By Editor, Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, has inaugurated chairmen and members of various boards of departments and agencies in the state with a charge for the board members to bring their experiences to bear in the development of the State.

The various boards inaugurated included; Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Management Board, the Governing Council of the Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Office, Abia State Rural Access Roads Agency, Abia State Roads Funds, Abia State Lottery Board, and the Abia State Library Board.

Inaugurating the boards at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia on Thursday, May 7, Governor Otti said that the inauguration of the leadership and members of the boards was aimed at strengthening institutional leadership in the parastatals.

The Governor described the event as “deepening a culture of accountability and improving the tone and structure of efficiency across several front lines.

“This event is also about strengthening the capacity for the implementation of government policies and programmes with a view to improving the social and economic outlook of the State,” Gov. Otti stated.

Governor Otti, who advised the appointees to refrain from rivalry and unhealthy conflicts between the boards and their management, noted that the appointees were selected on their individual merits and described them as professionals.

“They are all excellent professionals who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.

“While I am convinced about the mature disposition of persons that will lead and function through the boards and parastatals, it will however be good to advise against any form of needless rivalry with the management of the agencies. “The management of the institutions are encouraged to give every required support to the boards,” Gov. Otti stated.

The State Chief Executive said that adequate provisions have been made to cater for their welfare, saying, “You can take it for granted that whatever you need to perform effectively and meet the expectations that have been set for you shall be provided,” he said.

Governor Otti used the opportunity to reiterate that his government has maintained the same commitment it started with, from the day one of the administration.”We have the same commitment, enthusiasm and energy to keep on the pursuit of the same developmental objectives as we did on the very day of our inauguration. “If anything at all has changed, it is the fact that we are hungry and more determined to do even more for our people.

“We have only accomplished a fraction of what we intend to do, but the indisputable truth is that, important irreversible progress has happened.

The old wars of mediocrity, disease of non-performance are permanently broken, never to rise again, Gov. Otti declared.

Responding on behalf of other Chairmen and members of the various boards inaugurated, the Chairman, Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Management Board and the wife of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Ezinne Benjamin-Kalu while thanking Governor Otti for the appointment and opportunity to serve, pledged their commitment to supporting the Governor to continue in achieving excellent results in all the ministries and agencies they would be overseeing.

“Today is a day of profound honour, responsibility, and gratitude to me personally and to every member of the newly inaugurated boards. “And, we are especially grateful to the Governor for bestowing us with such amount of trust and responsibility and his continuing desire for the transformation of all parastatals of the State.”I understand clearly that public service at this level is not merely ceremonial. It is call to duty, sacrifice, accountability, and results.

“So, Your Excellency’s decision to entrust us with this oversight of such a monumental degree is not something we take lightly,” Dr. Benjamin-Kalu stated.

She charged her colleagues to live up to expectations as the institutions they now represent through the appointments have vested enormous responsibilities and trust of the State government on them.

By Editor, Umuahia

The national working committee of the Accord party has directed their members in Abia state to support and work for the re-election of governor Alex Otti come 2027.

The National Chairman of the Accord Party, Professor Christopher Imumolen have the directive in while visiting the governor with his executive members.

He consequently endorsed Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, for second term in office, assuring that Accord Party will support and work with him to make his reelection a reality.

The Accord Party Chairman noted that Governor Alex Otti has performed exceptionally well and deserves to be commended and supported by all, irrespective of political party affiliation.

“For me, development is beyond party line. Once there is development, once there is progress, it’s important that the opposition should acknowledge it.

“Opposition should not only be there to criticize, but should also appreciate good leadership when they see one.

“So, we are here today to appreciate the Governor, to thank him for what he is doing, and to also stand with him. “We know election is drawing closer, and we are saying that, if he has done this much, we believe that as a party, we should stand with him, we should fight with him, and ensure that there is continuity, even after 2027.

“We are giving him all the support from the Accord Party from the National to our Abia State Chapter, because he has done so well as the Governor of Abia State and the only way we can appreciate beyond words is to see that we support him and make sure that as a Party, we do everything possible to support and work for his re-election.

“Of course, we are going to work with the Governor, and we will align and work according to his leadership and directive to the party,” Prof. Imumolen said.

Also speaking, the National Secretary of Accord Party, Malam Mukhtar Abdullah Djungo, assured Governor Otti that the Accord Party would not field any governorship candidate in Abia State in 2027.

“On behalf of our party, I want to assure your Excellency that no candidate from our party will be contesting for the Governorship position in Abia State.

