Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Friday said his administration is only at it’s initial stage in the drive to reposition Umuahia as the State Capital through sustained infrastructure development and economic expansion.
Governor Otti stated this at the Umuahia Township Stadium, during a Grand Civic Reception organised in his honour by the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia, comprising Umuahia North, Umuahia South and Ikwuano Local Government Areas.
The Governor highlighted planned development projects, including the construction of a five-star hotel and reiterated his commitment to completing key projects, including the Umuahia Stadium and the Amachara Specialist Hospital, assuring that his administration only initiates projects it is certain to complete.
He assured AbIa residents that ongoing reforms by his administration would permanently reposition the the state capital for sustainable growth adding that the state would not return to the past but continue on a path of transformation.
“The transformation of Umuahia a is at infant stages, it is just starting, we have clearly set out in our mind on what we want Umuahia to look like.
“We are not comparing ourselves with anybody. So when you say you want this place(Umuahia ) to look like Dubai, no, we don’t want to look like Dubai. We want it to look like Umuahia.
“There are still a whole lot of things to do. By the time we are done, I want to assure you that it will never be the same again.
“And you know, at a time when you hit the reset button and you institutionalize good governance and bring dignity back to the people, you don’t even need to talk. It is the people that will tell you that they will never go back to Egypt”, Governor Otti said.
The Governor, disclosed that his administration was finalising arrangements for the construction of a 200 to 250-room five-star hotel in the capital city, noting that the project would enhance tourism and business activities.
He further revealed that the site for the hotel project had already been identified and that a partner agreement would be signed shortly, with a formal groundbreaking expected in the coming weeks.
“I got the draft agreement which I shall sign this weekend to bring in a partner and sign an agreement with a five-star hotel, just like we are doing in Aba, with the Radisson Blu, We are going to do a 200 to 250 room five-star hotel in Umuahia.
“The site has already been identified behind me here. So at the appropriate time in a few weeks when we will do the groundbreaking, we will announce the name of the partner. It’s a name that you know and a name you’ll be very proud of”, he said.
Governor Otti reaffirmed commitment to institutionalising good governance and sustainable development adding that leadership must be rooted in stewardship and service to the people.
He described governance as a sacred responsibility, and pointed out that his administration remains guided by divine direction and public trust.
“We also want to thank God for giving us the privilege, because it’s a privilege to serve our people. I personally see leadership as service, leadership as stewardship.
“Anytime you take away stewardship from leadership, it becomes self-serving. So sometimes you hear politicians tell you that politics is a game of interest. The truth is that the interest they mean is self-interest.
“If it were not self-interest, then politics would be about stewardship. And for us, this is about stewardship”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of members of the Abia State House of Assembly from Ikwuano/Umuahia extraction, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Augustine Okezie, expressed appreciation for the Governor’s developmental strides across the federal constituency, noting that Governor Otti has demonstrated that there is hope in governance.
Also the Mayor of Umuahia South Local Government Area, Mr Chinedum Enwereuzo, who spoke on behalf of his counterparts in Ikwuano and Umuahia North LGAs, said the constituency had never experienced such unprecedented development.
He assured the Governor of the continued support of the people, adding that they were eagerly awaiting the next general election to “repay his good works.”
In their goodwill messages, stakeholders including Chief Uzodinma Okpara, Mr Monday Ubani, Ambassador Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, and the Federal Commissioner representing Abia at the Federal Character Commission, Chief Victor Ikeji, praised the administration’s performance.
They noted that the Governor had introduced social security support for the elderly and significantly improved healthcare delivery through the retrofitting and equipping of health facilities across the state, a move they said has contributed to improved life expectancy.
The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, while welcoming a former federal legislator, Chief Oluchi Ibeji, alongside his supporters and hundreds of defectors into the party, assured them of equal opportunity and fair treatment within the Labour Party.
In his remarks, the former federal house member representing Ikwuano Umuahia federal constituency, Chief Oluchi Ibeji said Governor Otti’s purposeful leadership has restored hope to the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia, pledging to mobilise his supporters towards ensuring continued political support for the Governor in the forthcoming general elections.
The event, which was chaired by the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, Most Rev. Dr Chibuzor Opoko, attracted stakeholders and thousands of participants drawn from across the three local government areas and across party lines.
