Otti prioritises healthcare expansion, urges communities to protect facilities in Abia

By Peter Okore, Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery across the state with the reconstruction of the 100-bed Okpuala Ngwa General Hospital and the commissioning of the newly rebuilt, retrofitted, and functional Government Cottage Hospital, Umuihie, Okporoahaba, both in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

The projects were unveiled on Monday, May 25, 2026, as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the Otti administration.

Speaking at the ceremonies, Governor Otti described the Okpuala Ngwa General Hospital as a facility of historical significance to the people of the area and Abians in general, noting that it once served as a major healthcare institution in the old Eastern Region of Nigeria.

He said the hospital had hosted several notable medical professionals over the years, including the late former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Dr. Chima Nwafor.

“What we have come here to do today is to restore this hospital to its former glory,” the governor stated.

Otti disclosed that reconstruction work had already commenced at the facility and assured residents that it would be equipped as a modern, state-of-the-art hospital, delivered within record time.

He also revealed that portions of the hospital land previously acquired illegally had been recovered by the government, warning against further encroachment on public property.

At the commissioning of the Cottage Hospital in Umuihie, the governor charged benefiting communities and stakeholders to take responsibility for protecting public health infrastructure.

“This is your facility in your community, and I challenge all of you to protect it,” he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said the Okpuala Ngwa General Hospital is among several facilities approved by the governor for reconstruction and upgrade to ensure improved access to quality healthcare across the state.

He explained that the upgraded hospital would include modern consulting clinics, surgical units, diagnostic laboratories, radiology services, a state-of-the-art accident and emergency unit, children’s ward, blood bank, and ambulance services.

Prof. Uche commended Governor Otti for prioritising healthcare infrastructure, adding that the newly refurbished Cottage Hospital would serve as a key referral centre for primary healthcare facilities in Isiala Ngwa South and surrounding communities. He noted that the facility is equipped with modern medical tools and supported with solar power to ensure uninterrupted service during power outages.

In their remarks, the Anglican Archbishop of Aba Ecclesiastical Province, Rt. Rev. Isaac Nwobia, and the traditional ruler of Okporoahaba Autonomous Community, Eze Peter Emeonye, described the governor’s health interventions as unprecedented. They also appealed for the construction of the Okporoahaba road to further improve living conditions in the area.

Earlier in the day, Governor Otti also commissioned the Umuikama–Okpuala Nvosi road and the Umunkpeyi–Okpokiri–Umuehim roads, all in Isiala Ngwa South LGA.

The events attracted members of the National and State Assemblies, traditional rulers, government officials, business leaders, and other dignitaries from within and outside the state.