Abia under Gov Otti has not arrived at such enviable positions in Nigeria today by mere wishful thinking, every detail attention was paid to the kind of men and women that has been appointed, or elected to sustain the legacy of the New Abia
By Njoku SaintJerry A.
Credits of the foundation of the New Abia at the grassroots, no doubt should go to the recently departed TC Chairmen codenamed “mayors’ and their deputies across the 17 Local government councils for the great exemplary roles they have played in laying a dependable foundation at the grassroots.
Virtually every one of the mayors has left the council positively different than they met it, beautified with improved infrastructures and reformed administrative responsibilities, quite remote from what government at the interior used to be before the coming of the Alex Otti’s administration.
In addition, the recently concluded local government election and the emergence of winners was not a mere political coincidence, the new electoral rule on the autonomy of the local government has laid the bedrock for the people’s participation in electing who spearheads the affairs of government at the grassroots. The electoral activity in Abia state has merely recognized the wisdom of the leader of the new Abia to look out for men and women he considers suitable to carry on with the leadership examples already set in place by his administration.
Before now, None of the 17 LGA’s across the state was anything worth reckoning both in infrastructure and in administration, it simply took the meticulous selection and appointment of men that shares similar values in leadership and administrative principles with the Governor to upturn the Augean table of underdevelopment and very poor leadership that almost became a signpost to the governance of the state.
This was the picture of the old establishment, the local council headquarters merely served as conduit of crime and abuse of office so much that the underdevelopment of Abia begins here.
Today, that is history as the elected Council Chairmen key in to the foundation already set by the Outgoing Mayors across the 17 LGs to continue the job of rebuilding the state from the scratch.
Interestingly, the New LG Chairmen duly elected did not emerge as products of political manipulation; their elections were duly mapped out in line with the doctrine of the New Abia, void of partisan politics and sentiments.
The leader, Governor Otti certainly may have played a role but the people played a larger responsibility by going out to cast their vote in support of the choice of the man who has brought economic relief to Abians and even poised to do more.
Therefore, it is only wise to follow the man who has rescued Abians from the mire of politics of the belly and favoritism while the state was burning down. More so, the Otti’s government couldn’t have done any better by allowing strangers to wade in into an already established leadership and administrative structure deliberately designed to rebuild the state to a model economy and improved environmental infrastructure
For any visitor to any of the headquarters of the regional government, a clear evidence of intentional leadership that was specifically set up to dismantle the old brigade of political state actors and their filthy human infrastructures is written boldly on the walls of the remodeled council headquarters.
That image and presence of individuals who in the past, relished in the deplorable conditions of public facilities and worker’s conditions that arbitrarily scared everyone away from government facilities has been completely wiped out and the newly elected Council Chairmen have come to reinforce that foundation of the New Abia begun by the Mayors under the Otti’s administration.
In a statement issued by the leader and governor of the New Abia, H.E. Dr. Alex Otti recently during his monthly media briefing, He said;
“We may not have been where we want to be yet but I believed we have moved from where we were”
This is one fact critics of the Otti’s government cannot pretend to ignore. Abia has left its old shell of underdevelopment and irresponsible leadership to a state to be reckoned with in Nigeria and across the world.
It is public knowledge; the National Bureau of statistics recently published a report that pronounced Abia state as among top States out of the 36 in the federation that are genuinely attracting foreign investment, having emerged from its previous 27th position to 3rd position within the first year of the Otti’s administration, attracting about $150.9 million of foreign investments.
You do not attain to such heights by mere political rhetoric, but by sound judgment and foresight to sieve the chaff from the grains.
This also has necessitated the appointment of men of sound pedigree as mayor’s and not political jobbers, In line, the elected council Chairmen are not your usual offside political jobbers but men with rich background experience in administration, technology and development economics to sustain the legacy of the New Abia. They deserve all the support and cooperation by their own people across the 17 LGAs.
Those who have found a pastime in criticizing but doing nothing to bring a change that is implementable are certain to have a hard time thriving in Abia state today under the leadership of Otti’s government.
As Gov Otti stated in his recent Media briefing; “Investment is not emotional or irrational, It does not pay attention to words or platitudes but actions.”
Abia State under Otti has not arrived at such enviable positions in Nigeria today by works of social media rabble rousers or wishful thinking, every detail attention was paid to the kind of men and women that has been appointed, or elected to sustain the legacy we are building in Abia state today and it will only serve as your contribution to the demands of patriotism to continue to promote the good works of the Otti’s administration as the elected LG Chairmen resume work to continue in the legacies of the wonderful performance and exemplary roles laid out by the Mayors.
Njoku StJerry A is the State Publicity Secretary if Labour Party, Abia
