The Abia Government says it is poised to revitalise four moribund companies in Aba, including the Aba Textile Mills, International Equitable Industries, Afro Beverages, and Star Paper Mills.
The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this at the Government House in Umuahia, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of Monday’s Executive Council (EXCO) meeting.
Kanu said that Asset Management Corporation Of Nigeria had approved the state’s plan to take over Star Paper Mills in Aba.
He said the recovery of the company would be followed by its revitalisation, alongside others, before selling them to private sector investors.
Kanu said the revitalisation efforts would focus on providing jobs for Abia people and generating revenue for the state.
According to him, the state will retain enough shares in the companies when sold to private investors to ensure Abia people are not shortchanged by the managers.
He said that Abia Health Insurance Scheme had exceeded its target in 2025, having registered 103,076 enrollees.
He argued that the record showed the people’s faith in the scheme as capable of tackling their healthcare needs.
Kanu said that the commencement of the registration of residents in the informal sector into the scheme would be announced at a later date.
He said that the government had created two new departments – Abia Drug and Medical Commodities Management Agency and Department of Nutrition in the Ministry of Health – to serve the needs of the people.
He also said that 121 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) had been completed under Project Ekwueme, with 17 PHCs made functional and providing services.The commissioner said that 33 were being equipped to make them functional, adding that during the programme’s third phase, another 50 PHCs would be made functional.
He said that Abia had about 948 PHCs, hence their rehabilitation in batches with another phase scheduled to commence in October.
He said that the state had recorded a higher number of residents using its health facilities, being a sign of the people’s faith in the health system.
He said that the improvement in equipment and personnel was key in inspiring the increase in the usage of state health facilities.
He said the state Ministry of Environment on August 1 began house to house sanitary inspection services in the 17 Local Government Areas to encourage best hygiene practices.
“Defaulters will be prosecuted in line with the Abia State Environmental Laws,” he said.
Kanu announced the approval of the Abia Health, Safety and Environment Policy by the EXCO, designed to cater for the wellbeing of its civil servants.
He said the policy will be boosted with the approval of its implementation proposal by Gov. Alex Otti.
Government functionaries present at the media briefing included the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Maureen Aghukwa, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku and the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma