In a recent statement while addressing the media in an occasion, Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, said that his main mission as governor is to develop the state and not to play dirty politics with anyone.

This avowed commitment has resonated with the people, who have kept tab on the development of the state since the governor took over, with mixed reactions from some quarters with regard to the governor fulfilling this promise.

Many have described the effort of the governor in transforming the state as a breath of fresh air. This is as they noted that a lot is going on across the state, with the different sectors receiving attention.

According to Sir Ephraim Uruaku, a retired teacher, who have lived in Aba for over 40 years, the term, development is relative as it means different thing to different people and depending also on their reference point.

According to him, “It is therefore necessary that anyone who wants to view what development represents to an Aba man, using what he saw in Abuja or Johannesburg is either deceiving himself or is trying to build his castle in the air.

“What I’m saying is that we must understand the standards on the ground prior to Otti’s arrival to avoid wrongfully judging him with what is available in other states where good foundations were already in place.”

Road infrastructure

Uruaku said that in terms of road infrastructure in Aba, the indices on the ground are encouraging, noting that he is a firm believer in the philosophy that the ‘means justifies the end.’ Saying, “I don’t believe that the end justifies the means.

I believe that how you started a journey has 85 per cent chances of determining how that journey will end. “I’m seeing a direction and it shows there is a plan. In Aba here, Otti didn’t just start building roads.

He went into Aba Main Town and took cognisance of the roads in bad shape like some parts of Ehi Road, Jubilee Road, Ndoki Road, Obiorah Road, Udeagbala Road, Umuimo Road, and Oron Street.

“What can I say more? So, starting the Urban Renewal of Aba before venturing out as he’s doing now shows me he has a better plan towards development of Abia State.

I actually have a different view about his administration in terms of education and Civil Service Reform because I’ve not seen much so far.” Mr Kingsley Isinkume said that Abia State, especially Aba is currently experiencing a breath of fresh air in terms of road infrastructure, but questioned the manner the projects are scattered all over the state.

This is as he disclosed, “I’ll say so far so good on road infrastructure, but I’m not comfortable with the way the whole state is turning into a construction site with zero commissioning of a major road so far.

“I’m happy the governor is reconstructing Ohanku Road, Aba, I’m happy he’s reconstructing Omuma Road Aba, I’m happy he’s reconstructing Obohia Road, I’m also happy he’s reconstructing Port Harcourt Road Aba, as well as Ekeakpara Road through the NNPC depot.

He started something at Old Express Road although nothing is happening there now. “See my point, none of these roads I mentioned now can be used by Abians this year or even the early beginning of next year.

For me, I prefer channeling of energy to realise and recover two roads within eight months rather than living 20 roads under construction for three years.

“There are too many roads under construction and to most people, it’s a sign of urbanisation and development, but not for me. I see it as more of confusion because we’ve seen this type of nonsense before.

This is exactly what leads to abandoned projects we see everywhere today. “I’m not saying it’s bad either, but I’m not comfortable with the pace probably because of finance.

And I’m saying, rather than using finance as excuse to have many roads under construction, why not throw the money into two roads and get them fixed fast for use.”

Nelson Okorie, an intra-state commercial community market driver said that what Governor Otti is doing on roads in the rural area is even more than what he is doing in Aba and Umuahia.

“Let me tell you, if you visit Nunya area of Umunneochi or Isuikwuato LGA and see the job Otti is doing there, you’ll appreciate him. I’m a driver and I know everywhere in Abia because I carry all these women that go to villages to buy foodstuffs and fruits,’’ he noted.

Adding, “What about the ArochukwuOhafia Road? Is Otti not working on it? He’s equally constructing the road from Umuahia, Bende to Abiriba.

There was a time I took some women to buy something around that Itungwa area through Nkwonwaelechi, Mgboko Omoba Road, I was shocked to see serious construction there.

“Anyone based permanently in Aba or Umuahia that hardly visit that area will not know that such a long road is under construction. The road I’m talking about links Obingwa with Isiala-Ngwa. So, I think he’s doing well.

His good job is beyond Aba here. In fact, he’s not even doing much here as I’m seeing in those villages.”

Healthcare

Dr Abel Ajah based his assessment of the governor on the health sector, stressing that there is a sign that things may take better shape, adding that no state can develop without a solid health foundation.

“From the inception of this administration, they started by deciding to upgrade a General Hospital in each of the three Senatorial Zone. I’m happy with what they are doing at World Bank Housing Estate Cottage Hospital. “It’s good.

I also I’ve noticed the good work at Amachara Specialist Hospital, Umuahia. These are signs of development for me because health is wealth.”

