Living in govt house not among my priorities – Gov Otti * Reveals secret behind administration’s giant strides

 

Living in govt house not among my priorities – Gov Otti

* Reveals secret behind administration’s giant strides

By Steve Oko

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has said that he does not consider fixing the Governor’s lodge and living inside Government House among his top priorities.

This is as he identified goodwill, integrity and financial prudence among the secrets of his success story especially the on-going infrastructural revolution and other “landmark achievements” of his administration.

The Governor who stated this while responding to a question during a media parley on Friday night, said that his major pre-occupation was how to rebuild dilapidated infrastructure in the state and provide good governance to the people.

According to him, it does not matter where the Governor operates from provided the masses have a feel of good governance.

Recall that since he assumed power in May 2023, Gov. Otti has been operating from his private residence at Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

Otti said he did not think it wise to spend scarce public funds on fixing the Government House which was “in a terrible state of disrepair” when he came to power , hence his decision to face governance first before giving attention to it later.

He said:” What Abians want to see is activities not minding where the Governor is staying. Rebuilding infrastructure is more important to me than where I live.

” Ensuring a clean city in Aba and Umuahia is more important to me than where I live. Where I live is not as important as fixing our schools, rebuilding the hospitals, and making sure that our people have good roads.”

Gov. Otti who blamed his predecessor for leaving the Government House in a sorry state, however, promised to give it attention soon to make it habitable both for the current and future Governors.

Emphasising on goodwill and track record of integrity, Otti said he was able to pull a construction giant, Julius Berger, to undertake the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road Aba even without any mobilisation.

He announced that the 5.6 -kilometer strategic road awarded within his first 100 days in office, would be due for inauguration before May 29, 2025.

Gov. Otti expressed satisfaction with the quality of work on other road projects including Ohanku Road Aba with a durability of 50 years, Library Road Umuahia, Abam-Arochukwu Road, among others.

He promised to sustain the infrastructural revolution ignited in the state by his administration “until Abia becomes truly number one”.

Gov. Otti further said that his administration had recorded tremendous successes in the health sector where he is currently renovating 200 primary health centres besides 67 PHCs being rehabilitated by the World Bank.

He said some secondary and tertiary health facilities had also been “retrofitted” by his administration, explaining that the reason behind the decision of his Government to upgrade Umunnato General Hospital to a Specialist Hospital, was to have a referral hospital for Abia North axis just as “we have in Aba and Umuahia”.

On whether his administration would declare a state of emergency on glaucoma following a recent revelation that the State recorded an average of 50 glaucoma patients at its eye Care Centre at the Abia Specialist Hospital between January and December, 2024, Otti said he had already declared a state of emergency on the entire health sector.

He said his intention was to holistically address the various health challenges in the state.

The Governor hinted that the second phase of renovation of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH, Aba, had commenced, adding that retraining of health workers in the state had equally commenced.

Gov. Otti also said his administration had made significant investment in the education sector where 222 public schools are currently undergoing renovations.

He expressed delight that the free and compulsory education policy of his administration was paying off, explaining that the on-going recruitment of additional 3000 teachers is as a result of the upsurge in school enrollment due to the new policy.

 

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.

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