially driven agriculture.

The programme, themed “Improved Inputs, Increased Yields, Sustainable Prosperity for Farmers,” aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on agriculture, which prioritises increased food production, food security, poverty reduction, youth employment and sustainable economic growth through strategic investments in the agricultural sector.

Governor Otti announced that the programme, initially designed to benefit 17,000 farmers, was expanded to 18,634 beneficiaries following a successful farmers’ registration and verification exercise that produced a comprehensive Agricultural Dynamic Database System.
According to the Governor, the digital database guarantees transparency and accountability by ensuring that only genuine farmers with identifiable farmlands benefit from government interventions.
“We started with data gathering because we wanted to map every farmer to a farm. We now have a comprehensive database of our farmers. If we cannot identify you, we won’t be able to support you,” Governor Otti stated, while encouraging unregistered farmers to take advantage of the ongoing registration exercise.

He reiterated that although government would continue supporting smallholder farmers, the long-term objective is to develop commercial agriculture capable of driving industrial-scale food production and economic prosperity.
“Agriculture is a veritable business. We are aggressively promoting commercial agriculture because it holds the key to food security, employment generation and wealth creation,” the Governor said.
Governor Otti further disclosed that transportation had been provided to ensure beneficiaries convey the distributed farm inputs to their farms at no additional cost, describing farmers as indispensable partners in the state’s development agenda.
He also revealed that the favourable investment climate created by his administration has continued to attract major investors into the agricultural sector, including a multinational palm oil company that has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Abia State Government to invest up to 200 million US dollars in agricultural development.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, explained that all farm inputs—including improved varieties of cassava, maize, rice, plantain, sweet potatoes, pepper and tomato seedlings, organic fertilisers and herbicides—were fully funded by the state government and would be distributed free of charge.
He disclosed that 3,312 farmers received their inputs during the flag-off ceremony, while the remaining 15,322 beneficiaries would collect theirs through their respective Local Government Councils.
Dr. Agbaeze added that beneficiaries would also receive training and extension services to enable them adopt modern farming practices, increase productivity, improve livelihoods and transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Director of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Professor Chiedozie Egesi, described the programme as a major milestone in Abia’s agricultural transformation and a practical demonstration that agriculture has regained its rightful place as a priority in the state’s development agenda.
He commended Governor Otti’s visionary leadership and praised the establishment of the Agricultural Dynamic Database System, noting that it guarantees transparency while ensuring that government support reaches genuine farmers.
Professor Egesi stressed that agriculture remains the foundation of Nigeria’s future and aligns squarely with the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving national food sufficiency, reducing dependence on food imports and expanding the agricultural value chain.
He observed that Abia possesses the fertile soils, strategic location and natural resources required to become the agricultural hub of the South-East and one of Nigeria’s leading agri-food production centres if sustained investments continue.
The NRCRI boss reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to partnering with the Abia State Government in agricultural research, improved planting materials, mechanisation, technology transfer and farmers’ capacity building to strengthen food security and create sustainable wealth for farming communities.

In her goodwill message, the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, applauded Governor Otti’s deliberate investments in agriculture, innovation and youth development.
She described the initiative as a strategic intervention that would improve productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains, enhance rural livelihoods and support sustainable food systems.
Professor Akanwa reaffirmed the University’s readiness to collaborate with the Abia State Government and relevant stakeholders in advancing climate-smart agriculture, agricultural research, technology transfer and extension services.

The programme featured the distribution of agricultural inputs to beneficiaries and the inspection of agricultural produce exhibitions by Governor Otti and other dignitaries.
The initiative underscores the complementary roles of the Federal and Abia State Governments in driving agricultural development. This also demonstrates how strategic investments, innovation and strong partnerships can accelerate food security, stimulate rural economies, create employment opportunities and advance Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.