Abia set to roll out new 30-year master plan for Aba

*To reconstruct Enyimba Statedium

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

Abia State government says that it would soon roll out a new master plan to guide the development of Aba into a mega city and make the commercial city a real business hub.

Also, the State Executive Council has approved the setting of a special committee that would work out a plan for establishing a new commercial core for development of new markets in the Enyimba city, as well as the reconstruction of Enyimba Stadium.

Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, made these known on Monday evening while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council (EXCO) for this week at Government House, Umuahia. The meeting was presided by the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti.

Prince Kanu said that the new master plan for Aba would help to transform and expand the commercial city which is almost “bursting at the seams.”

“Today’s EXCO, I will say, focused so much on the city of Aba. EXCO discussed about plans to expand the city of Aba. EXCO is on the course of having a new master plan for the city of Aba. Aba as presently constituted, is bursting at the seams,” the Commissioner said.

“The development plan, that has seen the city through to its present position, was developed many years ago. But government wants to develop a new one, a new master plan that will guide the development of Aba as a mega city for the next 30 years or thereabout. Aba is going to metamorphose into a mega city, a real business hub, east of the Niger. So, for you to progress with such a plan, you have to have a master plan. That master plan is in place and very soon, the details will be made public,” he added.

The Commissioner also disclosed that EXCO also approved the setting up of a special committee charged with coming up with a plan for the development of a new commercial core plan, saying “that will speak to the development of new markets in Aba and the rebuilding of Ngwa Road market and, finally, the reconstruction of Enyimba Stadium.”

He explained that Enyimba Stadium would be reconstructed because the stadium was very much encumbered by adjoining markets in its present location.

“For those of us who are familiar with that part of Aba, we know that those markets around there constitute a great traffic grid lock around that area. So this special committee is going to work on how to free that area and, at the end of the day, reconstruct the existing Enyimba Stadium into a modern stadium that is fit-for-purpose,” Kanu said.

Giving further insight into the setting up of the special committee, the Director-General of Greater Aba development Authority (GADA), Mr. Uche Ukeje, said the Enyimba Stadium was bounded by two markets and a tertiary institution which impede access to the stadium.

“For those of you that know the city well, you know that the current location of the stadium is also where we have the Ngwa Road market. Beside it is the School of Hygiene and about 200 to 300metres at the end of School of Hygiene is the Ekeoha market.

“Nothing has been firmed up yet. The government has set up a committee to look at the possibility of setting up a new commercial core for the city. Currently, there is none (in Aba). We just have disparate locations of markets with no coordinated attention to planning, to the experience of the city, on how the city intends to grow.

“So, what we are looking at is the possibility of revamping the stadium. Currently, there are no accesses to the stadium, no parking (lot); you can’t even access it because people that trade there have occupied the whole road.

“So, at this point, it (Government) is exploring the possibility of retaining it there. But no decision has been taken yet, that is why the committee was set up,” Ukeje said.

On the ongoing Ossah road expansion project, the Commissioner for Information and Culture disclosed that the second phase of demolition of houses along Ossah Road has commenced, adding that this followed the payment of appropriate compensation to property owners affected.

The Ossah road project entails the expansion of the road, which serves as the major entry point into Umuahia, the state capital from Abia Tower on the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, from its present four-lane status to a six-lane road. The road expansion from Ossah would terminate at Okpara Square in Umuahia metropolis and construction has already reached advanced stage.

“Any set of people who are yet to receive their money, it may be that they are yet to present their account details to the appropriate officials. As you know, as we did in the first phase of payment, every other person whose house was affected was paid compensation before the demolition was carried out. We are following the same pattern in this other phase,” the Commissioner explained.

General Manager, Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Kingsley Agomouo, in his contribution, said that 39 buildings would be demolished in the second phase to give room for further expansion of the road

“This is another phase. Like the Commissioner said, compensations have been paid. Only those who have not submitted their account details are yet to receive their money. We have about 39 properties that are affected in this second phase. Whatever is being done speaks to the fact that government wants to extend the set bar,” Agomuo said.

