Abia’s new Government House is a disaster waiting to happen — Commissioner Kanu exposes lies, unfinished structures, and misuse of public funds.
…. Prince Kanu says building is unsafe, unfinished, and never intended for residential use
By All Facts Newspaper | 9-5-2025
In a stunning revelation that has thrown the political space in Abia State into fresh controversy, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, has declared that the so-called “New Government House” commissioned by the previous administration is uninhabitable, unsafe, and never intended to serve as a residential complex for the Governor of Abia State.
Prince Kanu, who led newsmen on a facility tour of the building located at Ogurube Layout in Umuahia, described the structure as a deceptive white elephant project hurriedly executed by the immediate past administration for political optics and public deception.
“This place is not habitable. There are no wardrobes, no functioning elevators, no plastering in several sections, and dangerous openings that could lead to fatal accidents,” he said.
“A Shell of a Government House”
The Commissioner expressed deep concern over the state of the building, noting that only the first floor was marginally completed, while the remaining floors remain bare concrete shells.
“There’s nothing residential about this place. What we saw were empty halls. The entire design lacks basic residential provisions. One begins to wonder what the designers had in mind — certainly not the comfort or safety of a sitting governor,” Prince Kanu remarked.
This revelation contradicts claims by opposition figures, particularly Mr. John Okiyi Kalu, a former commissioner under the last administration, who recently appeared on Arise TV defending the project and accusing the current government of abandoning a completed Government House.
Opposition Caught in a Web of Falsehood
Reacting directly to Mr. Okiyi’s comments, Kanu said:
“Almost everything he said on Arise TV was a lie. We brought the media here to see the truth for themselves — Governor Otti was right. The structure is incomplete, unsafe, and unusable. It’s nothing but a failed project meant to mislead the public.”
He further alleged that the past government manipulated public funds, misusing Abia’s resources to create a façade of development.
“They misused state funds to erect a building that serves no purpose. Even the location is a security risk, surrounded by private buildings on all sides,” he added.
Old Government House Not Rented — New Site Coming
Prince Kanu also debunked long-standing rumors that the old Government House currently in use was a rented apartment.
“That is another big lie. The old Government House was duly acquired by the Abia State Government years ago. But some officials in the past administration used the false narrative to pay themselves rent from government coffers,” he revealed.
To correct these missteps, Governor Alex Otti has directed that a new Government House be constructed on the site of the old one, a move that Prince Kanu described as both strategic and cost-effective.
Meanwhile, the controversial Ogurube layout complex will no longer serve as a government facility. Instead, plans are underway to convert the building into a five-star hotel, ensuring that the state’s resources are not wasted.
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