Steve Unegbu, Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has disclosed that the debt profile of the state has dropped from ₦147.2 billion in the second quarter of 2023 to ₦48.6 billion in the second quarter of 2026, representing a reduction of over ₦90 billion.
Governor Otti made the disclosure during the October edition of his monthly media chat, tagged “Dr Alex Otti Speaks to Abians”.
While addressing reports suggesting an increase in Abia State’s foreign debt obligations, the Governor explained that the development was connected to the drawdown of funds from existing multilateral loan arrangements, including the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project (ABSID) and the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
He maintained that his administration had undertaken no direct borrowing and would only consider responsible borrowing for productive projects, when necessary.
“So far, there’s no direct borrowing by the government. But that doesn’t mean we won’t borrow if it becomes absolutely necessary. We will borrow for regenerative projects, at the right time,” Gov. Otti stated.
The Governor further announced that Abia ranked second in the 2025/2026 Climate Governance Ranking, while over 5,000 Certificates of Occupancy had been issued within three years.
Continuing ,he revealed that the new housing project in Umuahia had been oversubscribed, with the balloting process for prospective beneficiaries expected to commence soon.
Governor Otti further announced that the CKC, Aba water project was ready for commissioning, expressing appreciation to the team responsible for its completion.
He said the administration’s ambition was to restore the era when residents could conveniently access running public water in their homes.
He also announced that the solar mini-grid at the Nnenna Bus Terminal had been successfully energised and that electric buses had commenced charging at the facility.
He expressed optimism that the charging infrastructure at the new bus terminal in Aba would also be ready before its commissioning, noting that the government was committed to exploring alternative energy sources rather than relying entirely on public electricity supply
On public health, Otti said the state had activated precautionary measures following the index case of Ebola in Nigeria
He disclosed that an isolation centre had been designated at the Modern Child Hospital, although no Ebola case had been reported in Abia State.
The Governor urged residents to observe the necessary health protocols without panicking, assuring them that the government was prepared to respond appropriately should the need arise.
According to him, more than 31,000 screening exercises had been conducted, while 1,811 patients had undergone surgery, including 304 beneficiaries of free cataract operations.
He explained that the free surgeries were provided to vulnerable residents who could not afford the cost of treatment, stressing that the government would not allow financial difficulties to prevent people from accessing essential healthcare services.
While disclosing that another smart school would soon be commissioned , he added that the number of smart schools planned for the state had increased to 21 following the approval of an additional facility.
Responding to questions, Governor Otti assured that his government would ensure standardisation in both public and private schools, informing that he had constituted a committee over two years ago to examine the government’s interventions in education, especially their impact on private schools and how to ensure healthy competition between the schools.
He said the committee submitted its report, and the approved position is that improvements in public schools would challenge private schools to raise their standards and remain competitive.
On concerns about fees charged by the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA), the Governor said the agency was responsible for determining and justifying its charges in line with its revenue targets.
He explained that the agency could review the rates if it considered a reduction necessary, adding that he would not interfere unnecessarily with its operational responsibilities.
He also explained that the government had assessed the road network and categorised projects according to their economic importance and urgency, adding that priority was initially given to major roads in Aba and Umuahia because their deplorable conditions had discouraged businesses, restricted movement, weakened internally generated revenue and contributed to unemployment and poverty.
He added that the administration would progressively address other roads as resources permitted, stressing that government must operate within available financial limits rather than make unsustainable commitments.
The Governor reaffirmed that his administration remained committed to addressing the state’s development challenges through a gradual but systematic approach, guided by available resources, economic priorities and the overall public interes
