2025: Abia sustaining the momentum in good governance
By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu
Abia, God’s own state, is set to witness another year of unparalleled development, given the policy thrust of the Gov. Alex Otti’s led administration, even as it is poised toward transforming the state from the ruins of 24 years of undevelopment.
There is no gainsaying that Gov. Otti came prepared to ensure a paradigm shift from what used to be mediocre and half measure in governance in the state to providing good and quality governance.
Although it is not usually a walk in the park changing a system that had lasted for decades, the emerging development narrative in Abia has proved that darkness can only prevail against light for a short moment.
Who could have believed that the simultaneous construction of multiple roads across the state could be possible at a time civil servants and pensioners are also enjoying regular payment of salary and pensions, plus the thirteenth month salary paid in 2023 and 2024?
It would have looked like a dream to think that regular road repairs can be possible in Abia, thus ensuring that major roads and streets are free of potholes.
Even the streetlight installed round major cities is still like a wonder because promises to provide such amenities in the past did not achieve ten per cent success.
What can one say about the use of engineers in the state ministry of works to undertake major road reconstruction across the state, which has not only saved cost for the state, but also created jobs for many unemployed youths as well as caused a boom for suppliers of the materials for construction work?
The changes being witnessed under the leadership of Gov. Otti is only possible because he came into office with a different mindset on governance.
Little wonder a popular Japanese maxim says, “Yo shinai, Yo kangai”, which translates to “Good thinking, Good product”.
Gov. Otti believes that governance is not about sharing money, but creating an enabling environment for the people to fend for themselves.
This thought is in tandem with the Igbo ideology, which entails that even when an Igbo man is hungry, he doesn’t go to a place to beg for food, instead, he would ask to be given some job to do so that he can work and earn a living.
It is obvious that what a group of people, as the Igbos, needs is the right atmosphere to ply their trade.
Therefore, the numerous interventions on roads going on in Aba, Umuahia and other towns and villages in the state point to the fact that the state is gradually returning to its place as the industrial hub of the South-East and Nigeria.
As the State Government begins the implementation of the 2025 budget, Abia citizens should expect nothing but the best performance from their governor and his team.
Recall that Gov. Otti had stated while signing the budget that its passage by the state Assembly had given him the impetus to continue to deliver on his promises to Abians.
He had said: “This budget that was passed is a budget that will give us the impetus to continue to fire on all cylinders to ensure that our people are living a good life.
“I want to thank, specially, the House members and the leadership for doing such a thorough job in record time.
“I want to commend you for being thorough. That’s actually what our government is all about”.
“We pride ourselves as a serious-minded government, so anything we present, we are ready for scrutiny, and I want to thank you for a great job you did in scrutinising the budget, disagreeing in a few areas, and also being flexible enough to accept when reasonable responses are given”.
The expectations are high, as the State Government works toward completing some major projects
that kicked off in 2023, including Port Harcourt Road, Aba, Umuahia – Uzuakoli -Abiriba – Ohafia Road, the Ohafia – Arochukwu to the boundary in Ini, the Okobo -Abam- Road, the Omenuko Bridge, Nunya Road and others, as well as the renovation and retrofitting of hospitals and schools.
Abia residents should give their maximum cooperation to construction workers in their towns and villages.
Residents should also pay their necessary taxes as their own obligation to the state.
Above all, Abia people must endeavour to own and protect government facilities, so that they can last long and serve the purpose for which they were built. Any noticeable act of vandalism should be reported to the appropriate security quarters.
The 2025 budget of N750.2 billion, christened the “Budget of sustained momentum”, will definitely propel greater development in all the sectors during the year.
#Gov. Otti is Building the new Abia!
#To God be glory!
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes from Umuahia.