Abia! God's Own State
Travelling to NYSC Camp in Abia State
The NYSC permanent orientation camp is located at; NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Umunna, Bende Local Government Area, Abia State.
Shuttle buses travel to Umuahia, the capital; from there you can board a taxi or bus going to camp. You can travel by air to Owerri or Port Harcourt and travel down by road to Umuahia and then Bende (or straight to camp).
On YouthPlus:
More on Abia State
Abia state is a state in southeast Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia. The state was created in 1991 from a part of Imo state. The state is bounded on the north and northeast by the states of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi respectively. To the west is Imo State, to the east and southeast are Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State, and to the south is Rivers State. Abia has 17 Local Government Areas. Aba is the major commercial city in the state.
Geography and Climate
The state is partly covered in a tropical rainforest and the other part a sprawling high plain and wooded savannah. The climate is mainly tropical, with the rainy season between April-October. Two important rivers flow through Abia—Imo and Aba rivers that drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The state produces both food and cash crops; yam, rice, cassava, plantain, banana, maize, palm produce, cocoa and rubber.
Notable Places
Key towns in the state are Umuahia, Aba, Arochukwu, Ohafia, Bende, Abiriba, Omoba, Nbawsid Vom. Abia boasts of many fascinating sights, chief among them is the Arochukwu cave, The Azumini Blue River, The Amakama Wooden cave, The National War Museum, The Museum of Colonial History. The state also has a large variety of festivals and carnivals—Ugwuabia (the pride of Abia) is the official state-owned carnival. Higher institutions of learning in the state include Michael Okpara University, Umudike, Gregory University and Clifford University.
Economic Opportunities
Abia State has a strategic location, bordering 7 states, and is home to the Enyimba Economic City, a 9,464-hectare Free Trade Zone. The state has a developed shoe and garment industry, large iron ore deposits, and is a tourist destination with attractions such as the Azumini Blue River and National Museum of Colonial History. Abia State also has a competitive advantage in agriculture, with production of crops such as rubber, cassava, oil palm, rice, and cashew.
Interesting Fact
The name ‘Abia’ is an acronym from the first letters of the four groups of people; Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato and Afikpo.
Experiences of Corps Members that served in Abia State
Image Sources:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Abia_state_tower.jpg/1200px-Abia_state_tower.jpg
https://naijawatchdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/my-own-eke.jpg
Other Sources Referenced:
https://www.cometonigeria.com/region/south-east/abia-state/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abia_State