Abia State Government has set a 24 month deadline for the completion of the proposed medical city.
The ambitious 1000-bed medical city, according to Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, would be flagged off by Governor Alex Otti on July 10, 2025.
Prince Kanu explained that access road to the 200 hectares complex, a project designed to reverse medical tourism in Nigeria, is nearly completed.
Kanu said, “The Abia Medical City is the signature project that will ultimately reverse medical tourism, not just in Abia State or the Southeast, but in the whole of Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
“This flagship project when completed, will transform the State into a major hub for advanced medical services, which will be equipped with state-of the-art facilities. It will also feature facilities for medical tourism, a five-star hotel complex and accommodation for both patients and their families.”
He revealed that the $1.3 billion Abia Medical City is a Public Private Partnership project with MKP International Holdings on a build, operate and transfer business model with the state government, offering its reputation, land, and other logistics.
The Commissioner also listed other road projects to be flagged off soon, to include, 11 rural road projects and three agro-logistics hubs (markets) at Obinto – in Arochukwu LGA, Uzuakoli in Bende LGA and Ndoru in Ikwuano LGA in the first phase and subsequently in all the 17 LGAs under the World Bank Assisted Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
He said the state government has drawn down the RAAMP Projects with a counterpart fund N4.1 billion, which he explained underscored “the Governor’s unwavering commitment to the statewide infrastructural development of our rural communities.”
On road infrastructure, the Commissioner said that the direct labour rehabilitation and maintenance works are currently ongoing in 48 locations across the state, two of which have been completed, while three new roads were added into the maintenance basket.
The Commissioner revealed that the two completed direct labour roads include, the construction of the Agbama-Okwu-Olokoro in Umuahia South Road and the Nkwoegwu-Afugiri-Umuyota Road in Umuahia North Local Government Area.
The additional three are, Ozuama spot- Corpers’ Lodge road, maintenance and asphalt overlay of Abiriba Round – About – to Orie Akwa Junction and Senator Adolphus Wabara Road off IBB -Ahiaeke road, Umuahia.
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