The Abia State Government has announced plans to convert the recently commissioned Government House into a five-star hotel, citing major security and structural concerns. The building, inaugurated just a day before the end of the previous administration, has been deemed unsafe and unsuitable for use by the current Governor, Alex Otti.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the facility, the State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, described the structure as poorly executed and ill-suited for its intended purpose. He revealed that the building, located in a densely populated private residential area, poses significant security risks due to its proximity to surrounding houses that overlook the premises.
Kanu further noted that only the first floor of the building was completed and furnished, while the upper floors remain unfinished and riddled with structural defects. The lack of essential facilities, including a functional elevator, adds to the building’s deficiencies. He emphasized that despite the large sums of public funds expended on the project, the condition of the upper levels renders the facility uninhabitable.
Responding to earlier remarks from the former Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, who accused Governor Otti of running a propaganda campaign against the former administration, Kanu maintained that the current government’s assessment is based on facts. He called on the public to disregard claims that the Government House was completed, asserting that the state’s decision to repurpose the building is driven by safety and practical considerations.
