The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gov Otti

  • Gov Otti offers scholarship to six children of slain police inspector in Aba

    Gov Otti offers scholarship to six children of slain police inspector in Aba

    The governor of Abia state, Alex Otti, has offered scholarships up to the university level, to the six children of the late police inspector, Shehu Oyibo.

    Our correspondent reports that Oyibo was killed by unknown gunmen who operated in a Sienna, during an attack on police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state.

    Oyibo was killed by the gunmen while he and other colleagues were on patrol along Ngwa Road by Mosque junction, on Sunday, June 21.

    Governor Otti made the disclosure when he paid a condolence visit to the office of the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad located within the premises of Aba North local government area headquarters.

    Read Also: We’ve moved Abia from bleeding to healthy financial state, says Otti

    Otti also commiserated with the widow of the deceased officer and assured the family that the state government would not abandon them.

    While there were reports of indiscriminate arrest of innocent citizens living around the Ngwa road area of Aba South local government area of the state, the authority of the Nigeria Police Force, Abia Command were yet to make public if they have arrested any member of the gang that attacked and killed their personnel and three other innocent members of the public who were caught in the crossfire between police and the gunmen.

  • Onuigbo lauds Gov Otti over compensation for proposed site of Federal Secretariat

    Onuigbo lauds Gov Otti over compensation for proposed site of Federal Secretariat

    A former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, has commended Governor Alex Otti for paying the compensation to the community whose lands would be used for the building of a Federal Secretariat in Abia State.

    Onuigbo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency from 2015 to 2023 and currently represents the people of the South East on the Board of North East Development Commission (NEDC).

    He said that he visited Governor Otti on the 20th of June last year, less than one month after he assumed Office, to bring him up to date on projects that God helped him to facilitate when he represented the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia North & South Federal Constituency

    The former federal lawmaker who spoke to newsmen on the 11th of July, after a meeting with Governor Otti in his Umuehim, Nvosi Country home in Isiala Ngwa South LGA, said that he facilitated some Road projects and the building of a Federal Secretariat in Abia State.

    He revealed that the failure of the previous government to pay compensation to the community whose lands were earmarked for the project hindered the Federal Government from commencing the building of the Secretariat.

    In his words, “And, based on those things, it was such a good feeling that when i listed some of those roads, the Governor mentioned to me that he already had a plan to work on the road from Ossah to Okara Square. Because I informed him about a road that was supposed to move from Amachara to Ossah and then going down to Umudike, it is called Umuahia-Umudike 16-Km Dualization project:

    Read Also; Fed Govt takes Daily Trust to NMCC over Samoa report

    “So he now told me he was already working on it, developing the plans, trying to determine the compensation cost and all that. This was on the 20th of June last year less than one month after he assumed office. So, I was quite thrilled that he had such wonderful plans.

    “And then I also informed him of other things including the Federal Secretariat which by the grace of God, I facilitated but it was difficult for the last administration to pay the needed compensation to the community. And, I informed him about all these in addition to the road from Umuhia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene which I also facilitated. And he took interest in these things. 

    “And, also, the Skills Acquisition Center at Apumiri Ubakala in Umuahia. So, when these things were mentioned, including another road that is coming from Achingala-Umunwawa then coming out to Ubakala. He said he was going to take them up one-by-one.”

    Hon. Onuigbo who could not hide his excitement seeing that Governor Otti matched his words with actions, commended the Governor. 

    “So, when I now saw that he was able to do the road from Ossah to Opara Square and commissioned it and renamed it Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard in less than one year, I concluded that the commendations that some of us have given him were not misplaced, that’s one”.

    “Then too, he has also been able to pay the compensation that was required or that made it impossible for the past administration to support the Federal Government to realize the Federal Secretariat for Abia State. He has paid that compensation and the traditional ruler confirmed that to me, such that Federal Government has started preliminary processes in commencing the construction of a major Federal Secretariat for the people of Abia State almost 33 years after the creation of the State”.

