Abia Secures $700M Water and Sanitation Project

By Ezechukwu Adimoha

The Abia State government rising from its weekly Executive Council meeting yesterday announced that the state has been selected as one of the six states in the federation to benefit from a $700 million dollars World Bank-funded water and sanitation initiative under the Sustainable Urban, Rural and Water Sanitation Hygiene (SURWASH) project.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu,who announced this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, said that the SURWASH project, would significantly improve access to potable water and sanitation across the state.

The Commissioner explained that the initiative covers both urban and rural areas and is designed to strengthen water supply systems and hygiene practices, noting that Abia’s inclusion reflects growing international confidence in the state’s governance trajectory.

Prince Kanu further stated that the USAID Small-Town Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project, previously suspended by the United States government, has now resumed under a new funding arrangement facilitated by Mercy Corps.

Prince Kanu highlighted developments in the state’s power sector, including the issuance of three interim electricity licences by the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority to New Era, Aba Power Limited and Geometric Power.

The Commissioner said that the Ohafia Power Restoration Project has reached 85 per cent completion and is expected to be delivered before the end of the fourth quarter of the year.

Prince Kanu further disclosed that the state has commenced the installation of a 1.8 megawatt microgrid solar power project to supply electricity to the Central Bus Terminals in Umuahia and Aba, in line with the clean energy transition agenda of the Governor Alex Otti led administration.

Contributing, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr. Ikechukwu Monday,
explained that the SURWASH initiative covers projects across the three senatorial zones, targeting both water and sanitation improvements.

He said that the project is designed as a grant and focuses on rehabilitating water schemes to deliver potable water to communities, including Ubakala and parts of Isiala Ngwa, noting that work is ongoing across multiple sites, including CKC and Ubakala water schemes with contractors already mobilised.

The Commissioner said the objective is to interconnect water schemes to enable the delivery of pipe-borne water to households, describing the development as a major step towards restoring potable water supply across the state.

On the power sector as it relates to consumer protection, the Power commissioner said the state government is prioritising accurate billing and improved service delivery, noting ongoing efforts to eliminate estimated billing through mass metering.

He highlighted that over 100,000 meters have already been deployed in Aba, with expansion to other parts of the state underway, adding that reforms in the Power sector are being implemented in phases to ensure sustainability, while taking into account population growth and the need to meet future demand across Abia State.