A few days ago, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti delivered his New Year. That was the second of such a broadcast since his assumption of office on 29 May, 2023. The message was basically an account of the sterling stewardship of the governor in the last 18 months of his administration and his plans in the New Year.
A careful perusal of the address reveals a governor who is in a hurry to rebuild and reposition Abia State for greater economic and social development. It is really amazing to note that so much has been achieved by the administration within a very short period of time. The transformation that has taken place in the State is difficult to imagine, given the level of infrastructural decay and economic underdevelopment that had been the lot of the State in the last 24 years under the successive administrations controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Many Abians have never in their wildest imagination ever believed that something good could come from the State, metaphorically and physically speaking. Such pessimistic spirit was nurtured and sustained by the mediocrity of the years of the locust in the State. To the glory of God, the unpalatable story of Abia has changed for good, courtesy of the transformative governance of Dr. Otti.
It is obvious that the governor came fully prepared to tackle the development challenges confronting the State. This realism has continued to reflect in the actions of the government. He alluded to this when he stated in the address as follows:
“We have since evolved a system that prioritises the needs of the downtrodden by paying attention, listening carefully, and channeling public resources to where they yield the highest social and economic dividends to the majority”. The massive works the government has done in the areas of roads infrastructure, urban renewal, re-caliberating of the civil service, and transformation of the educational and health sectors are a clear evidence of Otti’s commitment to the rebuilding and repositioning of Abia State.
Giving a hint of what is in the offing in the New Year, he stated: “As a government, our job in the New Year will be to build systems and structures to support your dreams and offer you the institutional leverage to thrive and contribute to our shared aspiration of building a better society. With sincerity and commitment as our guiding principles, we have strived to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our people, honouring the faith they have placed in us.
“This New Year holds very important promises for Ndi Abia and I invite all of us to prepare for extensive government interventions in the education and health sectors where we are, just like in 2024, set to contribute 35 per cent of our entire budgetary outlay”. This is very gladdening, to say the least.
One of the highlights of the broadcast is the planned groundbreaking ceremony for the Abia Medical City Project. This initiative is expected to revolutionize the healthcare delivery ecosystem in the South East region, cut down the rate of medical tourism, and provide incentives for the retention of top medical talents in the State.
Another laudable area that received emphasis in the broadcast is the clear commitment of the government to social protection. In this regard, the governor has made an elaborate plan to cover the elderly citizens, the vulnerable in the society and the physically challenged. An impressive allocation has been voted to accomplish government`s objective in this regard.
Otti said: “As an administration that understands the tough economic realities of the time, we have mapped out the sum of N18.9 billion to support economically vulnerable individuals and families in the New Year. While we insist that wealth and prosperity cannot be built through hand-outs, it is also a statement of fact that many will find it difficult to survive in the short run without a structured system of social support”.
The governor deserves accolades for paying attention to this segment of our society. The policy is thoughtful and speaks directly to the harsh economic realities confronting a majority of the people. The government must, however, endeavor to put in place a foul-proof system that would ensure that the target audience remains the real beneficiaries. It should not allow the scheme to be hijacked.
In the conclusion of the broadcast, Otti noted that the lofty proposals he has presented to Abians cannot be meaningfully realized without their cooperation and support. And that is a basic truth. The good people of Abia should, therefore, reciprocate the good gestures of Dr. Otti by cooperating with the government so that more dividends of democracy would be delivered in the months and years that lie ahead.
Nwosu, a Public Policy Analyst, writes from Umuahia. He can be contacted on cdnwosu2@gmail.com
