FOR THE RECORD: The power of new ideas, By Alex Otti 

Being the Text of a Speech Presented by Governor Alex Otti, OFR, at the Swearing in of New Commissioners and Special Adviser on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Umuahia

Protocols

1. Excellence is the long-term product of continuous evaluation, objective analysis and the courage to take the right decisions after all the facts are painstakingly considered. We have been able to achieve decent results on multiple development frontiers for the simple reason that our team is never tired of self-interrogation, asking hard questions and constantly reminding ourselves of certain irreducible expectations that must be met over the lifetime of the administration. Appreciating that every second counts — that whatever is lost in time cannot be easily recovered — underscores why we have refused to take our foot off the pedal. We are therefore constantly on the lookout for new ideas and resources that would accelerate the attainment of the outcomes that we seek.

2. In the light of the above, we have gathered this morning to welcome three accomplished individuals to our team, two as commissioners and the third as Special Adviser. Recall that at an event like this in August 2024, I shared my philosophy of leadership as an exercise in continuous team building. I had also announced that an effective leader is one who is never afraid to make the right call at every given opportunity, especially when such decisions may be misunderstood but again, a true leader is driven by conviction, not applause.

What we are doing today aligns perfectly with our broad strategy of periodically injecting fresh ideas to enrich the quality and broaden scope of our performance as an administration. Our unyielding commitment is to transform the social and economic experiences of our people by leading with sincerity, sensitivity to the yearnings of the public and a genuine desire to make a difference.

Over the last 28 months, we have gone to different parts of the world to hire quality talents to help us achieve these noble objectives. To be clear, we are not just looking for talents; character and the willingness to learn and function in a political environment are equally as important. What we seek in every hire is the hunger, the passion and the zeal to wholly commit to the New Abia project. We may have fallen short of the perfect score but I am glad to announce my satisfaction with the quality of output from our team members in the last 28 months. We are clearly not unmindful of our limitations but Abia, as every objective commentator has noted, now boasts of a new crop of public officers who appreciate the unchanging principles of service, duty to one’s fatherland and the pledge to do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

3. On this note distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would like to heartily congratulate Prince Chris Enweremadu, Architect Chiemela Uzoije and Dr Mrs Salome Obiukwu for scaling through the rigorous nomination and screening process and for being found worthy to be part of this great team of pathfinders, builders and changemakers. You have been found to possess the important leadership qualities that we seek in our team and we are glad that you honoured the call to serve your State at this pivotal moment in our history. Thank you for offering to be part of the New Abia project. On account of your brilliant career backgrounds and records of quality accomplishments, I am optimistic that you will make excellent additions, not just in your specific operational zones, but for the entire government.

4. Governance is a complex business with a litany of competing demands amidst limited resources especially in the light of rising public expectations, social and economic pressures and the growing culture of rent-seeking in our political system. At any rate, we have quietly demonstrated that these barriers can be safely navigated with prudence and selfless leadership principles. I do not expect that you will find it entirely easy but you have the peculiar advantage of working with colleagues who will be willing to share their experiences and the steps taken to keep their heads above water. Let me repeat a charge I will never get tired of giving at functions like this: our administration has zero tolerance for corruption and practices that take away from the public till. We shall not hesitate to do what has to be done whenever credible evidence of compromise and bad behaviour is presented to us. You are all required to live above board as public officers with the understanding that this is a call to serve, not an invitation to a banquet. You have so much to do especially now that we have gone past the halftime mark in the first term of the administration. There is practically no time for honeymoon; we expect that you will quickly invite and welcome support from every available channel.

5. We all have our jobs cut out but then, all the hard work will amount to nothing if there are no measurable improvements in the common experiences of the population so you have to constantly keep your eyes on the ball. You may also need to develop an objective system of self-evaluation to periodically measure yourself against expected deliverables. We are a data-driven administration, so periodically, we ask tough questions. Many objective analysts agree that we have done well on road infrastructure and there is evidence to support this position. Our road networks, according to a recent nationwide study, ranks amongst the best in the entire country. Through bold and decisive actions, Abia has emerged as one of the safest destinations for residents and travellers in the country. The outlook in the education and health sectors are also improving. With the recent addition of more than 5 thousand new teachers to the school system and the operationalisation of scores of new primary and secondary healthcare facilities across the State, things would continue to get better. As social services improve, we expect to see higher levels of productivity amongst the population and of course, a rise in the value of our gross domestic product which would also guarantee higher levels of social prosperity.

6. While we appreciate the great outcomes that have been achieved on multiple governance fronts, it is also fair to acknowledge that we still have extensive room for improvements in other areas. The new appointees are therefore invited to help us supercharge performance in the sectors where we need to see superior results as quickly as possible. Our broad target is to deliver unparalleled performance on all front lines of governance and we shall not rest on our oars until we get what we seek. Let me inform you that every resource you need to function would be made available with the understanding that you shall apply them judiciously and prudently in pursuit of the greater public good.

7. Let me conclude by inviting everyone to offer the new appointees every support they need to function at their best. Provide honest feedback with the right attitude whenever the opportunity presents itself. Do not forget that any chain is as strong as its weakest link. Whatever success the new officials will achieve during their time in office will come in part from the quality of guidance and encouragement we provide. Remember that the race is not to emerge as a superstar by winning all the individual laurels but to work closely as a team to deliver to Ndi Abia, the quality of leadership they can take pride in. We are now invited to embrace this sacred obligation with a renewed sense of duty and an ever-burning desire to do right for the people whose goodwill brought us to this position of privilege.

8. Thank you for listening and may God bless you.

Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR,

September 23, 2025