…Pays N90b out of N191 b inherited
debt
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said that $159 million foreign direct investments were recorded in the state between June 2023 and June 2024 under his watch.
Otti, who disclosed this during a media parley on Thursday night in Umuahia, also said he had paid N90 billion out of the N192.2 billion debt his administration inherited from his predecessor.
On the foreign direct investment, the Governor said that Abia had moved from the 27th position to the 3rd position in terms of states with highest foreign direct investment.
Otti said the efforts of his administration to lay the necessary structures for investment were responsible for the feat.
“We saw the need to lay the foundations upon which investment drives would stand, and that is why a lot of investors are now coming into the state.”
The Governor argued that it does not make sense chasing investors around, submitting that they would naturally come when the needed environment is provided by Government.
“Investors don’t listen to platitudes, they look at actions. Without any campaign, we have had investors coming to set up their investments in Abia.
“Apostle Chibuzor of OPM, the other day, brought a team of investors – one from Italy, another from Turkey and one from the US. That’s why we are making sure we make Abia investor -friendly.
“Aka Ikenga think-tank also came, and we are discussing on how they would set tech hub in Abia. We want our people to come back and invest at home.”
The Governor also said his administration was making spirited efforts towards achieving food security, disclosing that he had approved funds to 300 Abians who were recently sponsored by the State Government to understudy modern farming in Nasarawa State.
On the repayment of government debt, Otti said his administration had not borrowed money since he came on board, explaining that prudent management of scare resources is responsible for the tremendous achievements of his government.
He explained that besides infrastructural development, his administration also consistently pays salaries and pensions as well as other financial obligations of Government.
“I inherited N191.3 billion from my predecessor in May 2023. My predecessor inherited about N35 billion from his predecessor in 2015. But today, my administration has paid over N90 billion of the debt we inherited. We still pay salaries and pensions every month. And I have not borrowed a Kobo from anybody. The achievements you see today are a product of prudent management of scare resources.”
Speaking further, Otti said that the aim of his administration to establish Greater Ohafia Development Commission, GADO, was to ensure no senatorial district was sidelined in the development agenda of Government.
“Since we already have Greater Aba Development Authority, GADA; and Umuahia Capital Development Agency, UCDA, we need to complete the tripod and that’s what we have done to ensure even development in the state.”
The Governor said that work would soon start at the 200 primary healthcare centres in the three Senatorial zones of the State, saying that the whole idea is to provide quality and accessible healthcare for all.
“Very soon, you will see that work will start in the primary healthcare centres. By the time we are done with the 200, we will move to another 200 until we touch every primary healthcare centre in the State.”
“At the same time, the 22 secondary healthcare centres are receiving attention step by step. We are not stopping at that. We are also working hard to ensure that we attract the right personnel.”
Governor Otti, who revealed that his administration is making arrangements to introduce electric vehicle buses for intra and inter-city transportation to cushion the effects of removal of fuel subsidy said that discussions to that effect have reached advanced stage.