“The National Working Committee has directed the State Executive of the party to join hands with the Labour Party and work for the good of the people of Abia State.

“Let the good work continue,” he said.

In her speech, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, who joined the meeting virtually alongside the National Secretary of the Labour Party, Hon. Iheanacho Obioma appreciated the National Chairman of the Accord Party for saying the truth and appreciating good governance taking place in Abia State.

Senator Usman said that, Nigeria opposition politicians find it difficult to appreciate good things done by the ruling party and commended Prof. Imumolen for standing on the truth.

“Opposition believes that once you are in the opposition, it means, even when the ruling party is doing well, you must criticise for criticising sake..

“So, for Accord Party to now come, not with criticisms, but to appreciate the good work you are doing for the people of Abia State, honestly, its a welcome development that is not common in our polity.

“I wish Nigeria would start doing things this way. I believe Nigeria would be a better place, and leaders would be able to deliver more of the dividends of democracy to their people with people encouraging them.”It gladdened my heart to hear that nobody would be contesting from Accord Party. Sincerely, we are very grateful,” Senator Usman stated.

Responding, Governor Alex Otti thanked the National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee of the Accord Party for their understanding of why political parties exist.

The Governor further appreciated the fact that the party is interested in working together with him and and assured that he would work together with the party too.

“The whole essence of politics is about the welfare of our people and security of our people.”I want to assure you that we will also work together with you.

We will work together both at the State and National level.”it’s in politics that people see it as an anathema to say the truth. So, you see something that is working and you pretend that you are not seeing it. Or you may lie that it’s not working.

“But then, the whole essence of politics is about the welfare of the people. And even before this time, I had maintained that if I see somebody who would do this job better than me, I would quit and let the person continue, because that’s what it’s about. It’s about the welfare of our people, the security of our people.

“Welfare starts with security and then, of course, other things that go with it. So, I want to really, really thank you. Thank you for your very kind comments.”Like I said, we will work together, both at the National level and at the State level. There’s a lot that we can do, working together,” Gov. Otti stated.

By Editor, Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, has called on Nigerians to embrace digital and distance education as the way to go in the contemporary time.

Governor Otti was speaking, while receiving in audience a delegation of the management of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) led by Professor Uduma Orji Uduma in his office.

Governor. Otti recounted that it was the NOUN that pioneered virtual learning in Nigeria.

“It is interesting that National Open University of Nigeria pioneered an effort decades ago when the world had not gone virtual. But today, I sit here and hold meetings with people in New York and Singapore.

“That is what learning has become. Distance, Open, Virtual, Zoom, Google meet and all the platforms for distance learning and virtual meetings have become the order of the day.

“So, we have no choice but to embrace it,” Gov. Otti stated. Governor Otti approved the citing of the Aba Study Centre of the NOUN, and directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to do a feasibility study on how to fix and upgrade the Umuahia study centre.

This was in response to the requests made by the Vice Chancellor of the institution.

“On your request to support in upgrading the place (Umuahia centre), I would like the Honourable Commissioner for Tertiary Education to take that up together with other members of the team.

“Let’s have a look and see how we can support them to upgrade the place.”On the request for a study centre in Aba, I think that one is a no-brainer. It has to be done.”So, the General Manager of the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), please take that up and let’s find a place for them.

“Maybe we need to find a place that they will operate from on a temporary basis. Because before you start and finish building, it will probably take a long time.”So, you can start from a temporary place. We will now be thinking of a permanent site, which will be a fairly long-term project,” Gov. Otti said.

The State Chief Executive, who thanked them for the good job that they were doing at National Open University of Nigeria and for establishing a study centre in Asaga Ohafia as well as the one in the State capital, congratulated the Vice Chancellor on his position.

The Governor noted that his government pays a lot of attention to education, saying that, in the last three years, he had committed 20% of the annual budget to education, disclosing that, soon, he would be commissioning three smart schools within the month.

Earlier, the Leader of the delegation and Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Uduma Orji Uduma said that the visit was to solicit for partnership with the Governor for the establishment of a study centre in Aba, describing Open and distant learning as the way to go in the 21st Century.

While noting that the University has 120 Study Centres across Nigeria with only 8 in the South East region, Professor Uduma appealed to the State government to partner with the University to secure land for the establishment of a study centre in Aba to enable more Abia people enjoy the gains of open and distant learning, in addition to fixing and upgrading the existing Umuahia study centre.

He appreciated the transformation projects of Governor Alex Otti in the State and maintained that the people across the country are happy about his people oriented development strides.