He declared this on Thursday night during the November Edition of Monthly Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians in Umahi.
Otti said his administration will continue to execute people-oriented projects and fight corruption to the last while channeling his effort to build greater Abia State.
He described the just concluded Abia Local Government Election conducted on the 2nd November 2024 as most free, fair, and credible.
He attributed his observation to the records of local government elections conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission across the Federation, so far.
He said the credible election conducted by the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission was in line with his administration's assurance to safeguard the right of choice of the people of Abia State in electing their Leaders,
"Just last week, We had the much talked about local Government Election, and the election was adjudged as one of the freest and fairest elections done in this part of the globe”
“I want to thank the ABSIEC for the job well done and the people of Abia for coming out en-mass to vote for the candidate of their choice, the election was free and fair”
“We even heard that a councilor emerged from one of the parties but unfortunately his party didn’t fill any candidate in the election, that shows how free and fair the election was”
“The Mayors and their Deputies have been sworn in and they have started immediately by swearing in their councilors, “ he said
Governor Otti said the relocation of the Faculties of Law and Agriculture from Umuahia back to Uturu was in the best interest of the University.
“I can understand that it is not going to be easy to relocate people and anytime you want to make a change, you will see people resist it”
“When you talk about nearness to Court, the Courtroom is not a classroom, just this evening I signed in, for a brand new Transformer to be installed at the Abia State University Uturu”
“On the water, we are doing something great, I think on the 20th of this month, the US aid will flag off water project in the state, the Ubakala Water Scheme and Ariaria Water Scheme, thereafter other zones will also take effect “
“If we solve the water and Power problem, then the accommodation problem is exaggerated, my understanding of where they are is that it is not fit for Purpose, If there is anything required to make them comfortable, we will do it”
“The relocation will be done in an orderly manner and by February 2025, they will be happy to reunite with other Faculties, I have assured the Vice Chancellor that the relocation will not affect the Academic Calendar, “he said
The governor revealed that his administration had attracted a whopping sum of 150.9 Million Dollars in Foreign Investment into the State, which made the National Bureau of Statistics move Abia from number 22 upward to number 3 in the area of attracting Foreign Direct Investment.
“We have started building a foundation, we may not be where want to be yet but I believe that we have moved from where we used to be”
“National Bureau of Statistics published a report showing that our state has moved from number 22 to Number 3 in the area of Foreign Direct Investment, We have so far attracted over 150.9 Million Dollars foreign direct investment into the State”
“It was yesterday that we had foreign investors coming in, one of them led by the leader of OPM; he led three investors, one from Italy, another from Turkey, and the other USA. We also had the Aka Ikenga Think Tank Group that visited”
In the Area of Road Infrastructure, the Governor said his administration was determined to tackle the issue of bad road network in the State.
“A major focus of this Government has been road infrastructure because we believe that if you don’t build roads you won’t do much in attracting investment”
“We are doing more in our operation zero -pothole and within this period we have commenced a few roads one of them is the expansion and reconstruction of Onuimo l, the boundary between Abia State and Imo State from Mbaise to Tower in Umuahia which has been awarded to Craneburg, there is also the construction of Onuinyang Okporoenyi-Ikwuana totaling about 29. Kilometers and we have also awarded the Ntigha Mbawsi 11.5 Kilometers road and we have also awarded the 11.1 Kilometers Obehie Owaza in Ukwa West, we are also constructing a road from Mbala to Umunneochi that is 11.12 Kilometers, we have also awarded the Ohanze, Ntighauzor that goes through OBINGWA and connect Ukwa East about 13Kilometers”
“We have ongoing signature Projects one of them is the Osisioma Ekeakpara road work is intensified and we are putting pressure on the Contractor for the Ohanku road we are constructing with Rigid Cement Technology and the Omuma road dual carriage we are also using cement technology road”
“The Owerrinta Umuikaa road, work is also going on there, Cementary road phase two work is also going on there and we believe before the end of the year we will commission it”
The Umuahia to Ohafia, the Ndiokereke Ozuabam work is going on there, I won’t forget Portharcourt Road the outgoing General Manager of Julius Berger visited me two days ago with his Successor and assured me that the road will be completed in 2025”
Speaking further, the Governor said the decision to establish the Greater Ohafia Development Agency was to ensure that development is scattered across the three Zonal Headquarters of Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia.
“Today, we Inaugurated the Greeatee Ohafia Development Agency with the Chairman of the board Prof Awa Kalu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the Director General, and other board members hit the ground running by having their first meeting immediately after Inauguration”
“The Tripod has been completed with the Establishment of the Greater Ohafia Development Agency(GODA), Aba Has Greater Aba Development Agency while Umuahia has the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA)”
“On Health Care, we have signed off the construction of about 200 Health Centers Across the 17 Local Government Areas, at the same time the 22 Secondary health Centres are also receiving attention and the whole idea is for us to use them anytime we need for them”
“By the end of October, as we promised, the new minimum wage came into effect and we sat down with organized Labour and not just the new minimum wage but also consequential adjustments”
“I have received few reports of complaints and I have directed the accountant General to review the issues and ensure that there are no more complaints”
The Governor revealed that those arrested in connection with the alleged Pension scam will be prosecuted no matter the noise by the opposition in the media spacey.
“Our tolerance for corruption is Zero, few days ago we arrested some people who were involved in Pension Scam and Some of the Vuvuzelas went on air and said we shouldn’t have arrested some of them who stole, which means they are thieves as well”
“I got the report of the Investigation from the security agencies as I was walking into this hall this evening and I have authorized that they should be arraigned in Court in the next few days to answer for their crimes “
On the continued detention of the Leader of IPOB, Governor Otti said he had approached the Presidency over the release of IPOB Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and won’t join in any media showmanship.
