By Editor, Umuahia

The wife of the Abia state governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti has extended her benevolence to six orphanages in Aba and Umuahia.

She a total cash donation of six million to the six centres as support to the vulnerable groups with each home receiving a million naira.

.

There were also gifts of 50kg bags of rice, (30), other food supplies, and toiletries.

In her milk of kindness, caregivers in each facility were given cash support to appreciate their dedication and hard work.

Mrs. Priscilla Otti who was represented by the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu emphasized the administration’s unwavering commitment to uplifting the less privileged and ensuring their welfare is made a priority .

She applauded the coordinators and caregivers for their selfless dedication to humanitarian services, particularly their care for vulnerable children.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs Mrs Maureen Aghukwa, and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Poverty Alleviation and Vulnerable Groups, Mrs. Ifeoma Thomas also expressed gratitude to Mrs. Otti for her impactful initiative of appreciating the caregivers for their tireless efforts in providing care and support.

In their various responses, leaders of the benefitting homes, including Rev. Sister Maria Anita Ogbonna of DMMM compassionate home and Madam Oyibo Okonkwo of Agape Charity Home commended the administration of Governor Alex Otti and his wife for their compassion and focus on the welfare of less privileged homes.

They prayed for God’s blessings and wisdom upon them as they continue to serve the state.

Recall that earlier in the year, Mrs. Otti personally visited Susana Homes at Ukwa East, where she donated ₦1,000,000, Bags of rice, food items, and other essentials to further support their operations.

The benefitting homes of the donations are DMMM compassionate home, Ahiaeke- ₦1,000,000, Caregivers: ₦150,000, Agape Charity Home, Avodim, Ipupe-Amuba Ubakala – ₦1,000,000Caregivers: ₦150,0003, So-Said Charity Homes for Vulnerable Persons, Amibo : ₦1,000,000, Caregivers: ₦150,0004.

Also St. Vincent De Paul Center for Mentally and Physically Challenged Persons, Umuafai Ndume Ibeku: ₦1,000,000, Caregivers: ₦150,000, Ngwa Road Motherless Babies Home – ₦1,000,000, Caregivers: ₦150,000 and SDA Motherless Babies Home: ₦1,000,000, Caregivers: ₦100,000.

Says “We are building a model state”.....

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has restated his determination to making Abia a model state which does not discriminate against people based on their origins.

He said that he believes that so long as one lives, works and pays your taxes in Abia, one is from the state.

Governor Otti made these comments on Saturday, 18th January in Aba, during the wedding ceremony of the son of STARLINE CEO Mazi Clement Owunna, Clement Owunna Jr., and his wife, Chinelo.

He commended Mazi Owunna for not giving up on Aba even when there were compelling reasons to do so.

He revealed that it was people like Mazi Owunna who believed that Aba and Abia could be rebuilt that made him give up his well-paying banking Group Managing Director (GMD) job to lead the struggle to liberate Abia.

“You know, in the old structure where they say you are from Imo, you are from Anambra, etc, in that structure, he (Clement Owunna) believed in Abia. “I said to myself, so, I have stayed here and become a very successful Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, but by the time you retire, there would be no home to go to. So, I sacrificed that job and started struggling for almost ten years, and today, we are here,” he said .

He encouraged the people to prayerfully stick to and work on their dreams, saying that if it does not happen today, it will happen tomorrow or next.

He described his achievements in the last 19 months as a tip of the iceberg, assuring that greater things were coming.

“What you see in Abia State in the last 19 months is actually what I will call dress rehearsal. You ain’t seen anything yet. I’m not boasting, I know what this State can do.

“The first thing we abolished is state of origin. If you stay here, if you live here then you are from here,” he said

He narrated how he had mooted plans to appoint Ide John Udeagbala as the Mayor of Aba North, but was doubted by the people, saying he still appointed him, and he went on to transform Aba North Local Government Headquarters in just a year.

He said the same thing happened recently when he appointed Edo-born Benson Ojeikere as the Head of Service of the State.

“The other day, I appointed somebody as the Head of Service of the State; some people say he is from Edo; I don’t know about that. He came here in 1999 and he has been here. He didn’t come on his own volition. God brought him here through Youth Service, and he distinguished himself as the best corper, and he was retained in the Civil Service… and somebody wants to tell me he’s not from Abia State,” he said.

“What we are building here is a model State. No matter what anyone says, we are focused and determined. If you come to Aba in the next one year, you would probably not recognize Aba.”Very close here, there was an abandoned project called Enyimba Hotel. You would probably see a Radisson Blu sitting on it. And then you see a conference center by the side and you see another leisure park opposite it. This is our place, we must fix it,” the Governor declared.

He thanked the people for being supportive of his administration and assured them that he would never tamper with the state’s resources but would use them to fix the state.

The governor was accompanied to the marriage ceremony by his wife, Chidinma.

The Editor, Umuahia

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Commission For Persons Living with Disabilities, Hon. Ayuba Gufwan, has described Governor Alex Otti as the champion of the disabilities community in Nigeria.

Hon. Gufwan made this assertion when he and his colleagues paid a working visit to Governor Alex Otti in the state.

He commended the Governor for his friendly disposition toward persons living with disabilities and appreciated him for establishing a commission for persons with disabilities in Abia state.

“We are deeply appreciative that upon your assumption of office, you established the Abia State equivalent of the National Commission of Persons with Disabilities.

“I commend you and express the heartfelt appreciation of the 35 million persons living with disabilities in Nigeria. We say thank you for what you have done for us,” he said.

He disclosed that they were in Abia to appeal to the governor to provide them with a Southeast Zonal office of the National Commission for Persons Living with Disabilities in Abia , saying that the state was chosen because it is hospitable.

“There is no place that is as hospitable to persons with disabilities in this region other than Abia State and that is why we are here.

“We are 35 million and we don’t have an office anywhere other than the office in Abuja and so, it is very difficult to administer this huge number from one location.

“So, people in the Southeastern part of Nigeria who need our services can just access our zonal office,” Gufwan stated.

In his response, governor Alex Otti gave express approval for the facility to be provided in two months time.

“I want you to leave here convinced, knowing fully well that we have not only heard but we have approved it.

As you leave here, my Special Assistant on Persons Living with Disabilities will liaise with the Director General of Umuahia Capital Development Authority and Commissioner for Lands and Housing to identify a befitting office for the Southeast Zone of the council.

He said that his government does not discriminate against persons living with disabilities or any other group, including people of different religious inclinations or tribes.

“Our Government is a Government that does not discriminate against persons living with disabilities, we don’t discriminate against women, we don’t discriminate against people because of their religious beliefs nor because of where they come from.

“That is why we pride ourselves as the first state in recent times that appointed a Head of Service who is not from Abia nor from the Southeast but is from the South South.
It is because we are focused on meritocracy without discrimination”, Gov. Otti stated.

The Governor, who encouraged persons living with disabilities, noted that, that someone has one disability or the other does not make him a disabled person. Governor Otti, on the spot, acceded to their request to be provided a place for them to set up their Southeast headquarters in Abia state.

“So, I am sure that in the next two or three months, your office will relocate to that place, and you (Ayuba) will be invited back to be handed over to the Southeastern Zonal office,” Gov. Otti assured.