By Peter Okore
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced plans to commence the development of pocket housing layouts in Umuahia as part of measures to address the growing housing deficit and rising cost of accommodation in the state.
Speaking during the July edition of his monthly interactive session, Governor Otti Speaks to Abians, held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia on Thursday, the governor said the initiative was designed to increase the supply of residential housing, particularly in Umuahia and Aba, where demand has continued to outstrip supply.
He attributed the increasing cost of accommodation in the two major cities to the surge in demand for residential properties and said the government was creating an enabling environment for private developers to invest in the housing sector.
As part of reforms in land administration, Otti disclosed that his administration had issued 4,923 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) over the past three years, with nearly 1,000 processed in 2026 alone.
According to him, the exercise is intended to simplify land ownership documentation and accelerate property development across the state.
The governor also announced the completion of Abia’s digital mapping project in collaboration with UN-Habitat, noting that the initiative would usher in a fully digital land administration system capable of eliminating fraudulent land transactions and reducing delays in processing land documents.
On infrastructure, Otti explained that the delay in awarding and executing the Ohafia–Ihechiowa–Ututu–Arochukwu Federal Road project was due to the need to secure approval from the Federal Government and the challenging terrain along the route.
The governor expressed satisfaction with Abia’s performance in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, which ranked the state as the third most improved in the country.
He attributed the achievement to sustained investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure and governance.
“Between 2023 and 2024, Abia was ranked 36th. In 2025, we moved to 10th position, and today we are ranked third, behind Enugu and Jigawa. These rankings reflect the impact of our reforms,” he said.
Otti also highlighted improvements in the health sector, stating that Abia recorded significant progress in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
He added that enrolment in the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme had continued to rise, while 144 of the state’s 200 Primary Healthcare Centres had been fully upgraded and made operational.
He disclosed that another 77 health facilities renovated under a World Bank-supported programme had been completed, with about 30 additional centres expected to become operational soon.
On transportation, the governor announced the arrival of 20 additional electric buses to expand the state’s mass transit system.
He said the buses would serve routes including Umuahia–Bende–Arochukwu, Umuahia–Uturu (Abia State University), Umuahia–Umudike–Ikwuano, Aba–Owerri and Aba–Ukwa.
Otti revealed that surveillance cameras had been installed in all the buses to monitor operations and ensure accountability, adding that the crew of one of the buses had already been sanctioned following reports of misconduct captured by the monitoring system.
The governor further disclosed that construction of the Aba Bus Terminal was progressing steadily, while the first phase of the Ekeoha Market remodelling project had been completed and would soon be inaugurated.
In the education sector, Otti said two of the 20 proposed smart schools had already been commissioned, assuring residents that the remaining schools would be completed in phases.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at equipping pupils with digital and technological skills from an early age.
Addressing ongoing road projects, the governor acknowledged that the rainy season had slowed construction activities but assured residents that contractors remained on site across the state.
He also sympathised with communities affected by recent flooding and said the government was investing in durable drainage infrastructure to provide a lasting solution to the problem.
“We are constructing drainage systems that will effectively channel floodwater away from our roads. Our objective is to permanently address flooding in affected areas,” he said.
Otti described the recent visit of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as beneficial to the state’s creative industry, revealing that the state had opened a dedicated bank account for the Akwete cloth production hub.
He added that the First Lady had approved the release of funds she pledged to support women involved in the traditional weaving industry and said the government would formally announce receipt of the funds once they were credited.
The governor urged residents to promote indigenous industries by patronising Akwete cloth and commended Abians for embracing environmental sanitation, while also praising security agencies for maintaining peace and public safety across the state.