OPINION: Dr. Alex Otti – The Morning Determines The Day! – Dr. M.O.Ubani
Once again let me use this golden opportunity to congratulate His Excellency, Dr Alex Otti, Abia State Governor-Elect, for his victory in the last governorship election in our dear state. I want to also congratulate the good people of Abia State for their determination which ensured the peaceful change of leadership in the state.
I decided to make this piece a public opinion because it is not only focused on giving some advice to the incoming government but to react to some of the negative posturings from the outgoing government over the proactive steps of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti.
I am minded to address these narratives in the public domain emanating from some of those within the outgoing administration in Abia State who think that Dr Alex Otti is in competition with the outgoing governor because he is forward looking. I think it is important that I do it in order to add my voice to other voices of reason, specifically to “seating ducks” who have been at the corridors of power in Abia State for years with no visible evidence of performance.
These group of people have been out there attacking Dr. Alex Otti for inviting Julius Berger for on-the-hand assessment of collapsed infrastructures around the city of Aba.
I was shocked to hear their unimaginative narratives with regard to this visit, especially those who tried to counter his engagement with executives of companies that will be important partners to Abia’s development by saying there are no two governors in Abia State. They were so ridiculous that one wonders if they are just waking up after eight years to realize that they have been in power all these years.
These people had entire eight years to prove that they are in power but chose to loiter around the seat of power thinking that they will remain in power forever. Alas, God spoke against their arrogance expressly and God has the final say.
It is obvious that they are afraid that Dr Alex Otti is going to achieve what they failed to achieve all their years in government. And as we do say, “fortune smiles on those who appropriate time maximally”
I want to commend Dr Alex Otti for demonstrating that he is ready to hit the ground running by hosting leaders of conglomerates and company executives preparatory to hand over date. He has started on the right footing. This sense of urgency is required because Abia State is years behind her manifest destiny and potentials in all ramifications and requires the kind of zeal Dr Alex Otti has exhibited. Those who have criticized his actions are simply ignorant of what is at stake.
I hope these were not the same people that led the outgoing governor to his abysmal performance and uninspiring leadership.
Going forward we need people with superior intelligence, discipline, and ingenuity to substitute for lack of resources as it is now clear that the outgoing administration and others before him have put Abia State in a financial difficulty requiring Abians to think out of the box. It is not all about money but the requisite zeal and conglomerate agenda for transformative governance.
I will advise Dr Alex Otti to do on-the-hand assessment of all federal roads in Abia State to determine what needs to be done urgently to make them motorable so as to improve the productivity of our people. Roads like Umuahia/Ikot Ekpene, Aba/ Ikot/Ekpene, Aba/Enugu/Port-Harcourt, Umuahia/Ohafia, Umuahia/Bende/Arochukwu, Isikwuato/Uturu/Okigwe and other federal roads within the state that are essential for trade and productive engagement must also be considered for completion and maintenance. Abia State Government under our able governor should approach Federal Emergency Maintenance Agency (FEMA) and possibly make special financial provisions and supervise them to intervene on federal roads so that there could be quick result.
FERMA as an agency of the Federal Government requires some kind of push and support to get them to do anything tangible because they are either not well funded or they do not prioritize some important roads due to corruption in the system.
After these Federal roads, all the internal roads in Umuahia, Aba, Ohafia, Ikwuano, Ngwa lands, Ukwa West/East and all the local governments in Abia must be addressed “as at yesterday”.
I trust that Dr. Alex Otti will be able to do these things. This is why we are grateful to God for giving us a rare breed like him. This has been our prayers over the years that God will liberate Abia through someone that has understanding of the times.
His recent meetings with leaders of MTN, Julius Berger and UBA rekindled my hope and belief that we are charting the right course towards total recovery of Abia as a state.
His agenda for this first four years need not be many but few and very impactful to the entire Abians.
- He will endeavor to pay arrears of salaries and pensions of workers. He will begin to ensure constant payment of salaries and pensions from now onwards by God’s grace.
- Total recovery of Aba infrastructures and energy (power) shall be one of his main priorities.
- He must intervene on Aba- Port Harcourt Road specifically.
No investor in Aba will take Abia government serious if nothing is done on that Aba/Port Harcourt Road.
- Reconstruction of State Capital – Umuahia. Dualisation and lightening of all the entrances to Umuahia with flowers, trees and walkways should be addressed as soon as it is practicable.
- He must conduct local government election and ensure that men and women at the local government level who will key into his vision of rapid rural development in the entire Abia are elected and given requisite autonomy to operate.
- He must ensure that the two heads of the other arms of government are in harmonious relationship with the executive branch to enable smooth running of government for the benefit of the people of Abia. Dr. Alex Otti has the temperament to actualize this ambition with requisite checks and balances in place.
- He must create more local government Administrative Areas in Abia, to improve governance structure at the grass root level. There are some local government areas that require further division to ensure comprehensive grass root development.
- Every revenue generating agencies like Lands, Finance, Tax, Transport, Motor parks etc must be digitalized with little human interference to ensure maximum return on Revenue needed to fulfil all the aforementioned developmental frameworks and other electoral promises.
- Finally, he must observe rule of law, respect to citizens fundamental human rights, run humane governance, quick and proactive response to emergencies, treating inevitable needs and problems of the people with utmost dispatch.
- Alex Otti is advised to prioritize these things to TOUCH AND REBUILD THE CONFIDENCE OF ABIANS TOWARDS GENUINE LEADERSHIP IN ABIA WHICH HIS ELECTION REPRESENTS.
It is not going to be easy no doubt, but with GOD and the right personnel around him, success will be guaranteed. Dr. Alex Otti’s capacity, competence, wisdom, knowledge, temperament and vast network of business friends and partners qualify him to be the present miraculous Governor Abia needs at this present hour.
He will push his governance to such a standard that will make Abia to become the standard-bearer of governance under the new dispensation. It is settled!
Dr. Alex Otti, is kindly requested with great respect, to arise and shine, for the light of God is come upon him!
Dr. Monday O. Ubani is a lawyer and an Abian.
