By Steve Oko

Pioneer Managing Director, National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Chief Chuku Wachuku, has said that the newly-inaugurated Abia Governor, Dr  Alex Otti, has so far, by his choice of appointees, demonstrated that “one doesn’t have to be a sycophant or tout to be in Government”.

The Medium and Small Enterprises, SME, expert in an exclusive chat with Vanguard, said that the appointments so far made by Otti, signalled that the era of sycophants and touts occupying positions in Abia Government was gone.

Wachuku who was the senatorial candidate of the Young Peoples Party, YPP,  for Abia central in the 2023 poll, commended Otti for choosing competent and distinguished technocrats in their various careers as his Special Advisers and Assistants to help him accomplish his goals.

He argued that “what matters is what one can bring to table”, declaring that the era of basing appointment into public offices on political patronage and sycophancy is over..

” It’s your background and what you can offer that make you to be part of Government; it shouldn’t be by praise singing.

“Otti has shown what he wants. He needs hard-core technocrats to drive governance. He can’t afford to patronize touts.

” The tremendous credentials of the officers of Government that he has so far appointed indicate that he is not here for jokes but for serious business to deliver good governance. These are seasoned and distinguished professionals ready to replicate their feasts in their new assignments.

” The take-away in what Otti is beginning to do in Abia now is that sycophancy and thuggery do not qualify one to be in Government. It also shows that being a tout or the head of ‘Okada’ (commercial motorcycle) does not qualify one to be appointed into power”.

The YPP chieftain pledged support for Otti who he said, had demonstrated “commitment to engender a new Abia where things work”.

” Party politics is not the issue here; rebuilding Abia is paramount to us all. So, when he does well as he has started doing, it is our duty to commend and support him.

” There are strong indications to believe that Abia is in for her glory days. I ‘ve known Alex for years and I’m convinced he will do well. We shall all support him to succeed irrespective of party affiliations”.

The SME expert advised Otti to prioritize promotion of SMEs as the fastest way to re-jig the economy of the state.

He argued that if the teeming youth population were empowered with relevant skill acquisition for self reliance, more jobs would have been created by the ripple effects, and crime wave would drastically reduce.