The Abia State Government has partnered with Spanish football league LaLiga and the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria to organise “LaLiga Week in Abia State” between November and December 2026, as part of efforts to develop local talent and create global opportunities for young people.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday in Umuahia while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu said the programme would feature sports activities and engagements designed to build skills, empower youths and strengthen opportunities for talent development through sports.
On youth welfare and rehabilitation, the commissioner said the Ministry of Youths and Sports had visited correctional centres in Aba and Umuahia to assess inmates’ legal, medical and welfare needs.
He disclosed that the visits identified 20 inmates requiring legal aid, assistance from relevant boards, medical attention and family support as they prepared for pre-release examinations and non-residential certificate examinations.
Kanu added that the assessment of skills acquisition programmes at the facilities revealed shortages of tools, equipment and materials, which were affecting the effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts.
On healthcare, he announced that about 3,003,250 insecticide-treated mosquito nets would be distributed across Abia State under the 2026 Abia Mass Insecticide-Treated Net Campaign, scheduled for formal launch on Friday.
He said the campaign was being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the Abia State Ministry of Health to support malaria prevention.
The commissioner also disclosed that construction had commenced on two roads in Aba: the 3.955-kilometre Old Express Road and the 3.09-kilometre Urata Road.
According to him, the projects are part of the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project and are being supported by the African Development Bank. He added that more bank-supported road projects would be flagged off in due course, with work ongoing at 53 locations across the state.
