The Abia State Government has announced plans to begin demolition and reconstruction of the Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, Aba, as part of ongoing reforms in the state’s tertiary education sector.
The disclosure was made in a statement on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alex Otti, Mr Njoku Ukoha, who said the exercise would commence within the week.
According to Ukoha, the decision followed public exposure of the poor condition of facilities at the institution, many of which are over seven decades old and no longer fit for academic use.
“Following the publication of the current state of the Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, Aba, the government has approved immediate intervention,” Ukoha said.
He explained that most of the ageing and deteriorated structures would be pulled down and replaced with modern facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
“As part of Governor Alex Otti’s commitment to the recovery and remodelling of all state-owned tertiary institutions, demolition will begin within the week. The over 70-year-old structures that have fallen into disrepair will be reconstructed to provide a conducive learning environment for students,” the statement noted.
Ukoha added that architectural prototypes of the proposed buildings have been unveiled to give residents a preview of the college’s expected outlook upon completion.
“The visual designs of the reconstructed college have been released to show what the institution will look like after the project is completed,” he said.
The statement further highlighted other education-sector interventions by the state government, noting that the Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, has undergone a complete transformation.
He also revealed that Abia State University, Uturu, is currently experiencing extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction, while work is ongoing at both the temporary and permanent sites of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, ahead of its relocation.
In addition, the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, is said to be undergoing major construction and upgrading works.
Ukoha stated that the redevelopment of the College of Health Sciences forms part of the Otti administration’s broader efforts to address years of neglect in public institutions and improve academic standards and service delivery across the state.
