…Says Abians now proud of their state
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government has said that a total of 70 roads had been fixed in Aba and Umuahia in the last 11 months when Governor Alex Otti took over the reins of power in the state.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s executive council meetings on Tuesday, said Abians are now proud to be associated with their state.
The Commissioner said that most of the roads were fixed through direct labour.
Kanu who said that work was progressing in all road projects awarded by Otti, said that Isieke-Obikabia road was last week completed.
He assured that other ongoing road projects including Ossah, Port Harcourt Road Aba, Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Isukwuato-Ohafia Road, the Nunya-Isukwuato Road, Arochukwu-Ndi-okereke -Ozu Abam Road among others would be delivered as scheduled.
The Commissioner who said Government had done a lot in the past 11 months including off setting the pension arrears and restoring full payment of pension to pensioners in the state, added that Otti had kept his promises to Abians.
He said the current administration was fully committed to improving workers’ welfare in the state, adding that it is currently monitoring conversations of the Federal Government on the issue of salary increment.
Kanu assured that the state government would make a statement on that at the appropriate time in line with what it can afford.
“I want to inform us that it’s eleven months ago that this government took over the reigns of power in Abia State, it’s eleven months ago that His Excellency, Dr Alex Otti promised Abians that he was going to rebuild the state and you will agree with me that it has been eleven months of power packed performance by this administration.
“We’ve done so much in eleven months and that’s not sounding immodest. It’s been a case of promise made and promise kept. Last month, when the government paid outstanding pension arrears to our pensioners, there was a promise made and that promise is that as from this month (April), our pensioners were going to get 100 percent of their pension; I want to announce to us that, that has just happened, since the 27th of this month they’ve been receiving their alerts.”
Adding his voice, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Chinedu Ekeke, assured that the Dr. Alex Otti led administration is interested in the welfare of the workers.
“The Federal Government is currently considering a wage review and negotiations are ongoing and at the state executive council level, we are monitoring that conversation.
“Our stand as a state government is that we do not want to go ahead of the Federal Government to make a proclamation on that because you do not know where the direction that the Federal Government is headed. So, it’s better for us to wait and then see what the Federal Government wants to do and then we now look at what we can afford as a state and then move but clearly, the state government is interested in the improvement of workers’ welfare and salary increment is part of that plan.”
Answering a question on the incessant harassment of Abians and residents in Aba by the rapid response team, Mr. Chinedu Ekeke said such is not acceptable by the government and would not be tolerated in the state.
“Abia State under the current leadership is different in terms of how we think and how we do things around the government and His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti took an oath to actually protect the lives and property of everybody in the state. Within the limits His Excellency can do, he is doing that.”
Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumereije, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Sir Chris Onwuegbu, were present at the briefing.
