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Abia State government has declared its intention to celebrate the women who participated in the historic Aba Women’s Riot of 1929 soon.
According to the government, the move is to celebrate the women whom the government described as heroines of the movement with an honour for their bravery.
Prince Okey Kanu, the Abia State Commissioner for Information, who disclosed this during a press conference in Umuahia, stated that the Aba heroines at that time, despite palpable threats by the colonialists, staged a demonstration against bad governance.
The programme, he revealed, will be done in conjunction with the Office of the First Lady of Abia State and the State Ministry of Women Affairs.
Okey Kanu, who was briefing journalists in Umuahia after the end of this week’s State Executive Council meeting, chaired by Governor Alex Otti, announced that the government will soon begin the development of the Ibom Waterfall in Arochukwu.
The waterfall, he opined, will be used as a major tourism attraction that would enhance the revenue of the state, adding that consultations with some of the stakeholders in the project have been concluded successfully with strong community support.
He used the forum to inform that the state’s bid for Aba’s inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network under the Design category was progressing steadily, stressing that the initiative was aimed at showcasing Aba’s globally recognised strengths in fashion, leather works, and craftsmanship.
His word, “in the coming days, Governor Alex Otti will traverse the state once more in an effort to commission and flag off projects that could not be accommodated within the short space of one week that the anniversary celebrations lasted.
“The celebrations provided an opportunity for the government to review its achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, power, soft infrastructure, and economic reforms since 2023”, he said.
The commissioner added that several projects were commissioned during the anniversary, naming them to include roads, hospitals, cottage hospitals, primary healthcare centres, and public buildings, etc.
The government, he said, used the opportunity to also launch the first phase of the “Nkata” empowerment programme, under which beneficiaries across seven local government areas received N306 million in the first phase, while the remaining 10 LGAs would benefit in subsequent phases.
Kanu further asserted that more projects would be commissioned or flagged off in the coming weeks, saying that some of the many projects built by Otti’s administration could not be accommodated during the anniversary activities due to time constraints.
On transportation, the Abia commissioner expressed joy that the recently commissioned Nnenna Oti Central Bus Terminal and the Abia Green Shuttle electric bus scheme have positioned the state among the sub-national governments that have invested in modern state – of – art transport infrastructure.
The projects, the commissioner said, were designed to promote safety, efficiency, affordability, and sustainable mobility as they also support economic growth, adding that the Aba Central Bus Terminal, which is under construction, would feature 40 bus shelters, charging stations, and junction improvement works upon completion.
On the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centres (VIC) in Aba and Umuahia, Kanu disclosed that the programme is now fully operational, stressing that it now provides modern vehicle testing services aimed at improving roadworthiness and reducing accidents on the roads.
Speaking further on the terminal, the Abia commissioner stated that the Nnenna Oti Central Bus Terminal has recorded 8,891 passengers since its commencement of full operations about two weeks ago, just before it was formally commissioned.
He explained that the Abia Green Shuttle Bus Service transported 196,950 passengers during its free-riding period between December 24, 2025, and Feb. 26, 2026, while 145,413 passengers had made use of the services between March and May 2026 following its commercialisation.
“The figures demonstrate growing public confidence in the service due to its comfort, safety, and affordable fares,” Prince Kanu added.
On road infrastructure, the commissioner hinted that 25 road projects were commissioned during the period under review, with 19 executed through direct labour and six by contractors.
He informed that direct labour activities were carried out at 51 locations statewide, while 26 road projects remained under contract, with significant progress recorded.
According to him, the Otti administration has undertaken more than 400 road infrastructure projects covering over 800 kilometres since its inception.
Meanwhile, the Abia State government has said it will carry out the reconstruction of an additional 82 roads spanning more than 200 kilometres in the state in the coming months.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who disclosed this in Umuahia, said the new projects will bring the total number of road projects delivered by the administration to over 1,000 kilometres.
The Information Commissioner announced that the state government has approved the construction of monuments in strategic locations across Aba and Umuahia to preserve the state’s cultural heritage and boost tourism.
On the Ojukwu Bunker and National War Museum, Kanu reiterated that renovation and retrofitting works have commenced on them, saying that the projects would enhance historical education and tourism.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr Matthew Ekwuribe, said renovation works were ongoing at the National War Museum and Ojukwu Bunker, pointing out that the projects are being executed in collaboration with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
The twin projects, he asserted, are being executed alongside the proposed development of the Ibom Waterfall, which he described as part of the efforts to strengthen the state’s tourism ecosystem and increase economic activities.
Mr Ekwuribe, therefore, assured that the ongoing efforts to secure the UNESCO Creative City status for Aba would yield good dividends, pointing out that the move is important because of the city’s reputation as a hub for innovation, fashion, and manufacturing.
The Commissioner for Transport in the state, Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, revealed that the migration of transport operators to the new bus terminal would be implemented in phases.
In his comment on the concerns raised in some quarters over the salary arrears of workers of Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the affected workers had now been integrated into the state civil service system, pointing out that their emoluments are being worked out.
