Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has urged communities to take ownership of newly upgraded primary healthcare centres and protect them from vandalism, warning that his administration will not tolerate the destruction or misuse of public facilities painstakingly delivered for the benefit of the people. The governor gave the charge on Thursday, June 18, 2026, during the formal functionalisation of the Amaokwe Item and Amaegbuato Nkpa Primary Health Centres in Bende Local Government Area of the state.
Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Professor Ogbonnaya Uche, Governor Otti said the facilities formed part of ongoing healthcare reforms that had already made about nine primary healthcare centres fully operational in the area. “Government has provided these facilities; it is now the responsibility of the communities to protect and sustain them because vandalism or misuse will not be tolerated,” he warned. The governor said the upgraded centres were equipped with essential medical facilities, including ultrasound machines, auto analysers, oxygen units and laboratory equipment to improve healthcare services. He added that the facilities had been staffed with qualified nurses to provide round‑the‑clock services, while visiting doctors would offer specialised medical care when required.
Governor Otti also disclosed that the state government was constructing a specialist hospital at Umunnato General Hospital to further strengthen healthcare delivery in the area. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving access to quality healthcare services across rural communities and underserved areas of the state.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Kalu, said the healthcare reforms were designed to reduce preventable maternal and infant deaths. He noted that the government was working towards ensuring that every ward in the state had a functional and well‑equipped primary healthcare centre with adequate personnel.
The Chairman of Bende Local Government Area, Mr. Uwabunkeonye Bassey, commended the state government for what he described as unprecedented investment in the health sector. Bassey revealed that 16 primary healthcare centres had been approved for upgrade within the local government area to improve residents’ access to quality medical services.
In separate remarks, the President‑General of Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, Mr. Harrison Okorie, and the Women’s Wing President, Mrs. Mercy Kesandu‑Uko, expressed appreciation to the government. They said the interventions in the health sector would improve access to quality healthcare services and contribute to increased life expectancy, particularly in rural communities.
The governor’s warning comes amid growing concerns over the vandalism of public infrastructure in Nigeria. In recent months, several states have reported cases of theft and vandalism of medical equipment, solar panels, and other critical assets at primary healthcare centres, often by criminal elements seeking to profit from the sale of stolen items. Governor Otti’s call for community ownership reflects a broader recognition that sustainable healthcare delivery depends not only on government investment but also on the active protection of facilities by the communities they serve.
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