By Steve Oko

While canvassing for support, Dr Alex Otti, then governorship candidate of the Labour Party, just like his counterparts in other parties, made several promises of how he would re-invent Abia State if given the opportunity to steer the statecraft.

He had also reinforced his campaign promises during his inaugural speech which inspired hope and confidence among many.

The spontaneous eruption of jubilation across the state after he was pronounced winner of the  March 18 governorship poll was a strong indicator that the people earnestly yearned for change.

He has no choice but to walk the talk.

However, experience has taught many folks how risky it could be to trust politicians and their rhetorics in our clime.

While some folks are still keenly watching the steps taken by the Governor to know whether he is truly the long-expected political Messiah, many believe that Abia may have been lucky this time.

Sectoral analysis of Gov. Otti’s performance index will, therefore, be of immense help in any attempt to gauge his scorecard accurately.

Infrastructure:

Otti decided to take the bull by the horns when he declared a state of emergency on road infrastructure. Barely one month after assuming office, he flagged off in one day,  the renovation of nine roads in Aba.

About four months afterward, seven of the roads namely: Cemetery Road (phase 1), Emelogu Road, Shallom Road,  MCC/Old Express Road, Umuimo Road, Udeagbala Road, and Jubilee Road have been completed and inaugurated.

Several other roads also flagged off by the Governor in Aba are currently at various stages of completion -Abak Road with adjourning streets, Green Avenue,  Queen’s Street , University Road, Omuma Road, and the all-important Port Harcourt Road which had remained unmotorable for decades.

Even the opposition openly commends Otti for his giant strides in road infrastructure especially his courage to award Port Harcourt Road to a reputable construction firm like Julius Berger.

Former Senate President and the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, threw partisanship to the winds when he declared that Otti had already secured ticket for his second tenure by engaging Julius Berger to fix the road.

The Governor has also mounted pressure on the Federal Government to resume work on the Aba Port Harcourt Expressway which had been abandoned and had virtually collapsed at various points between Aba and Obigbo.

Efforts are ongoing to at least make one lane of the dual carriage highway passable before Christmas.

Besides fixing some strategic roads in Aba, Otti has equally awarded a contract for the expansion of Ossah Road which serves as the major entry point to Umuahia the state capital to a 6-lane road. 

Many are still amazed at the sincerity and faithfulness of his administration in paying compensation to owners of demolished property on the right of way before embarking on the project.

Commendably, work has progressed on the project with drainage on both lanes nearing completion.

Several key roads in Umuahia have also been re-asphalted in continuation of the Governor’s zero tolerance for potholes. 

Interestingly, Otti is using staff of the Ministry of Works under direct labour to carry out the palliative works.

These staff mostly engineers, who had been redundant over the years are happy to be engaged as their experience on road work is being enriched.

Otti’s road revolution is not limited to Aba and Umuahia, as palliative work is also going on simultaneously on some strategic roads in the state including Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, Umuahia-Uzuakoli Road,  among others.

Beyond roads, the administration has installed solar-powered street lights on major streets in Umuahia and Aba, thus restoring night lives to both cities.

This came with positive impacts on the economy of the state.

Health:

Within the period under review, Gov. Otti has renovated and retrofitted Abia Diagnostic Centre Umuahia, and Abia Specialist Hospital Amachara. Both facilities now have some of the state-of-the-art equipment.

Renovation of three General hospitals (one in each of the three senatorial zones) has reached advanced stage.

The Abia health sector was almost crippled under the last administration following incessant strike actions by doctors over months of unpaid wages.

Workers welfare:

Another key sector where Gov. Otti seems to have dwarfed the achievements of his predecessors is his consistency in the payment of workers’ salaries and pensions.

In his inaugural speech, Otti promised to pay salaries on or before the 28th of every month, a promise he has religiously kept so far.

He also directed the verification of workers and pensioners with a threat to yank off from the state’s payroll any worker/pensioner not captured by the end of November.

This, according to him, is aimed at weeding out ghost workers/pensioners which have become a drain pipe over the years.

The Governor has repeatedly restated his resolve to wipe off pension arrears after the verification exercise before the end of 2023,  and he does not seem to have created any room for doubt.

Sanitation:

Refuse dumps and stenches were common in the Abia before May 29, when the Governor declared state of emergency on waste. 

Today, there is a remarkable improvement in this regard even as the state has engaged the services of six private firms for waste evacuation in Aba and Umuahia, and the cities now enjoy better environmental cleanliness.

Security:

Another key sector where Otti’s administration has demonstrated capacity and commitment is the security sector.

With the successful launch of Operation Crush in July, insecurity which hitherto assumed an alarming dimension especially around Uturu/ Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi axis, has significantly subsided.

His recent courage to demolish shanties which served as hideouts for criminals at the Regional Cattle Market Lokpanta, and other bold steps taken to sanitise the cattle market have paid off.

Security has since improved in the region that was before now under siege by bandits abducting hapless folks like fowls.

Although there is room for improvement, there is noticable progress in the security situation across the state, and both the Governor and security agencies deserve some commendations.

Otti’s clampdown on touts and illegal revenue agents also deserves serious commendation as tricycle operators and motorists plying the state have now heaved a sigh of relief.

Although these urchins have not been completely eradicated, there seems to be a semblance of decency in their mode of operation now.

“I can now drive to any part of Abia without molestation unlike before we are forced to buy ticket at every route”, Mr Kingsley, a tricycle operator told our Correspondent.

Otti in a recent media chat said he had not gone for any loan, explaining that judicious management of resources has remained his secret .

“The money they were sharing to stakeholders is what we have saved to do this magic. We won’t be sharing money to individuals but use public funds to work for the people”, Otti declared.

The ex-banker who said he came on board to change the narrative and give meaning to governance, vowed that under his watch, Abia would witness a new dawn.

A number of both local and foreign investors have indicated interest in investing in the state, while the Governor has made some bold steps towards improving ease of doing business in the state.

The Governor has laid the foundation for Abia Industrial Park at Owazza, Ukwa West where a Chinese firm has indicated interest in building a modular refinery.

On the fuse over his decision to operate from his private residence six months after assuming office, Otti said it was meant to save cost for the state.

He explained that he preferred investing in urgent needs of public interest to lavishing billions of Naira on renovating the Governor’s lodge which is currently in bad shape.

Admitted that six months is too early to have an honest assessment of the Governor, his steps so far do not seem to be heading for the wrong direction.

Pundits believe that should he sustain the tempo and refuse to be distracted or deceived by sycophants, he will definitely make a mark on the sands of joy.

Vanguard News