The Abia State Government has announced plans to convert the Government House, located at Ogurube Layout in Umuahia and originally built during the administration of Okezie Ikpeazu, into a five-star hotel due to its “uninhabitable condition.”
This revelation was made by the State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, during a tour of the facility. He described the building as lacking the essential features required for use as a Government House, labelling it unsafe for occupation.
Kanu revealed that the Governor Alex Otti-led administration has initiated plans to construct a new and suitable Government House on the site of the former official residence.
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“The structure at Ogurube Layout will be converted into a five-star hotel. Governor Otti is a responsible leader who will not allow state resources to be wasted. This place appears uninhabitable. There are no wardrobes anywhere. Most of what we saw were just empty halls. Did anyone see wardrobes on any of the floors? There were none. So, this building was never intended to be a residential house,” the Commissioner explained.
Kanu further emphasised that the structure was far from complete, noting that only the first floor appeared finished while the rest remained incomplete. Many areas were still not plastered, and an elevator had not been installed. The entire building, according to Kanu, appeared unsafe. He stated: “If anyone missteps in certain parts, they could fall through to their death.”
He further added, “The building was rushed to give the impression of a functioning Government House. Yes, there are a few pieces of furniture, but that’s all. The upper floors are completely empty. State resources were misused to create this gigantic structure that serves no real purpose.” Kanu also debunked claims that the previous Government House was a rented facility.
In a separate development, as part of his commitment to revitalising abandoned projects, Governor Otti announced the full acquisition of the long-abandoned Aba Mega Mall, located in Osisioma Local Government. The state government has paid off all parties with vested interests in the complex, thereby asserting full ownership.
Governor Otti made this announcement during a three-day Mega Crusade of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, held within the premises of the Aba Mega Mall. He stated: “I want to say that the place where you are (Aba Mega Mall), before now, there was a dispute. But just about three weeks ago, we resolved the dispute, paid off everyone who was owed, and the place has reverted to the State Government.”
Addressing the religious gathering amidst cheers, the Governor affirmed that no force was used in the mall’s takeover. “We didn’t want to use force. We called all of them and asked, ‘how much are you owed?’ We paid everyone, even their bankers. So, this place is now the full property of the Abia State Government,” he confirmed.
The Aba Mega Mall, a multimillion-dollar investment, had been abandoned for nearly 10 years, resulting in the wastage of significant resources. Governor Otti, however, outlined plans to revitalise the site, stating that it would soon be put to industrial use for the benefit of the people of Abia. He assured that in a few months, the transformation of the mall would be evident, and it would clearly belong to the Abia State Government.
