Abia State Among Beneficiaries of EU-Sponsored Nigeria Solar Project
Abia State has been selected as one of the five states in Nigeria to benefit from the Nigeria Solar for Health Programme, an initiative sponsored by the European Union (EU) to provide solar-powered energy solutions for health institutions. The announcement was made by the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during a press briefing held after this week's Executive Council meeting, presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu explained that the programme is a joint venture between the state government and the European Union. The state government will contribute 30% of the total funding, while the EU will provide the remaining 70%. This initiative is aimed at powering health institutions in the state with solar energy, which will benefit not only the health facilities but also the communities and businesses surrounding them.
Kanu further highlighted the ongoing success of the “Light Up Abia” Initiative, a project by the state government that has already installed over 4,500 solar-powered lights across 74 locations in Abia. The achievements in this area contributed to the state being selected as a beneficiary of the EU-sponsored programme.
"The Light Up Abia Initiative is already yielding positive results for the state, and our selection as one of the five states to benefit from the Nigeria Solar for Health Project further demonstrates our commitment to clean energy and improving healthcare infrastructure," Kanu said.
Education Sector Reforms
In addition to the solar initiative, the Commissioner also addressed ongoing reforms in the education sector. The Abia State government has granted approval to the Ministry of Education to allocate funds to heads of primary and secondary schools across the state. The aim is to address issues of illegal fee collections by providing official running costs, which will ease financial pressure on school heads.
“This move will make the illegal collection of fees a thing of the past and ensure that our school heads can manage their institutions without undue financial burdens,” Kanu stated.
Infrastructure and Road Projects
The Commissioner further announced that the state government has successfully completed 124 road projects as part of its “zero-pothole” initiative. These projects are aimed at improving road infrastructure, with a principal focus on Aba and Umuahia. Among the road projects nearing completion is Ndoki Road, which is set to be commissioned soon, while maintenance work on the Uchenna Bus Stop to Afara Technical School Road and Agbama Transformer to F-Line Road has already been completed.
In Aba, the Bata Junction Roundabout, now featuring a newly installed water fountain, is almost ready for public use.
Enhancing Security in the Transport Sector
The state government is also ramping up efforts in the transport sector by registering all commercial vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles operating in Abia. According to the Information Commissioner, this initiative is part of the state’s plan to enhance security and ensure that operators of commercial transport are properly identified. The registration is free of charge for both operators and owners.
Chairman of the Abia State Unified Task Force and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who also contributed during the briefing, said the registration policy is essential for helping security agents track and identify commercial vehicle operators.
