Politics
Why my govt is committed to driving massive infrastructural development – Gov. Otti
Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti has declared that his administration is committed to driving massive infrastructural developments, noting that he is in a hurry to transform all sectors of the state’s economy.
He said Abians should not worry about where he operates from but what the is achieving.
Governor Otti made this clarifications, weekend, during his monthly media briefing, tagged: “Governor Otti Speaks to Abians,” in response to questions being asked by concerned people that he was doing many projects at the same time and was still operating from his country home.
Another question often asked was where he is getting the funds from to enable him carry out the projects smoothly without owing any of the contractors executing the projects.
His words: “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. That’s why, even before we were sworn in, we brought Julius Berger to Port Harcourt road and they started the road designs.
“Some people didn’t understand what we were doing. They taught we were in a hurry to take- over, but we were simply trying to maximize time”.
On his source of funds, Otti, a renowned economist and banker, attributed it to the religious application of the Theory of “Scale of preference,” saying “I do the things that are very important first.”
Otti gave his words that the ongoing reconstruction and expansion of Port Harcourt road, Aba, which is being handled by Julius Berger Construction Company, will be completed and ready for commissioning by 29th May this year.
It will be recalled that the dilapidated and abandoned 6.9km Port Harcourt Road, a major entry route in Aba, had posed a herculean task to fix by past administrations in Abia, for decades.
Otti further added that the ongoing expansion of Library Avenue, popularly known as Bank road, will be completed before the end of March, 2025.
Not only that, work is progressing at various project sites across the State, including the recently flagged-off ancient, narrow- 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.
On Power, Governor Otti said a lot is being done to increase power availability and stability as arrangements are being perfected in those areas across the state..
Answering a question on security, governor Otti reiterated that security remains a top priority to his administration. He acknowledged the appreciable level of peace and security existing across the State, as a result of proactive measures put in- place by the combined security architecture of the State.
In answer to another question on why he has been working from his country-home instead of renovating and retrofitting the existing Government House, in Umuahia, the governor recalled that the place was looted and rendered unusable by appointees of the immediate past administration.
Otti rather insisted that his priorities are delivering results to Abians and not where he operates from.
Otti declared: “You are worried that I am not operating from here (Government House, Umuahia). 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 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”.
The Governor further noted that his decision to delay moving into the Government House was based on careful resource allocation.
He, however, 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, vandalized and badly 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 distant time, since we have taken care of those important areas, we’ll come here and fix it (Government House). Gov. Otti stated.
