By Peter Omopo
The Abia State Government has announced plans to repurpose the proposed new Government House located at Ogurube Layout in Umuahia into a five-star hotel.
Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this during a media tour of the site on Thursday, describing the structure—initiated by the previous administration—as unsuitable for use as a residential or administrative facility.
Kanu also revealed that the state government would construct a new governor’s office and lodge within the current Government House complex, contrary to claims that the present facility is a rented apartment.
“Let me debunk another lie,” he said. “The current Government House was not rented. It was duly acquired by the state government. Unfortunately, the previous administration misled the public while allegedly paying themselves rent from state coffers.”
The commissioner described the uncompleted Government House project as inhabitable, lacking basic residential features such as wardrobes. “What we saw were just empty halls. One begins to wonder what the designers had in mind when they created such a structure,” Kanu remarked.
He further stated that only one floor of the building appears near completion, while the rest remain unfinished, prompting the government’s decision to convert the site into a revenue-generating hotel.
