Otti to convert new Abia Govt House built by Ikpeazu to 5 star hotel

The Governor Alex Otti-led Abia State Government has disclosed its plans to convert the newly built Government House at Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, into a five-star hotel.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, announced the decision after touring the three-storey complex during the week.

Kanu described the structure, built by the immediate past Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, as “uninhabitable and a security risk.” He accused the Ikpeazu administration of erecting what he called “an uninhabitable structure in the name of a Government House,” which was hastily inaugurated 24 hours before the former Governor left office.

The commissioner revealed that the Otti administration has initiated plans to construct a new and befitting government house on the site of the former official residence.

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“The structure at Ogurube Layout will be converted into a five-star hotel. Governor Otti is a responsible leader who will not allow state resources to be wasted.

“This place appears uninhabitable. There are no wardrobes anywhere. Most of what we saw were just empty halls. Did anybody see any wardrobe on any of the floors? There were none. So this place was never meant, from the outset, to be a residential house,” Kanu said.

He questioned the rationale that informed the structure’s design, saying, “One begins to wonder what the designers of this so-called Government House had in mind. How could anyone expect a governor to reside in such a place?”

Corroborating Otti's earlier claims, the commissioner further stressed that the structure was far from complete.

“Only the first floor appears to have been finished. The rest of the building remains incomplete. A lot of areas are not even plastered, and the elevator was never installed. The whole place looks unsafe. If anyone missteps in certain parts, they could fall through to their death,” he explained.

Kanu accuses Ikpeazu's govt of misleading public

The commissioner alleged that the previous administration had hastily constructed the building to mislead the public.

“They rushed to erect this structure simply to deceive people into believing it was a functioning Government House. Yes, there are a few pieces of furniture here, but that’s all. The upper floors are completely empty. They misused state resources to put up a gigantic edifice that serves no real purpose,” he said.

Kanu, who dismissed recent rebuttals by former Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, on national television, described the location as a security risk due to the number of surrounding buildings.

“Everything he said was a lie. I brought members of the press here so they could see the truth for themselves and verify what the Governor had earlier said.”

He also debunked claims that the previous Government House was a rented facility.

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“Let me put that lie to rest. The old Government House was not a rented apartment. It was a property duly acquired by the state. However, the previous administration paid themselves rent from government coffers while pretending it was a rented space.”

Kanu urged the Abia people to ignore opposition rhetoric and continue to support the administration’s efforts to deliver transparent and purposeful governance.