NEWS
ABIA STATE GOVT EXPANDS DEVELOPMENT FRONTIERS, AS STATE EXCO UNVEILS GREATER OHAFIA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO DRIVE INFRASTRUCTURE GROWTH ACROSS ABIA NORTH
The Abia State Government has taken a significant step toward balanced regional development with the expansion of its development framework through the establishment of the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA), a strategic initiative designed to accelerate infrastructure and economic growth in Abia North.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He explained that the creation of GODA is part of a broader vision to replicate the successes recorded in Aba and Umuahia through structured development agencies, noting that the new authority will work alongside the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) and the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA) to ensure that development is evenly spread across the State.
According to the Commissioner, GODA has, since its inception, moved swiftly from planning to execution, initiating a series of strategic road projects aimed at improving connectivity within Ohafia and the wider Abia North Senatorial Zone. These projects are targeted at opening up communities, easing transportation challenges, and stimulating economic activities in the region.
Among the key projects already underway are the 1.53-kilometre Amaekpu-Ohafia Ring Road, the 300-metre Ezeukwu Road in Bende, and the 2.35-kilometre Ezera Road in Isuikwuato. Other ongoing interventions include the construction of Okoronta Road in Ohafia, extensive erosion control works covering 850 metres in Bende, and the maintenance of the 4.5-kilometre Abiriba–Nkporo Road, all of which are expected to significantly enhance mobility and safety across the zone.
Providing further insight into the agency’s mandate, the Director-General of GODA, Obinna Odum, described the authority as a deliberate response to the need for focused development in Abia North, with Ohafia serving as the take-off point. He emphasized that the road infrastructure projects being executed are carefully designed to interconnect local government areas, thereby improving access routes and facilitating the efficient evacuation of agricultural produce from rural communities to urban markets.
The establishment of GODA signals a deepening of the state government’s commitment to inclusive development, as efforts intensify to bridge infrastructure gaps and unlock the economic potential of previously underserved areas across
Abia State.