Business
Otti unveils leadership training, mentorship drive for ‘New Abia’
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has said his administration will prioritise leadership training, capacity building, and mentorship in the second half of his first term as part of efforts to actualise the vision of a ‘New Abia.‘
According to the governor, the initiative will target the public service and the broader population to ensure holistic reorientation and improved governance outcomes.
To this end, he has directed commissioners, other political appointees, and heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop robust training and capacity-building programmes for their respective establishments. He also tasked the Chief Strategy Officer and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission with producing a framework to train 1,000 young people – aged 16 to 20 – on leadership development, character building, and self-discovery outside the formal school system.
Mentorship and leadership training programmes, the governor noted, will also be extended to secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the state.
Otti gave the directive at the weekend during the closing session of the 2025 Quarter Two Executive Council Strategy Retreat held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
He stressed that the programmes must be designed to transform young minds, expose them to new ways of thinking, and prepare them for leadership and service roles in their communities.
“One key takeaway from this retreat is the importance of training and mentorship in helping individuals become better versions of themselves – and, by extension, better employees and subordinates,” the governor said.
“Critical areas such as ICT, communication, stakeholder management, and value creation – tailored to the specific mandates of individuals and MDAs – must be included. No one should be left behind, and any staff member who fails to participate should be sanctioned.”
Otti further directed that clear metrics for assessing training outcomes be developed and incorporated into staff performance evaluation and assignment of official duties. He also demanded periodic reports from all MDAs on the implementation progress.
The governor disclosed plans to establish an academy to institutionalise the training and development of public servants, while reiterating that leadership training for young people will be conducted during the long vacation period between early August and mid-September.
“These programmes should be institutionalised, held periodically, and come with proper certification,” he added.
Governor Otti thanked the consultants and resource persons, especially members of the Abia Global Economic Advisory Council, who facilitated the retreat. He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to improve service delivery, noting that “knowledge is nothing until it is applied to achieve superior outcomes.”
In a joint statement, participants at the two-day retreat expressed satisfaction with the quality of training and the opportunity to engage with members of the Abia Global Economic Advisory Council.
