The Abia State Government has announced plans to convert the abandoned Government House project at Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, into a five-star hotel, citing its unsuitability as a residential building.
Speaking during a media tour on Thursday, Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu clarified that the existing Government House is not a rented property, dismissing claims that the state was paying rent for the facility.
“And let me debunk another lie. Before now, they said that the current Government House was a rented apartment. But it is not a rented apartment. That property was acquired, duly acquired by the state government, but those people who were in office before now were busy paying themselves rent from government coffers, deceiving the public that they were paying rent for a Government House,” Kanu said.
Describing the abandoned Government House as unfit for occupancy, Kanu noted that the structure lacks basic residential amenities.
“This place appears inhabitable. There are no wardrobes anywhere. Most of what we saw were just halls, empty halls. Did anybody see any wardrobe on any of the floors? There were no wardrobes. So this place was never meant to be a residential house,” he stated.
Kanu further highlighted safety concerns, pointing out that much of the building remains unfinished and poses significant risks to occupants.
“You can see a lot of the places were not plastered, and the elevator was not installed. The whole place looks dangerous. If anybody missteps there, you can fall through the place to your death,” he warned.
The commissioner also took aim at former commissioner John Okiyi Kalu, accusing him of spreading misinformation about the project.
“Of course, when Dr. Alex Otti spoke about this Government House a few days ago, John Okiyi went to Arise, to, as usual, spew falsehood. Almost everything he said was a lie. Now I brought you people (pressmen) here to see for yourselves and to confirm what Dr. Alex Otti said,” Kanu asserted.
He urged Abians to continue supporting Governor Alex Otti, stressing that the administration is committed to prudent resource management.
“Otti, being a responsible governor, would not allow waste and would never misuse the resources of Abians,” he added.