New Telegraph had some time ago reported on Otti’s unveiling of what he termed the Reformed Abia State Emergency Medical Services The Senior Special Assistant to Otti on Home Land Security, Mr. Chukwunenye Alanjemba, at the commissioning of the Reformed Abia State Emergency Medical Services, described it as a testament that, here all things are possible if you try.

Alanjemba said that when Otti took office, the emergency system in Abia State was practically dead, but he understood, that to build a great economy for Abia people, one which can imbue confidence in the minds of the people and international investors, that the security system, the healthcare system, the educational system and the emergency system among others must be reformed.

“So the governor hired us with a clear instruction –‘make Abia State emergency system second to none’, one that meets all international standards in terms of our delivery system and turnaround times.

“The governor was personally involved in the design of this system, which is called The Abia State Emergency Tripod System, one which integrates both the fire service, the security architecture and the medical emergency, with our healthcare at the heart of it.

“He has continued to fund this and monitor this project, and we promise our governor and Ndi Aba, that what we have now is a state-o- the-art ambulance system that will begin to meet the emergency needs of our people.

“So, while we dream, we hope, and while we hope, we must hold fast to the imagination, the vision of one man, that ‘all things are possible in our time,’ that Abia State too, can be that shining city on a hill, setting forth at dawn and paving the path.

‘‘That rugged path as set by our Governor, Dr Alex Otti; that tomorrow’s people will look back to this day and be thankful, that in our time, we did what was right by them, and that Governor Alex Otti came and genuinely worked for his people to God’s glory.”

Environment

Since the inception of Otti’s administration, one thing that is visible to the blind in Abia, especially Aba is how clean the city has become.

Over the years, major residential places like Omuma Road, Osusu Road, Cemetery Road and other notable areas lacked ordinary refuse receptacles which made it extremely impossible to control indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the aforementioned areas.

However, today, anyone who moved around these areas now must at least see two to three receptacles where residents empty their waste for the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) to cart away.

Another interesting thing is the keeping of receptacles closer to major and minor markets where refuse disposal has been a huge problem over the years.

Mrs Grace Unachukwu, a petty trader at the road side Cemetery Market Vegetable and Foodstuffs line said that the bringing of the New Abia receptacle close to Cemetery Road by railway, where fruits and vegetables are sold on daily basis has completely changed the ugly history of the area.

She noted, “Yes, I must accept that those of us who deal on vegetables and fruits are the people responsible for the mess that has been happening here over the years.

“We drop our waste on the road and gutters, there is no way I’ll deny that, but can you actually see the difference now. We don’t do that anymore because a reasonable leader found out that we had no provision on where to drop our waste.

“Before, we had no place to drop them and most people have do go as far as Asa Road or even pay a few waste disposal people who will even take money and still dump the refuse indiscriminately.

“So, the thing you see here today where people can comfortably come in, buy, sell and even eat unlike before is because of the clean approach the government adopted and the whole traders have no option than to obey or get into trouble.

Based on this alone, I believe there’s a huge improvement in the way things are done now.” Aloysius Mbanusi said that aside from the cleanliness of the streets in Aba, one major sign of development in the city currently is the placement of well-built unique bus stops and mounting of digital traffic lights with inbuilt cameras around major junctions in Aba and Umuahia.

He disclosed his findings on this development, saying, “From my findings, I discovered that the company that did the traffic control project in Owerri, Imo State where we see good traffic lights around Naze Junction, Warehouse Junction, Fire Service Junction and other major junctions in the city of Owerri are now in Abia handling the traffic control we see around Isi-Gate, Umuahia, Okigwe Road-Queen’s Street-Eziukwu Road traffic control in Aba and that of Azikiwe Road by Asa Road, Aba.

“The junctions improvement we see in Owerri is about to be replicated here in Aba. You can see that all those unnecessary roundabouts built at Okigwe Road-Queen’s Street-Eziukwu meeting point and that of Azikiwe Road by Asa Road have all been removed as we prepare for a new junction improvement.

“So, I think the man is doing well. I don’t know much about this issue of pension, workers and court going on strike and other issues we hear often, but if I’m to judge by what I’m seeing, Governor Alex Otti is a God sent to Abia people, especially the Aba residents.”

Education

A few days ago, Abia State government announced free and compulsory education for all children in the state irrespective of their state of origin, which will start by January 2025. This gesture covers pupils from primary one to Junior Secondary School three in all public schools.

Prince Okey Kanu, Commissioner for Information, said that parents and guardians who flout the new policy would face prosecution in line with the Abia Child’s Rights Law 2006.

He disclosed that beginning from January 2025, it will now be an offence for parents not to send their children or wards to school because the government has made education free and compulsory.

