Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has commissioned the newly constructed Aba North Administrative Office Complex and the asphalted Local Government Road executed by the Mayor Ide John Udeagbala.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Council Secretariat, Governor Otti who highlighted the contrast between the previous state of the building and its current transformed state, appreciated the Mayor for the successful completion of the administrative block and other development projects in record time.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the Mayor and his team for doing this wonderful work in less than one year. You have represented the government very well“, the Governor said.
The Governor noted that his administration was deliberate and intentional in choosing Mayors of the 17 LGAs of the state, expressed happiness that non of them have disappointed the confidence reposed in them.
He reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive goveramce noting that Abia State welcomes all, irrespective of their state of origin.
The Governor added that his administration’s experience with the Mayors has been overwhelmingly positive over the past 12 months and announced that the state government would continue to engage Mayors who have performed well.
“This is an experiment that worked and I knew it would work because there is a saying the you cannot give what you don’t have.
“If you have been successful in something, it follows that you’ll be successful in other things. I think our state is too serious to give people who are learning leadership positions.
“That is why we choose people who have delivered, who have a name to protect and I’m happy that it has turned out this way.
“We don’t discriminate in Abia. Anytime you shut you doors to non indigenes, what you have done is that you have shut your doors to development so for us, whether you are from Anambra, Imo, Akwa Ibom anywhere, once you live in Abia, we treat you as an Abia”, Otti reaffirmed.
The Governor who used the occasion to express his intention to restore Aba to its former glory as a hub of and industry, stated that he has directed his team to commence rehabilitation of connecting roads, as “major roads” in the commercial nerve center “have already been completed”.
“All those streets off Port Harcourt road, all the Streets off Azikiwe road, they will soon receive our touch.
“By next month, we will give a facelift to Aba Owerri road and all the way into Umungasi and beautiful it.
“The whole idea is that when you’re coming into Aba, you’ll know you’re coming into Aba“, stated.
The Governor who observed the deteriorating state of the Osisioma flyover, commissioned in 202 by the immediate past administration, said he has instructed the commissioner for works to move in with his team for immediate repairs.
“We don’t want the bridge to collapse. We do not know why two years after Commissioning the bridge would be caving in but we’ll find out and we’ll repair it.
“We strongly believe that government is a continuum and if there is anything that was not done properly, , we will go there and fix it”.
He thanked the people of Abia for their steadfast support and urged them to actively participation in the upcoming local government election and vote for candidates of their choice, irrespective of party affiliations.
In their speeches, the member representing Aba North State Constituency, Hon. Aaron Uzodike and the President General Anambra Development Union in Aba, Chief Emmanuel Nwaka commended Governor Otti for the infrastructure revolution in Abia and for finding Ide John Udeagbala worthy for the position of Mayor of Aba North LGA.
Earlier in his address, the Mayor of Aba North highlighted the challenges previously faced by the Council headquarters, particularly the lack of adequate office accommodation, which had impacted negatively on the productivity of the staff.
Udeagbala disclosed that some of the projects carried out include construction of administrative block, asphalting of the council roads, repair of Abia state pedestrian bridge, renovation of maternity and provision of solar energy, cold room for storage of vaccine among others, pointed out hat he carried out the projects to replicate the works done in the State by Governor Otti.
He acknowledged that the accomplishments would not have been possible without the Governor’s unwavering support and readiness to assist whenever called upon.
