Gov. Otti recreating Abia’s economy through Aba Rejuvenation
By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu
Gov. Alex Otti’s policy thrust geared towards retuning Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, to her lost glory is not in doubt. Having witnessed the early days of the city’s industrial and commercial growth and its unfortunate decline over three decades ago due to infrastructure deficit, Gov. Otti had vowed to rewrite the sorry story of Aba since he resigned from his flourishing bank career to join partisan politics.
Just as a popular maxim says, success happens “when opportunity meets preparation”, the changing story of Aba’s infrastructural revolution in the 15 months of the Labour Party led-government stems from the fact that the governor came prepared for the job of leading Aba, nay Abia state, out of comatose.
The early signs that it was not going to be business as usual was the constitution of a task force on the clean up of Aba under the leadership of Mr Ogbonnia Okereke.
The governor had ordered the task force to roll out all the equipment at the disposal of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency to get rid of the heaps of refuse left as a parting gift for the people by the unimpressive administration of former Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu.
The timely completion of that assignment and the subsequent appointment of Okereke as ASEPA General Manager to continue with the good job has turned Aba, which was previously littered with refuse, to one of the cleanest cities in Nigeria.
Gov. Otti also appointed Mr Uche Ukeje as a Senior Special Assistant on Aba Rejuvenation within 72 hours of the administration.
The task before Ukeje’s then was to make the renewal and development of Aba, popularly known as the Japan of Africa, a top priority of the Otti’s administration.
Besides addressing the infrastructure deficit of the Enyimba City, another job before the
Aba rejuvenation team is to create a masterplan that will guide the development of the city for the next 30 years.
Other challenges expected to be addressed by Ukeje and his team include the lack of access roads into and within the city, indiscriminate location of markets and motor parks, the lack of adequate drains, ineffective waste management plan, the lack of potable water and insecurity.
Again, an Executive Bill was sponsored by the Majority Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Kalu, for the establishment of the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA). The bill was passed into law by the Assembly on December 8, 2023 and subsequently assented to by the governor.
The signing of the GADA bill into law, being the first to be signed by Otti as governor, goes to show his commitment towards revamping Aba into the commercial hub of Abia and the South-East Nigeria with a special focus in progressive development.
GADA, with Ukeje as its Director General, is driving the development of Aba with a keen interest.
Starting with the initial reconstruction of the University Road, Abayi, Green Avenue, Udeagbala Road, Shallom Road, Umuimo Road, Old Express Road, Abak Road with the adjoining streets, Queens Street and Jubilee Road, together with massive desilting of blocked drainages, Aba is gradually becoming an investor’s favourite destination.
Most of the first set of roads awarded for rehabilitation have been completed, with job progressing in others, including the Port Harcourt Road, Cemetery Road phase 2, Omuma Road, Osisioma Ekeapara Road, amongst others
The city has also benefited from the light up Abia project as well as the zero potholes project of the state government.
However, it is important to point out that the rebuilding of the Enyimba City cannot be complete without conscious efforts geared towards remodeling many existing markets in the city and building new ones, when necessary.
The non-challant attitude of previous administrations in the state had left the expansion of markets in the city in the hands of businessmen, who built substandard structures without taking the safety of their occupants into consideration.
The fire outbreaks, building collapse and flooding often experienced in the markets can be traced to the indiscriminate siting of shops against the original masterplans of such markets.
It will be recalled that some sessions of the Ekeoha Shopping Centre in Aba collapsed in July 2023, although no life was lost, goods worth billions of naira were destroyed by the unfortunate incident.
Gov. Otti had while inspecting the extent of damage caused by the ugly event promised that his administration will undertake a complete remodeling of the market.
Matching his words with action, the governor on August 8, preformed the historic commissioning of the market, reputed to be the oldest metropolitan market in Aba, for reconstruction and remodelling. He left shop owners in the market with an assurance that none of them would lose their shops because of the rebuilding project.
He disclosed that the project would be driven by Public-Private Partnership, anchored on a robust stakeholder-engagement and consultation framework.
He added that the government would protect the interests of the state, the business community within the market, and guarantee that the project is executed in the long-term interest of the people who own shops or do their business in the market.
He also stated that the remodeling would be done in phases to ensure minimal effect on traders. He added that government would collaborate with the management of the market to ensure a temporary relocation of the traders.
He said: “We are also conscious of the concerns about costs but as a responsible government, we have also taken proactive steps to ensure that financial leverages are provided to anyone genuinely interested in acquiring a shop, especially the original allotees, who shall retain the right of first refusal in the re-allocation process.
“The truth is that we are building a modern trading ecosystem that shall offer everything you can ever ask for in a 21st Century urban market, including steady electricity supply, CCTV cameras to support security activities, a mini clinic and general emergency response centre, fibre optic connectivity for reliable internet access and a digital market hub, where wares can be displayed on virtual platforms for customers across the world. The plan is to build a market without borders.
“Aba is known across the world as an important business destination, a strategic trading hub in the West African subregion and a fertile ground for traditional enterprises.
Unfortunately, not much has been done to reposition the city and its trading spaces to meet the dynamic aspirations of the new generation of business people who troop in daily to find the best deals on textiles and clothing materials, shoes and leather works, electronics, heavy machineries and parts, and a litany of other products, where Aba will beat every other market in West Africa on price, quality and timely delivery,” Gov. Otti further said.
The resolve of Gov. Otti to reposition Aba as an investment destination is a welcome development.
The massive road projects and remodeling of markets will no doubt attract more people from within and outside Nigeria to Aba for commercial activities.
The gains of a conducive business environment in Aba cannot be wished away. The hospitality and tourism industry, transporters, food vendors and a whole lot of businesses stand to benefit from the better and more robust business hub the governor is working hard to achieve.
#Gov. Otti is building the new Abia!
#To God be glory!
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes from Umuahia.