This will make Otti the second governor in the history of Abia State to introduce free education in public primary and secondary schools, as it was first witnessed during Governor Orji Uzor-Kalu’s administration.

The policy, according to Kanu, is under the quest by the Governor Otti to deliver quality and affordable education to the state.

The decision of the state government that it is now an offence for parents in the state not to send their children and wards to school starting from January 1, 2025 is one that makes the implementation of the new policy easier.

According to Kanu, the decision was part of the ongoing reforms in the educational sector of the state, as the issue of poverty is no longer a reason for the non-acquisition of free and basic education in Abia State.

Kanu stressed the need for parents to take advantage of the zero-tuition policy in the state to send their children to school, reiterating that defaulting parents would be prosecuted in line with the Abia State Child’s Law 2006.

He said, “In line with the Abia State Child’s Law 2006, it will now be an offence for parents not to send their children and wards to school in Abia State. “Education is free in Abia State till the end of Junior Secondary School.

There is no reason whatsoever why parents will not send their children to school. “So, as from the first of January, 2025 when this policy will fully come into effect, defaulting parents will be prosecuted under that law.”

Development agencies

New Telegraph reported that the Otti administration in Abia State has equally created development agencies to specifically handle the lofty development projects in Aba and Ohafia.

Having established the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), which is currently handling development related issues around five local government areas of Aba; Ugwunagbo, Obingwa, Osisioma Ngwa, Aba South and Aba North Local Government Areas, the governor recently inaugurated the board for Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA).

Unlike GADA, the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA) is a development agency for the development of the entire Abia North Senatorial Zone which has Local Government Areas like Umunneochi, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Arochukwu.

Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, Chief Press Secretary to Otti said that his principal signed the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA) Bill as passed into law by the State House of Assembly, on Monday, October 28, 2024, in pursuant to the commitment of his administration to drive the even and accelerated development of all parts of the State.

Otti after signing the GODA Bill, expressed optimism that GODA will serve as a robust institutional vehicle for the rapid socio-economic transformation of the Northern Senatorial District of the State and reiterated the determination of his administration to work very closely with relevant stakeholders to evolve a governance system that will put all parts of Abia on the path of speedy and non-stop development.

Creating conducive environment for workers

The Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, that Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat, in Umuahia is a symbolic evidence that the “New Abia Touch” wipes away the “Old Abia Tears,” stressing that the secretariat was abandoned for several years, leaving hundreds of workers stranded and without offices to do their job.

Ekeoma said that the building deteriorated to the extent that workers stopped addressing it as Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat, but preferred to call it ‘Old Workers Secretariat.’

“Of course, our own Zik of Africa was a man of class and excellence. He was never associated with mediocrity.

Different parts of the massive building were falling off and the entire building were collapsing gradually, as the foundation continued to sink.”

He said that the situation was so bad that mentally challenged people were already using the place as their home, risking their lives on a daily basis.

Ekeoma added that before the recent improvement by Otti, staff of ministries of Health and Education respectively, who originally occupied the building were scattered in different makeshift offices, devoid of direction and coordination.

He added that with its abandonment, the New Secretariat, which has no provision for conveniences and other important amenities for workers, started getting overstretched, looking horrible and unkempt.

However, the coming of Otti changed the story, as he said, “Then came the Governor and his directive.

An integrity test was conducted and it was authoritatively established that the building wasn’t going to survive the 2024 rainy season, so it was either the government moved in to save the massive facility, or it would collapse, leaving the government to spend billions, time and energy to begin an entirely new project.

“With his tenaciously held view that the philosophy of government being a continuum should always be practiced, Governor Otti directed the Ministry of Lands and Housing to immediately replicate what has been done in many other abandoned projects and public buildings in the Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat. Without delay, Ministry of Lands and Housing swung into action.

“As I personally took the video and the pictures attached here, I felt this sense of joy and relief. Finally, our people are getting what they truly desire and deserve.

The promises are gradually and steadily being fulfilled in different spheres of Abia economy.” Ekeoma said that the name and honour of the legendary Zik of Africa is deservedly being restored, adding that with this accomplishment, the hundreds of staff of ministries of Health and Education will now have befitting offices to operate from, with sense of decency, decorum and direction.’’

He said that people looking for one service or another will not have any reason to suffer unnecessarily before being attended to. Saying, “Like Owelle himself, Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe said, ‘it behooves maturity, healthy politicking and civilised mind that in a democratic dispensation, the views and the yearnings of the people must be respected.’

“Indeed, the decision to respect the yearnings and the democratic views of Abians in 2023, has created a new dawn that is laying a solid foundation for Abia’s socio-political and economic renaissance.”

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