Governor Alex Otti is to perform the foundation-laying ceremony for the Abia Industrial Park park before the end of September.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Okey Kanu who disclosed this during a press briefing after the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia, said that the park is situated on a 1000 hectres of land in the oil-rich Owazza, Ukwa West Local Government Area.
The park according to him will house a modular refinery, gas plant, real estate, incubation centre, among other facilities.
He said that the multi-billion Naira project ” is one of the signature projects of the Otti-led administration”, aimed at shoring up the revenue base of the state, and generating new jobs to positively engage the teeming unemployed youth population.
Responding to a question on whether the project had any nexus with the much-promoted but unrealized Enyimba Economic City pet project of the immediate-past administration, Kanu said both projects had nothing in common.
He said: ” Light and darkness has nothing in common. The Abia Industrial Park being championed by His Excellency has nothing to do with Enyimba Economic City.”
According to him, the Enyimba Economic City was a way the past administration surreptitiously acquired land that Government did not need, adding that 9000 hectres of land was acquired for the unrealized Economic City while only 1000 hectres were secured for the industrial park.
He said God Otti was genuine and came prepared to transform Abia State, and not to give excuses for failure.
The Commissioner equally hinted that two specialist hospitals – Amachara Specialist hospitals, and Abia Diagnostic Centre ( formerly Mecure Specialist Centre Umuahia), renovated and equipped by the Otti-led administration, were ready for inauguration.
He further disclosed that efforts were on top gear to deliver all three General Hospitals currently under renovation in the three senatorial zones in line with the promise by Gov. Otti to revamp the Abia health sector.
The Commissioner also said that additional three road projects recently completed by the Governor in Aba were ready for inauguration.
According to him, the roads include: Umuimo Road, Old Express Road, and Udeagbara Road.
He said that installation of street lights had begun in Umuahia, assuring that very soon development would hit every part of the state.
The Commissioner further hinted that everything was set for the commencement of a six-lane Ossah Road expansion project in Umuahia but added that work would not begin until the on-going compensation for the affected structures was completed.
This, he explained, was to alley the fears of those who thought the State Government was not real, declaring that Government was not compelled but decided on its own to embark on the project.
Responding to inquiry on the dilapidated and almost impassable Aba-Port Harcourt expressway, the Commissioner said palliative work would in two weeks time begin on the highway.
He said that the Minister for Works, David Umahi, had given the assurance during his recent visit to the state.
On insecurity, the Commissioner said Government was intentional about tackling the factors that fertilise insecurity, adding that Government was determined to rid the state of all forms of criminality especially kidnaping for ransom.
He particularly hinted that Government was deliberate in containing the criminality bedeviling Uturu/ Isuikwuato/Umunneochi/ Lokpa/Okigwe axis.
Corroborating this position, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Navy Commander MacDonald Ubah, said that the recently launched Operation Crush was working assiduously to crash crime rate in the state.
He said that the capabilities of the perpetrators had been degraded following a recent demolition of their hideouts at the Lokpanta Regional Cattle market.
The Security Adviser, warned those behind criminality in the state to retrace their steps or brace up for tough times.