Abia Adopts Federal Health Salary Structure, Begins Recruitment Of Medical Experts
Abia State Government under Governor Alex Otti approves CONHESS for local government workers, rolls out massive healthcare reforms, medical outreaches with international partners, and ongoing specialist hospital projects across the state.
The Abia State Government has approved the implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for local government workers across the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday during a press briefing at the Government House, Umuahia, after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu said the approval aligns with the state’s ongoing civil service reforms aimed at improving the welfare and working conditions of employees.
“This commendable move makes Abia one of the few states in Nigeria that pays the federal government’s Consolidated Health Salary Structure to its workers,” he said.
The Commissioner also revealed that the state is advancing the renovation and equipping of 52 additional Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), bringing the total number of functional PHCs to 102. He added that 98 more PHCs will be completed before the end of the year, along with 50 out of 79 World Bank Impact PHCs.
“By the end of the year, we expect to have at least 250 PHCs fully renovated and equipped for use by Abians and residents,” Kanu stated.
He commended citizens for patronising the PHCs, noting that the development aligns with Governor Otti’s vision of ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare across Abia.
Prince Kanu also announced a series of medical outreach programmes scheduled between November 2025 and May 2026 in partnership with top medical institutions in Sweden and other global health organisations.
- ProHealth International Outreach: November 16–22, 2025
- Abia Diaspora Medical Outreach Group: December 12–19, 2025
- AMPA Abia Medical Outreach: April 2026
- Swedish Global Health Outreach: May 2026
He disclosed that the state’s recruitment portal for health workers has reopened to fill vacancies for ophthalmologists, medical officers, dental officers, and consultants on both part-time and full-time bases.
The Commissioner added that construction work on three specialist hospitals located in Aba, Umuahia, and Umunneato is ongoing, with a recent upgrade to ensure world-class facilities.
Governor Otti, according to Kanu, has also directed that the solar power project at the SDG Hospital, Ugwunagbo, be operational within the week to ensure uninterrupted power supply for staff and patients.
Speaking further, Kanu noted progress under the “Light-Up Abia” initiative, citing the ongoing installation of a 300 kVA–0.35 kVA transformer substation and a 33 kVA line survey from Ihechiowa to Asaga, Ohafia, covering 27.69 km.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency in land acquisition, assuring that any land obtained by the state would be used strictly for its intended public purpose.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said the approval of CONHESS followed the verification of the exact number of local government health workers. He explained that the implementation would eliminate salary disparities among healthcare personnel in the state.
Prof. Uche also disclosed that about 500 nurses have been recruited and are currently undergoing documentation, adding that the recruitment process was transparent and merit-based.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, was present at the briefing.
With these reforms, the Otti administration continues to reinforce its commitment to strengthening the healthcare system, improving workers’ welfare, and expanding access to quality medical services across Abia State.
