Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has explained that the secret of executing many projects simultaneously in the state is financial engineering and strategic planning, which has enabled him to finance projects without borrowing.
Otti said his pace of transforming all sectors of the State’s economy and tackle the infrastructure decadence he met was misunderstood by the opposition who accused him of trying to take over government before the official hand over, when he brought Julius Berger to Port Harcourt Road Aba.
Governor Otti stressed during the March edition of his media chat, that his administration is operating with a sense of urgency.
“Yes we don’t have time. We are in a hurry so we have to do so many things at the same time,” he said.
Governor Otti who used the opportunity to address concerns about his continued operation from his private residence at Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South LGA, rather than the official residence of the governor in Government House Umuahia, said the priority should be delivering results to Abia residents and not where he operates from.
The Governor explained that he did not move into the governor’s lodge because of the state of decadence, disrepair and looting he found while inspecting the place on assumption which needed to be addressed.
He added that his decision to delay moving into the Government House was to save cost and direct resources to more important areas while assuring that the lodge would be made suitable for habitation even for future governors in no distant time.
According to him, his administration’s track record and credibility have enabled it to secure major infrastructural projects without upfront payments.
The Governor who used the opportunity to point out his strides in various sectors of the state economy assured that the ongoing reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba would be completed and ready for commissioning before May 29.
On whether the cars he recently donated to members of the House if Assembly did not contradict the principle of autonomy of the arms of government, the Governor explained that autonomy does not mean independence, but added that the executive arm of government can overlap in its functions in the overall interest of the State.
While he directed the verification of staff of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba, who were laid off for payment, he wondered why permanent secretaries that were laid off have not been paid contrary to his directive and directed the Head of Service to investigate the matter.
He announced that in addition to numerous ongoing road projects, the Owaza road in Ukwa West LGA would be flagged off soon even as the expansion of Library Avenue in Umuahia would be completed before the end of the month.
