By Emmanuel Agbo
Welcome to Trending Now! In this article, we will take you on a captivating exploration of the projects that have played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape, infrastructure, and future of Ebonyi State.
These projects have brought about tangible improvements and fostered a sense of community, empowerment, and pride among the residents.
A Brief Overview
Ebonyi state is the youngest of the 5 southeastern states in Nigeria. The state was created in 1996 under General Sani Abacha’s administration.
The state has been one of the most underestimated states in Nigeria, especially in the southeast region. This was due to its underdevelopment, poverty, and a high number of migrants who leave the state to do menial jobs in other states and cities, to survive.
The perception of Ebonyi State seen as grossly underdeveloped changed as soon as the current governor, Engineer David Umahi assumed office in 2015. The state has witnessed one of the fastest growth in its infrastructure development within 8 years of his stay in office.
Currently, Ebonyi State has built more than 20 fly-over bridges, a mall, several kilometres of concrete roads, a state-of-the-art Institution, and a new airport amongst others.
Top 10 Projects That Transformed Ebonyi State
These are the top 10 biggest infrastructural projects that transformed Ebonyi state, Nigeria.
1. Abakaliki Shopping Mall
The Abakaliki Shopping Mall is one of the key socio-economic projects embarked upon by the Ebonyi State governor, Engineer David Umahi. It was built at a construction cost of around 2 billion naira. The mall design and architecture are modelled after the Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates.
At its inauguration in 2022, a total of 300 jobs were generated, and the government plans to increase this to over 2000 jobs.
The complex is in line with Umahi’s vision of turning Abakaliki and the whole Ebonyi state into a world-class state, with basic infrastructure and amenities.
2. Ebonyi Flyovers
Ebonyi state is the only state in Nigeria with the highest number of flyover bridges constructed in a record time of less than 8 years.
The executive governor of Ebonyi State constructed a total of 23 flyovers. One of these flyovers has about 30 spans, and 500 meters, while another one has 6 entries and exits. 10 of these flyovers are double while 13 are single.
These flyovers are just a part of many other infrastructural, economic and educational transformations that are ongoing in Ebonyi State.
With these many flyovers strategically located in major junctions and interchanges in Ebonyi state, the traffic flow has significantly improved, easing the daily commute for residents and enhancing overall transportation efficiency.
These well-designed flyovers not only provide convenient and seamless connectivity between different parts of the state, but they also contribute to reducing travel time and minimizing congestion on the roads.
Moreover, the aesthetic appeal of these flyovers adds a touch of modernity to the cityscape, making Ebonyi State an attractive destination for both tourists and investors.
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3. Ebonyi International Airport
Ebonyi International Airport is a new airport located in Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The airport was constructed by the Ebonyi State government and was named after the current president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
The airport has already recorded its first flight operation on Thursday, April 28th, 2023. Two aircraft belonging to Air Peace were the first aircraft to land at the new International Airport.
It has an emergency Operation Centre, a police station, and an immigration office. Other buildings are substations, halls, and switch rooms, among others.
The airport features a 3.5km runway built using concrete. Also, a layer of asphalt is laid to smoothen the runway for aircraft landings.
The tarmac of the airport was built with a one-foot concrete pavement which is the highest in the world.
Its terminal building is the single largest terminal building in southeastern Nigeria and the most beautiful in Nigeria.
Also, the international and domestic wings are both 60,000 square meters each, and the airport’s apron is 133,000 square meters.
4. Centenary City, Ebonyi State
This is a new city under construction within the capital city of Ebonyi state.
It Is designed to host many of the ministerial blocks of the state government, office complexes belonging to the federal government, and private companies.
It is one of the most uniquely planned cities with many of its inner roads constructed with solid concrete.
The new government house and the 30,000-seater Olympic stadium are located within the city.
5. Ebonyi State New Government House
The new complex built in the new centenary city, Abakaliki replaces the old government house as the new administrative house of the executive governor of Ebonyi state.
The new government house features a governor’s lodge, governor’s office, presidential lodge, exco chamber, security lodge, and many more.
It is strategically located within the centenary city, Abakaliki to hasten its development to match that of the most developed cities in Nigeria including Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja
The project was carried pit by local contractors and only the finest of materials were used.
6. Iyere Flyover Bridge
This is one of the most outstanding bridge projects in Ebonyi state, simply because of its key socio-economic potential. It was constructed by the administration of Governor David Umahi.
This bridge is located in Edda, Afikpo South local government area of Ebonyi State. It is the longest flyover bridge in the southeastern part of Nigeria with 30 spans.
7. Ebonyi Ecumenical Center
The Ebonyi State Ecumenical Centre is located at 53, Enugu – Abakaliki Road, just after the Abakaliki shopping mall.
It is a magnificent and gigantic building that was built by the present administration of the state. It is a 5,000-seater auditorium used for religious activities and events such as conferences and weddings.
The centre is synonymous with various international conference centres located in various states across the country.
8. Saint Margaret Umahi International market
The Saint Margaret Umahi international market is a major market in Abakaliki, the state capital of Ebonyi state.
This international market is first in its class in the whole of southern Nigeria, one of the best international markets in Nigeria, after the Kano economic city, in Kano State.
The market has a unique feature which is a Part-time program annexe of Ebonyi State University. It is expected that the traders will use their spare time to get higher education as they do their businesses. This is a type of package that is never seen anywhere else in Nigeria. It is secured with a police post and other needed features that will make the market stand out from the crowd.
According to the governor of the state, not less than 10,000 indirect jobs have been added to Ebonyi state through this project.
9. Ebonyi Olympic Stadium
Another top project that contributes to the transformation of Ebonyi State is Ebonyi Olympic Stadium.
The Ebonyi Olympic Stadium is a 30,000-seater standard football stadium in the centenary city, Abakaliki. It was unveiled in the second quarter of 2019 and it is expected to be the largest stadium in southeastern Nigeria.
The stadium will be served with 2 Long tennis courts, 2 Basketball courts, a multipurpose hall, a race track and an Olympic size swimming pool.
It is part of Ebonyi State’s development and will host both national and international sporting events such as football, sprint, marathon race and other games.
The project is still under construction and unfortunately will not be amongst the project to be delivered before the expiration of Governor David Umahi’s tenure.
10. King David University of Medical Sciences
This is a state-of-the-art institution located in Uburu, Ebonyi state.
It is a brand-new institution which was inaugurated by the president in 2022. The institution boasts some of the finest amenities surpassing the best private university in Nigeria.
The institution was handed over to the federal government and is now known as David Umahi University of health sciences.
Conclusion
Ebonyi State has undergone a remarkable transformation through a series of visionary projects that have propelled its development to new heights. From revolutionizing infrastructure and empowering education to promoting healthcare excellence and harnessing renewable energy, these projects have had a profound impact on the lives of the state’s residents.
By enhancing transportation, fostering entrepreneurship, promoting sports, transforming urban spaces, etc., Ebonyi State has set a shining example for other regions to follow.
EBONYI STATE WILLL BE THE BEST SOUTH EAST STATE FROM NOW TO 10 YEARS COMING