Gov. Otti walking the talk through impactful projects
By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu
Friday, September 6, was another opportunity for the people-oriented Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, to give account of his stewardship to the people, who gave him the mandate to govern the state.
One prominent feature of the Labour Party-led government in Abia is its focus on fulfilling its campaign promises to the people.
As a leader responsible and accountable to the people, Gov. Otti also thought it wise to be holding a monthly media chat with journalists to keep both the media and citizens abreast of government’s programmes and policies.
This practice is only akin to what is obtainable in the organized private sector, where nothing is left to chance, but explained in vivid details to its customers and clients.
One may not be surprised why Gov. Otti has chosen to run the state with template anchored on checks, balances and accountability, given his decades of experience and leadership in the banking sector where he reached the zenith.
As a result-oriented manager of men and resources, he has imported the same principle of targets and results into the running of the affairs of the state.
Shortly after his assumption of office, the governor in his determination to make the civil service productive, engaged the Engineering Corps of the state Ministry of Works with the task of road maintenance and rehabilitation through direct labour.
The zero potholes policy of the government kept the corps busy when it started operation last year and subsequently the task of rehabilitating failed roads in the streets of Aba, Umuahia and beyond was added to their work schedule, which has kept the ministry busy.
Gov. Otti had revealed that 108 roads have been fixed by the corps during the September session of the media chat. He commended the ministry for the quality jobs it has delivered, adding that their involvement in road maintenance is also cost effective.
He said: “We have not rested on our oars. On the last count, we have fixed 108 roads under direct labour by the Ministry of Works. We are very proud of our brothers and sisters who populate that ministry over what they are doing.
“Some of the roads you may have seen were done under direct labour by the ministry, I want to use this opportunity to thank them.”
The governor also disclosed that his administration had opened an Eye Center at the General Hospital, Amachara, near Umuahia, which has attended to over 600 patients so far.
“I’m happy to report that the General Hospital, Amachara has received another boost, an eye centre has been opened in the hospital and I call on our people who are in the vicinity to go and have their eyes fixed.
“We have started with the phase two of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, am aware that the hospital had its accreditation restored in December 2023 after our massive attack on the health sector, now we are going for the phase two upgrade of the hospital.
“I have given the Ministry of Health a marching order to deliver the retrofitting of the 200 hospitals across the 184 Wards in the state in 100 days.
“The whole idea is that no matter where you are or come from, you will be attended to, if you have a primary health care need,” he said.
The governor used the platform of the media chat to clear the air on the rumours of a plan to retrench some workers in the state civil service.
He said: “There is no any massive retrenchment in the pipe line. We will continue to ensure that the civil service is enhanced and productivity increased.
“I don’t know where that is coming from, there is nothing like that, there is nothing in the pipeline, we don’t have any such plans.
“People who are used to not going to work, we told them that our administration doesn’t tolerate such.”
Gov. Otti also emphasised his commitment to defraying the arrears of salaries owed some institutions in the state .
“The debts were inherited I will pay them. In a few days, those payments wil happen,” he said.
Speaking further, he restated his commitment to improve the education sector by training teachers to meet global standards.
According to him, education is also another area we are working very hard to upgrade the schools.
“We started the programme of training the teachers as we identified at least 2,000 of them, we got a consultant reputed in that area, 200 of them have been trained since last week, the remaining 1,800, will complete their training soon.
“The idea is that the 2,000 of them, who are now being trained, will be training others.
“I visited their classrooms the other day and was happy with the quality of teachers and am proud of what they are doing.
“Another area is looking at the curriculum of what will make our pupils to compete with those from other parts of the world because the world is now a global village, it is important that they are properly taught,” the governor said.
He ended the parley by assuring Abia residents that he will not rest on his oars in making sure that Abia is rated number one in the comity of states in the country.
He equally solicited the support of all and sundry, urging them to play their own civic responsibility to help the state develop.
Gov. Otti through the engagement with the media and Abia residents is demonstrating that the government belongs to the people in a democratic system, history will indeed reserve a choice place for the governor for his people-centred policies and programmes.
#Gov. Otti is Building the new Abia!
#To God be glory!
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes from Umuahia.