    “These in addition to so many other things that he has done around the State. That’s why people like us are giving him support. And, I came today to say yes, I am grateful that he is doing these things because if you facilitate some of these projects and they are not executed then it doesn’t go anywhere”.

    “Then, apart from those ones that are federal government projects that I was involved in, he has been able to do exceedingly well in executing so many other projects, which we have as verifiable pieces of evidence of his good governance”.      

    “I feel that he has done exceedingly well and deserves recognition, commendation and emulation. And, of course, support from the people in moving forward. The evidence is there, I don’t think anybody is playing to the gallery”. 

    “He has done exceedingly well and he deserves our support. You know, I’m of the APC and he’s of the Labour party. This is not a partisan issue, this is recognition of someone who has done well and who should be encouraged to do much more”, Hon. Onuigbo declared.

    While commending Governor Otti for the Launching of the disbursement of One Billion Naira revolving interest-free loan scheme to support 10,000 nano, small and medium scale businesses (SMEs) across the State, Hon. Onuigbo disclosed that the Governor assured him that his administration will  put to effective use the Skill Acquisition Centers at Apunmiri in addition to the three other Skill Acquisition Centers  – one in each of the three Senatorial zones that his administration will build.

    Hon. Onuigbo encouraged Abia people to support Governor Otti in his quest to reform and transform the State. 

  • Supreme Court judgment: It’s time to face governance, says Gov Otti

    Supreme Court judgment: It’s time to face governance, says Gov Otti

    Abia state governor, Alex Otti, has assured that with the conclusion of the Supreme Court judgment, his administration was committed to focusing on addressing and improving the challenges confronting the state.

    Governor Otti gave the assurance at the 3rd Quinquennial Session of Eastern Union Conference, held at the Headquarters of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Ahiaba Umueze in Osisioma local government area of the state.

    He said one of the major reasons he contested election was the genuine concern for the development of the state and the desire to eradicate the shame of being referred to as an Abian due to the state’s perceived deterioration.

    He recalled that a lot of people confronted him over the rot in the state prior to his election as Governor, noting that people would dismiss you anytime Abia was mentioned.

    Otti noted: “Not too many people like us contest election because we are not politicians. By the way, when people say they are politicians,I ask them what they were doing before 1999, that means they were jobless.

    “So one of the major reasons that made me contest is because of the shame that I have. I am somebody that have shame.

    “Pastor Lazarus Nwaezuoke  (Adventist Cleric) told us as we were growing up that we should not have anything to do with a man that doesn’t have shame.

    “I am a man that have shame and anytime that I went out, people ask if Abia is jinxed. It is the shame that made me come out to contest election. Anytime Abia was mentioned, people will dismiss you.

    “Now that the storm is over, we will invite people to come and see Abia”, Governor Otti said.

    The governor while emphasizing that all power belongs to God, thanked God for fulfilling his words by granting him victory at the Apex Court.

    Otti recalled that he was unperturbed even when people were panicking over the outcome of the judgement adding that he anchored his faith on Jeremiah 1:9 and Jeremiah 15:20.

    He counseled Christians to lay their burdens on God who he said, will perfect all that concerns them.

    Governor Otti thanked the church for the prayers and support for his adminstration and enjoined them to continue in the same vein.

    Read Also: Gov Otti visits family of slain LP chieftain, vows to arrest killers

    He noted that one cannot achieve anything meaningful without unity and advised them not to do things that would disunite the church.

    Preaching a sermon on the topic; “Chosen for Mission, embracing unity and purposeful year”, the West Central African Division President of the SDA, Pastor Robert Ossei-Bonsu emphasized that the lives of Christians should convey a meaningful message to the world. 

    The man of God highlighted the divine calling for the church to fulfill the mission of reaching out to the world, recruiting, and baptizing all people and stressed the importance of the church moving forward in unity, which aligns with God’s expectations. 

    He noted that the church’s existence was framed as a mission to evangelize the message of God for the repentance of sin. 

    The pastor underscored that achieving the great commission requires unity among Christians, stating that unity is crucial for effective mission work.

    The church service featured special dedicatory prayers for the Governor, members of his cabinet and Abia State.