…Gives reasons for operating from private home
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has hinted that the 5.6 kilometer Port Harcourt Road Aba, awarded by his administration in 2023, would be ready for inauguration before May 29, 2025.
Otti had in the first quarter of his administration, awarded the contract to Julius Berger Construction Company amid public ovation as it was the first time the construction giant would undertake any road project in the state.
The Governor who spoke during a media parley in Umuahia, Friday night, reiterated his administration’s commitment to driving massive infrastructural development, saying that his Government is in a hurry to transform all sectors of the State’s economy.
He said: “We don’t have time. We are in a hurry. So, we have to do so many things at the same time.
“Before you know it, the four years is over and you will be wondering what happened and that’s why, even before we were sworn in, we brought Julius Berger to Port Harcourt road and they started the road design.
“Some people didn’t understand what we were doing. They thought we were in a hurry to take over but we were simply trying to maximize time,” Gov. Otti explained.
The Governor, who noted that the ongoing expansion of Library Avenue popularly known as (Bank Road ) will be completed before the end of March, 2025, also noted that work is progressing at various project sites across the State including the recently flagged-off Omenuko bridge.
He announced that work will commence at Owaza road in Ukwa West LGA as he would be flagging-off the reconstruction of the road by next week.
Responding to a question on why he had been operating from his private home instead of renovating and parking into the Government House in Umuahia, Otti said his priority was to deliver good governance to the people, adding that where he lives is inconsequential.
“You are worried that I am not operating from here. I don’t think you should worry about that. The important thing is that I’m operating.
“Abians want to see activities not where their Governor is staying. Where I live is not as important as having roads in Aba and Umuahia and other Local Government Areas in Abia State.
“It is not as important as ensuring that Aba and Umuahia particularly are kept clean on a 24 hour, seven days basis. It is not as important as ensuring that our people have good hospitals and accessible schools to go to.
“It is not as important as ensuring that our schools are fixed. Those were the areas I declared state of emergency on. I didn’t declare emergency on Government House and where the Governor will live.
“So, what the issue is, is that this Government House is important but not as important as some of the things that I mentioned earlier,” Otti stated.
The Governor further explained that his decision to delay moving into the Government House was based on careful resource allocation, and reassured Abians that the State’s seat of power would be fixed in due course, not just for his administration but for future governors.
“When I inspected both the Governor’s Lodge and the Governor’s Office, they were in terrible states of disrepair, vandalised and looted.
“Renovating them requires significant funds, but I considered it more urgent to channel those resources into infrastructure, security, health, environment and education.
“I can assure you that in no distance time, since we are taking care of those important areas, we’ll come here and fix the Government House.”
Otti expressed satisfaction with the upsurge in school enrollment due to the free and compulsory education policy introduced by his administration.
He explained that the ongoing recruitment of 3000 teachers in the state was the make up for the demand for more teachers in public schools following the geometric increase in students and pupils’ population.
