Abia State Governor, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Wednesday said that children are the greatest assets and future of the State, pledging to continue to invest in them.
The Governor while delivering his speech, titled: “A Responsibility To Dream,” at the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, said that children remain the most valuable resource of society and the driving force behind his administration’s policies and programmes.
He said his administration has remained intentional about creating opportunities and building systems that would enable children to realise their full potential, adding that every initiative of his government, over the past three years, had been designed with the future generations in mind.
Otti added that the state had consistently allocated 20% of its annual budget to education as well as assumed full responsibility for basic public school education with the recruitment of over 5,000 teachers to improve the quality of learning across schools.
“In Abia, education is our biggest industry and vehicle to a prosperous future. No price, and I repeat, no price, is too steep to pay because the children we have here are our greatest assets.
“Everything we have done in the last three years, every investment, every initiative is connected to the beautiful future we envision for our children and grandchildren.
“We are investing generously in education because of the significant role it will play in shaping the future you shall inherit.”
He also highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects across the state, including road networks that cut across the three senatorial zones of the state and described them as part of a strategy to build a more prosperous environment for children to thrive.
The governor, however, urged children to remain disciplined, hardworking and focused, while encouraging teachers and parents to continue to play active roles in shaping responsible citizens.
He also called for greater inclusion of children with disabilities in public celebrations and educational activities, insisting that they must not be marginalised in any aspect of society.
Governor Otti commended his wife, Priscilla, and her team for organising the celebration, which featured performances, exhibitions, presentations and a march past by pupils and students across the state.
