Abia @35: Otti Lists Gains, Vows To Build Better Future
Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, has described Abia State’s journey over the last 35 years as a miracle of resilience, noting that the state has entered a new era of hope, opportunity and determined pursuit of a better future.
The Governor who stated this in a statewide broadcast on Thursday, to mark the 35th anniversary of the creation of Abia State, paid a glowing tribute to generations of leaders, visionaries, entrepreneurs, artisans, workers and ordinary citizens whose sacrifices and determination, he said, have shaped the identity and destiny of the state since its creation in 1991.
Addressing Abians as ’Umunnem ndi Abia,’ the Governor said the anniversary was not merely an occasion for celebration but a moment to reflect on the remarkable journey of a people united by a common heritage and defined by an unyielding spirit of resilience.
He said Abians should take pride in the roles they have played, individually and collectively, in building a state of enormous possibilities.
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According to him, the joy of the 35th anniversary was rooted not in vanity but in the conviction that a new chapter had opened for Abia.
“Our joy on this momentous occasion does not come from a place of vanity, it is firmed on the conviction that a new epoch is upon us, our moment has arrived and with gratitude, we shall seize the opportunities of our day to create a better world for those coming after us,“ Governor Otti said.
Governor Otti stressed that Abia’s development was never about competing with others but about constantly pushing itself to do better, ask difficult questions and refuse to settle for mediocrity.
The Governor paid tribute to Abia’s first democratically elected Governor, the late Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, whose foresight and intellect, he said, helped illuminate the path for the young state.
He also acknowledged the contributions of his predecessors, including Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Theodore Orji, and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, saying their various efforts contributed to Abia’s political, social and economic evolution.
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Governor Otti equally remembered the military administrators who governed the state in its early years, including Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena, Brigadier General Chinyere Ike Nwosu; Commander Temi Ejoor; Colonel Moses Fasanya and Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Obi.
He said their investments in infrastructure and commitment to peace and public order helped shape the foundations upon which the young state began to build its identity.
The Governor also recalled the historic struggle that led to the creation of Abia State on August 27, 1991, under the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Governor Otti disclosed that Babangida had spoken with him on Wednesday and asked him to convey his goodwill to the people of Abia.
The Governor said the agitation for the state was driven by a strong conviction among political, traditional, religious and intellectual leaders that the people were destined for greatness and needed a distinct political entity through which that destiny could find expression.
He specially recognised the late Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara, who led the Abia State Movement from the early 1980s alongside his deputy, Chief Benjamin Nwachukwu, as well as other prominent figures including Dr. Moses A. O. Agbara, Pharmacist Rufus Obi, Barrister Vincent Uwanna, Dr. Nwakama Okoro, Barrister Igwe Ugwumba, Honourable Chief Eme Udeoji, Eze Dr. Feyi Waboso, Chief O. C. Ememe and Ezeji Joseph Madumere Nwamgburuka.
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According to him, the founding fathers deployed their intellect, resources and political influence to turn what was once only a dream into the Abia State of today.
Beyond political leaders and prominent personalities, Governor Otti said the enduring identity of Abia had been built by ordinary men and women whose creativity, hard work and enterprise continue to make their mark across Nigeria, West Africa and beyond.
He praised entrepreneurs, artisans, fashion designers, leather workers, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, teachers, civil servants, medical professionals, security agents, sanitation workers, traders and self-employed citizens for their contributions to the state’s development.
The Governor said the greatness of Abia was expressed not only through the footprints of its political giants but also through the ingenuity and productivity of its people. He described Abians as people who refuse to surrender in the face of adversity.
“We do not give up, whatever the odds are, we fight, exhaust ourselves and return at dawn the next day until the outcome that we seek is attained,” the governor said.
Governor Otti said the future of the state’s children had become brighter because generations of Abians remained courageous even during difficult periods when the road ahead appeared uncertain.
