Abia State would next month kick-start the construction of 11 rural roads and three agro-logistics hubs and markets under the World Bank Assisted Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project(RAAMP).
Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, said the projects have been primed for takeoff in July following the payment of N4.1 billion counterpart fund by the state government thereby confirming its eligibility for the World Bank project.
He also told journalists yesterday in Umuahia after the State Executive Council meeting that the construction of the planned Abia Medical City, estimated to cost $1.3 billion would be flagged off on July 10 by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu stated that several Abia communities cutting across the 17 local governments of the state would benefit from the World Bank road projects.
He said that the market projects would be specifically located at Obinto, Arochukwu Local Government, Uzuakoli, Bende LG, and Ndoru in Ikwuano LG.
“This underscores the Governor’s ongoing commitment to statewide, infrastructural-led development of our rural communities,” Kanu said.
In explaining the Abia Medical City initiative, the Information Commissioner said that the project would be executed under a private, public partnership with MKP International Holdings, adding that the government would provide land and good will.
According to him, under the PPP agreement with MKP International Holdings, the firm would build, operate and transfer the facility to the government, possibly after recovering its investments.
He said that the Medical City, which is considered as a major legacy project of the Otti administration, was targeted at reversing medical tourism which consumes a huge amount of Nigeria’s foreign exchange annually.
“The Abia Medical City is the signature project that will ultimately reverse medical tourism, not just in Abia State or the South-east, but in the whole of Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
“That flagship project, when completed, will transform the state into a major hub for advanced medical services,” he said.
Kanu said that the Medical City would occupy a land space of about 200 hectares with a 1,000-bed capacity hospital, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.
He listed other features of the Medical City to include “facilities for medical tourism, a five-star hotel, and accommodation for both patients and their families.”
Kanu noted that the access road to the project site was nearing completion thereby setting the stage for the July 10 flagging off ceremony for the Medical City, which is projected to be completed within 24 months.