Public School Enrolment in Abia Triples to Over 300,000 – Governor Otti

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has announced a massive rise in public school enrolment across the state, revealing that the number of pupils in government-owned schools has increased from 117,000 last year to over 300,000 in January 2026.

Governor Otti made the disclosure on Thursday, January 29, during the January edition of his monthly media interaction, “Governor Otti Speaks to Abians,” held at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Umuahia.

According to the governor, the sharp increase reflects the impact of ongoing reforms in the education sector and aligns with his administration’s commitment to making education accessible and affordable.

“This is exactly the kind of result we expect. It is good news,” Otti said. “The recruitment of 4,000 additional teachers is currently ongoing. We are paying close attention to ensure everything moves smoothly.”

He added that reconstruction and renovation projects are continuing in schools across the state, including hostels and administrative buildings at Abia State University and the Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu.

Governor Otti also revealed that several major infrastructure projects are nearing completion, including the Omenuko Bridge and the Abam–Okobo–Amuvi–Arochukwu Road, which will soon be commissioned.

He further announced plans to flag off the reconstruction of the Uratta Road and the Old Express Road as part of efforts to achieve the complete recovery of Aba.

In the housing sector, the governor said the state would soon begin construction of pocket layout housing estates and other projects in Mbaisii, Mgbarakuma, and Ubakala.

On tourism and hospitality development, Otti disclosed that the government has entered into a partnership to digitally map and rate all hotels and hospitality facilities in the state using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

“In the next few months, all hotels will be assessed and classified, so that at the click of a button, you can view locations, rates, and make choices without visiting physically,” he explained.

In science and renewable energy, the governor announced the launch of a pilot biogas programme at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, aimed at converting waste into clean energy.

“This technology will help us turn waste into renewable energy that can power more areas, especially within the Umuahia ring fence,” he said.

Governor Otti also gave an update on the state’s healthcare initiative, Project Ekwueme Phase One, noting that 200 primary healthcare centres have been completed, with many already functional.

He said over 600 healthcare professionals have been recruited and deployed to ensure that facilities are properly staffed before being opened to the public.

In addition, the governor disclosed that construction has begun on a new general hospital in Ndoki, Ukwa East.

On water supply, Otti said the CKC Aba Water Project is almost completed and would soon be commissioned to serve parts of Aba. He added that other regional water schemes, including Umuahia and Ariaria, would also be launched soon.

He reaffirmed his administration’s goal of restoring pipe-borne water to every household in Abia, noting that the water project at the Abia State College of Education, Arochukwu, is 90 percent completed.