REAPING THE DIVIDENDS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE IN ABIA
By Emeka Nwosu, PhD.
A few days ago, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti held an interactive parley with representatives of Media establishments in the State to update them on the various ongoing projects being executed by his government and their stages of completion. The media engagement is a monthly programme which was instituted by Otti on his assumption of office in 2023. The well-conceived idea is intended to promote participatory governance as it provides an opportunity for the people to give feedback and make inputs into the governance process.
Since the programme made its debut in 2023, the Governor has consistently utilized it to enlighten the people of the State on his vision, development agenda and policy direction of his government. Through the feedback channel, the government has been able to avail itself of the feelings and expectations of the governed. In other words, the government is able to feel the true pulse of the people through the feedback mechanism.
At the media parley which was attended by key government officials, including the Honourable Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, the Governor gave a detailed account of the various ongoing infrastructural projects in Aba, Umuahia and other locations in the State and the level of progress that has been recorded so far. Abians are very delighted to hear from their Governor concerning all the sterling efforts his administration is making to transform the State and make life more meaningful for the people.
The Governor spoke on some of the key projects of the administration, especially the strategic Port Harcourt Road, Aba, which is under total reconstruction by construction giant, Julius Berger. The road which connects the greater parts of Aba was abandoned and left to decay in the last 24 years by the successive PDP administrations in the State. Shortly before he was sworn in as the Governor, Otti had brought in Julius Berger to conduct a feasibility study on the road, assuring the inhabitants of Aba that upon assumption of office, Julius Berger would be contracted to handle the job.
Some doubting Thomases never believed that Otti would deliver on the promise, given the series of disappointments they had suffered in the hands of the previous PDP administrations that reveled only in deceitfulness. To the glory of God, Otti has kept faith with his pledge. Significantly, the Aba outing is the first time Julius Berger is handling such a project for any State Government in the whole of South East.
Governor Otti, to the delight of Ndi Abia, announced that the reconstruction and expansion of the Port Harcourt Road would be completed and ready for commissioning by May 29, 2025. He emphasized that his administration was working with a sense of urgency to drive infrastructural transformation across all sectors of the State. The Governor also highlighted other key projects where work was progressing at impressive pace.
They include the Ekeakpara-NNPC Road, Omuma Road, Eziukwu Road, Ehi Road, Clifford Road, Ohanku Road all in Aba; the dualization and expansion of Library Avenue, renamed Bob Ogbuagu Road, which is the main approach road to the Government House, Umuahia. The Governor assured that the project would be completed this March, 2025.
Otti also noted that work has since commenced on the popular Omenuko Bridge on the Abam-Arochukwu road which has defied both Federal and State Governments before now. The narrow stretch of bridge built in the colonial era has repeatedly claimed many lives until Otti came to the rescue. He also hinted on the commitment of his government to commence work on the reconstruction of Owaza road in the oil-rich Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State. The flag-off of the road has been scheduled for Tuesday, 11th March, 2025.
It is also important to note that the contract for the dualization and expansion of the Onuimo-Abia Tower Road has since been awarded. The road is an extension of the Okpara Square-Ossah Road which had earlier been dualized and expanded into six lanes, making driving into Umuahia, the State Capital a pleasurable experience. All property owners along the Umuopara corridor affected by the constructions have been duly compensated. On completion of the work, traffic jam that used to be a regular feature on that road, will become a thing of the past.
In the area of power, Otti reassured the people of Abia that efforts are in top gear to improve electricity supply and stability across the State. His government is collaborating with Geometric Power Ltd and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to ensure that government`s vision of stable power supply is achieved.
Regarding security, Otti noted that significant improvements in peace and safety have been made due to the proactive measures by the State`s security architecture put in place by the administration. It will be recalled that one of the first measures the Governor took upon assumption of office was the setting up of Operation Crush, a joint security outfit, to deal with insecurity and all forms of criminality in the State. Through the efforts of the outfit, the government has been able to tame the monster of insecurity in the State.
For the people of Abia, the two years of Otti administration have been two years of commendable harvests of democracy dividends. As the administration marks its mid-term in office, it is expected that more accomplishments would be recorded for the greatest good of the good people of Abia.
Dr. Nwosu, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Umuahia.
Email: cdnwosu2@gmail.com