Abia State Governor Alex Otti has announced an ambitious, multi-pronged economic plan aimed at fundamentally reshaping the state’s industrial landscape and infrastructure, including a novel initiative to convert generated waste into clean energy. Speaking during his monthly media parley at the Government House in Umuahia on Thursday night, Governor Otti detailed how his administration is moving aggressively to restart moribund industries and secure reliable power supply.
Central to the governor’s industrial revival plan is the state’s acquisition of two major, previously struggling industries—Star Paper Mill and Afro-Beverages—from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria. This move is aimed squarely at restarting production in both facilities and creating thousands of jobs, which is projected to significantly boost Abia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Otti emphasized that the government’s role is not ownership, but rather attracting private partners and experts who can manage these enterprises profitably and ensure the sustainable growth of the state’s economy.
Simultaneously, the administration is shifting its focus on environmental management from mere waste evacuation to a comprehensive “waste-to-wealth” model involving recycling and power generation. The government has already conducted feasibility studies and initiated talks with investors to convert municipal rubbish into methane gas and electricity, explicitly drawing inspiration from successful models implemented in Europe and other advanced economies. This waste management overhaul has already made the state cleaner and healthier, according to the governor.
On power infrastructure, Otti disclosed a major breakthrough: the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company has accepted the state’s offer to purchase the Umuahia power ring-fenced area. This pivotal acquisition is expected to guarantee steady power supply across all nine local government areas within the Umuahia ring-fenced area. Furthermore, the governor is working to enable the Aba-based Geometric Power Plant to distribute its surplus electricity generated locally to other areas, a move that promises to end decades of irregular power supply across the state. The administration has already restored power to key academic institutions, including Abia State University, Uturu, and the College of Education, Arochukwu, ending their long-standing blackouts.
In the crucial social sectors, the government is expanding its commitments to education and health. Governor Otti revealed that over five thousand new teachers have resumed work under the free and compulsory education policy, with plans to hire four thousand more to meet growing student enrolments. Schools are being transformed into smart learning centers with technology-driven teaching, and any building failing an integrity test will be immediately demolished to ensure safer learning environments.
In the health sector, the administration is either constructing or renovating seventy-nine primary health centers and is in the process of recruiting seven hundred and seventy-one medical professionals. The transparent, merit-based recruitment process has even attracted applications from other African countries, underscoring “Abia’s growing appeal as a work destination,” according to Otti.
Finally, the “Light-up Abia” project continues to advance, with over eight thousand solar streetlights installed and more planned for cities and villages. Thanking President Bola Tinubu for inaugurating eight recently reconstructed roads in Aba, the governor announced upcoming commissioning plans for major road reconstruction projects, including the twenty-five-kilometre Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road and several others in the Isiala Ngwa North and South Local Government Areas. Otti credited recent successes in state security to intelligence-led operations and urged residents to remain vigilant community watchdogs. He concluded by thanking Abians for their support and pledging continued efforts to ensure every community benefits from improved roads, power, education, and healthcare services.
