Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has expressed agony over rising accommodation rents, particularly in Aba and Umuahia metropolises.
Otti equally voiced his concern over flooding plaguing part of the state.
The governor expressed both concerns during the July edition of his monthly media chat held at Government House, Umuahia, on Friday where he announced efforts in place to remedy the situations.
“We are building drainage channels that will quickly take floodwater off our roads. Our goal is to permanently solve the flooding problem,” he said, attributing increased demand for accommodation as the contributory factor for higher rental costs.
However, he announced that the state government would soon flag off the construction of the Pocket Layout project in Umuahia, to help bridge the housing gap.
The governor declared that the latest 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index released recently has ranked Abia State under his leadership the third most improved state, saying Abia state’s rise in the ranking index was due to his administration’s sustained investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure and governance.
“You will recall between 2023 and 2024, our state was rated number 36, and in 2025, we moved from 36 to number 10.
“And with the current report, we are number three, closely following Jigawa, which came second, and Enugu which came first,” he stated.