While congratulating Abians on the milestones recorded over the last 35 years, Governor Otti warned against complacency, insisting that the state still has a long way to go. He said the expanding road network, rising public and private infrastructure and growing opportunities created by technology were encouraging but not enough to satisfy the dreams of the founding fathers.
“We are only just beginning. The road ahead is still long and the only guarantee of success is focus, a constant reminder that we have barely scratched the surface,” he said.
The Governor said Abians must reject the lethargy of complacency and the limitations imposed by mediocrity, stressing that the present generation has a responsibility to hand over a better society to those coming after them.
According to him, parents must prepare their children for a future where value creation, innovation and productivity would determine sustained relevance.
Governor Otti said his administration would continue to expand investments in education and healthcare to prepare young Abians for the demands of the future.
He said the last three years had witnessed the recruitment and training of thousands of teachers and health workers, improved salary packages, execution of capital projects, construction and equipping of smart schools, and investments in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
The administration, he said, is committed to ensuring that no child in Abia is disadvantaged because of the economic or social circumstances of their parents. This commitment, he noted, is reflected in the state’s free and compulsory basic education programme, efforts to improve learning standards and the spread of smart schools across the state.
On healthcare, the Governor said his administration had linked the wellbeing of parents directly to the development of children, explaining that a child’s growth could not be separated from the health of the family. He said the government was developing primary healthcare facilities across the state’s 184 wards to improve access to medical services while also reinvigorating the health insurance programme to reduce the burden of out-of-pocket spending.
Governor Otti said the economic and social development programmes of his administration were deliberately structured to expand opportunities for the hardworking people of Abia. He disclosed that more than 1,000 kilometres of roads across urban and rural communities had been fixed over the last three years to open up the economy, improve productivity, attract investments and create employment opportunities.
The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to agriculture, saying the sector was being positioned not only to guarantee food security but also to create jobs, increase household incomes and attract foreign capital.
In the housing sector, he said the government was laying the groundwork for accelerated development through technology-driven and transparent land administration.
According to him, the objective is to strengthen public confidence in the system and increase the value of real estate as a legitimate channel for wealth creation.
Governor Otti further said the state was actively pursuing opportunities in the Information and Communication Technology sector through structured training programmes that had benefited thousands of young men and women.
The government, he added, was investing in ICT infrastructure to expand access, particularly for people in rural communities.
In one of the strongest policy declarations of the broadcast, Governor Otti said his administration had also turned its attention to correcting the injustices of the past. He pointed to the recent commencement of the payment of accumulated gratuity arrears dating back to 2001 as evidence of the government’s commitment to senior citizens.
The Governor assured retires that the payments would continue as resources become available.
“While we have carefully kept our eyes on the future, efforts have also been made to address the injustice of the past; nothing demonstrates this better than the recent commencement of the payment of accumulated gratuity arrears, starting from 2001. We shall, as promised, continue to make these payments as resources become available. You can, however, take it for granted that henceforth, no senior citizen shall be denied what is due them.
“Beyond the decision to clear debts accumulated from more than 2 decades ago, I have also directed that going forward, anyone leaving the service should be paid their gratuity as soon as the necessary documentation is completed. The old practice of denying retirees what is due them will no longer obtain.
“This administration shall continue to honour our senior citizens for the crucial roles they played in the evolution of our State since 1991.
Turning to the responsibilities of citizens, Governor Otti urged Abians to play their part in building a state worthy of the dreams of its founding fathers. He called on residents to pay taxes and statutory fees as and when due, support security agencies in the fight against crime and refuse to allow themselves to be used by unscrupulous elements.
“The responsibility of building a state worthy of the dreams of our parents is on all of us; today’s anniversary invites us to embrace our duties as citizens and stakeholders in the long-term development of the State; pay your taxes and other statutory fees as often and quickly as they fall due, support the security agents to keep crime out of our State and refuse the temptation to be a tool in the shenanigans of unscrupulous elements”.
The Governor expressed confidence that Abia was on the right path and called for a renewed sense of mission as the state marches into the future.
“Abia is ours to build and thankfully, we are on the right track,” he emphasized”.