By Mark Chukwu, Umuahia
The Abia State Government has announced plans to mark the 35th anniversary of the creation of the state with the commissioning of completed projects and the flag-off of new development initiatives.
The announcement came as the State Executive Council (EXCO), presided over by Governor Alex Otti, approved measures to rehabilitate and improve the deteriorating World Bank Housing Estate at Abayi Umuocham in Aba.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday, August 10, 2026, while briefing journalists at Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.
According to Kanu, the Ministry of Housing has been directed to sanitise the World Bank Housing Estate and undertake remedial works aimed at restoring the estate’s infrastructure and improving living conditions for residents.
“EXCO has directed the Ministry of Housing to sanitise the World Bank Housing Estate at Abayi Umuocham, Aba.
“The Ministry has been mandated to embark on a number of remedial works to turn the fortunes of the largely deteriorating estate around. The facilities at the estate, including the roads, will be given a facelift,” he stated.
The planned intervention is expected to cover the estate’s roads and other infrastructure, while the government will also address activities contributing to the deterioration of the environment.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the Ministry of Housing had been directed to work with the Ministry of Works on rainy-season maintenance at Amaoba Housing Estate in Umuahia.
The temporary intervention is intended to improve access to the estate pending the permanent reconstruction of its roads.
To address electricity challenges in the area, the state government has also provided a new transformer for Amaoba Housing Estate.
Abia to Celebrate 35th Anniversary Through Projects
Speaking on activities lined up for Abia’s 35th anniversary, Kanu said the state government had chosen to depart from the traditional approach of marking the occasion with elaborate ceremonies and awards.
Instead, the administration will use the anniversary as an opportunity to commission completed projects, flag off new ones and advance initiatives capable of improving the quality of life of residents.
“The government will use the occasion of the celebration to commission a number of projects while flagging off new ones,” Kanu said.
He added that the administration would focus on practical development rather than what he described as grand ceremonies, stressing that the anniversary would be used to consolidate ongoing efforts to improve living standards across the state.
Government Moves to Restore World Bank Estate
Providing further details on the planned rehabilitation of the World Bank Estate, the Commissioner for Housing, Architect Chiemela Uzoije, said an inspection of the estate revealed several challenges associated with neglect and inappropriate use of public spaces.
He identified street trading and farming activities along roads within the estate among the practices contributing to the deterioration of the environment.
Uzoije said the state government was determined to restore order, improve infrastructure and enhance environmental management within the estate.
“His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti advised that we make sure we sanitise the place, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
“We are going to beef up the estate and make it come up to the level of the new Abia,” he stated.
The rehabilitation programme is expected to include improvements to roads and the installation of streetlights, while activities such as street trading and farming along roads within the estate will be restricted.
The intervention is part of the administration’s broader efforts to improve existing housing infrastructure and create better residential environments for Abia residents.
New Housing Scheme Planned for Umuahia
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Housing disclosed details of a proposed pocket housing layout in Umuahia, which is expected to provide different categories of residential accommodation for prospective subscribers.
The housing development will comprise detached five-bedroom houses with boys’ quarters, semi-detached housing units, as well as two- and three-bedroom blocks of flats.
Uzoije said the Ministry of Housing would soon begin the registration of interested subscribers through an Expression of Interest process, after which a dedicated payment portal would be opened.
He explained that the allocation process would be transparent and operated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The housing scheme will also adopt an off-plan payment structure, with subscribers expected to pay 30 per cent at the commencement of construction, another 40 per cent around the midpoint of construction and the remaining 30 per cent upon completion.
“The whole process will be so free and transparent. No interference whatsoever. Anybody who is interested will see the process, and the whole exercise will be very smooth,” Uzoije said.
According to the Commissioner, contractors are expected to mobilise to the site within the following week, with construction targeted for completion within the coming months after the official flag-off.
He said the housing initiative reflects Governor Alex Otti’s broader objective of providing quality and accessible housing for residents.
The government, he added, expects prospective homeowners to begin taking possession of the new houses by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Also present at the briefing were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, and the State Director of Information, Lady Chika Orji-Nwoke.
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The combination of the World Bank Estate rehabilitation, the Amaoba Housing Estate intervention and the planned new housing development signals the Abia State Government’s renewed focus on housing infrastructure, urban renewal and improved living conditions as the state approaches its 35th anniversary.