Abia State government says that it would soon roll out a new master plan to guide the development of Aba into a mega city and make the commercial city a real business hub.

Also, the State Executive Council has approved the setting of a special committee that would work out a plan for establishing a new commercial core for development of new markets in the Enyimba city, as well as the reconstruction of Enyimba Stadium.

Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, made these known on Monday evening while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council (EXCO) for this week at Government House, Umuahia. The meeting was presided by the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti.

Prince Kanu said that the new master plan for Aba would help to transform and expand the commercial city which is almost “bursting at the seams.”

“Today’s EXCO, I will say, focused so much on the city of Aba. EXCO discussed about plans to expand the city of Aba. EXCO is on the course of having a new master plan for the city of Aba. Aba as presently constituted, is bursting at the seams,” the Commissioner said.

“The development plan, that has seen the city through to its present position, was developed many years ago. But government wants to develop a new one, a new master plan that will guide the development of Aba as a mega city for the next 30 years or thereabout. Aba is going to metamorphose into a mega city, a real business hub, east of the Niger. So, for you to progress with such a plan, you have to have a master plan. That master plan is in place and very soon, the details will be made public,” he added.

The Commissioner also disclosed that EXCO also approved the setting up of a special committee charged with coming up with a plan for the development of a new commercial core plan, saying “that will speak to the development of new markets in Aba and the rebuilding of Ngwa Road market and, finally, the reconstruction of Enyimba Stadium.”

He explained that Enyimba Stadium would be reconstructed because the stadium was very much encumbered by adjoining markets in its present location.

“For those of us who are familiar with that part of Aba, we know that those markets around there constitute a great traffic grid lock around that area. So this special committee is going to work on how to free that area and, at the end of the day, reconstruct the existing Enyimba Stadium into a modern stadium that is fit-for-purpose,” Kanu said.

Giving further insight into the setting up of the special committee, the Director-General of Greater Aba development Authority (GADA), Mr. Uche Ukeje, said the Enyimba Stadium was bounded by two markets and a tertiary institution which impede access to the stadium.

“For those of you that know the city well, you know that the current location of the stadium is also where we have the Ngwa Road market. Beside it is the School of Hygiene and about 200 to 300metres at the end of School of Hygiene is the Ekeoha market.

“Nothing has been firmed up yet. The government has set up a committee to look at the possibility of setting up a new commercial core for the city. Currently, there is none (in Aba). We just have disparate locations of markets with no coordinated attention to planning, to the experience of the city, on how the city intends to grow.

“So, what we are looking at is the possibility of revamping the stadium. Currently, there are no accesses to the stadium, no parking (lot); you can’t even access it because people that trade there have occupied the whole road.

“So, at this point, it (Government) is exploring the possibility of retaining it there. But no decision has been taken yet, that is why the committee was set up,” Ukeje said.

On the ongoing Ossah road expansion project, the Commissioner for Information and Culture disclosed that the second phase of demolition of houses along Ossah Road has commenced, adding that this followed the payment of appropriate compensation to property owners affected.

The Ossah road project entails the expansion of the road, which serves as the major entry point into Umuahia, the state capital from Abia Tower on the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, from its present four-lane status to a six-lane road. The road expansion from Ossah would terminate at Okpara Square in Umuahia metropolis and construction has already reached advanced stage.

“Any set of people who are yet to receive their money, it may be that they are yet to present their account details to the appropriate officials. As you know, as we did in the first phase of payment, every other person whose house was affected was paid compensation before the demolition was carried out. We are following the same pattern in this other phase,” the Commissioner explained.

General Manager, Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Kingsley Agomouo, in his contribution, said that 39 buildings would be demolished in the second phase to give room for further expansion of the road

“This is another phase. Like the Commissioner said, compensations have been paid. Only those who have not submitted their account details are yet to receive their money. We have about 39 properties that are affected in this second phase. Whatever is being done speaks to the fact that government wants to extend the set bar,” Agomuo said.