The recently sworn-in local government Chairmen and their Deputies in the state’s 17 LGAs are referred to as “Mayors” by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, who clarifies that the term “Mayor” refers to an elected or appointed chairperson for cities or councils.
The clarification is related to a recent event in which former State Commissioner for Information John Okiyi Kalu criticised Umuahia North LGA Mayor Victor Ikeji for addressing the public while carrying state and national flags in his back.
The definition of a mayor in the dictionary is someone who is elected or appointed to lead a city, according to Governor Otti, who addressed journalists on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia during the third edition of “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians.” The governor insisted that he did not err in referring to the appointees as mayors.
Reiterating that the LGA Chairmen he nominated would have unrestricted control over the resources available to their local governments, he declared that the days of Abia’s local government areas serving as hubs for money-sharing were passed.
Otti, who revealed that numerous donor agencies that had previously left the state have now returned, pointed out that the state has begun to pay counterpart monies and receive funding from some donor and multilateral organisations.
“Multilateral organisations and donor agencies that departed the state are returning. He stated, “We have received funding from some of them and have begun paying counterpart funds.”
Otti clarified that the Permanent Secretaries that were suspended were just retiring, refuting the accusation made by his opponents that he had fired any Permanent Secretaries.
The governor of Abia, who insisted that his administration followed due process in all appointments and contract awards, bemoaned the misinformation being circulated by the state’s opposition about his breach of etiquette.
Additionally, he made it clear that the PDP’s majority in the Abia State House of Assembly had no bearing on how his administration conducted itself because, in his words, all state legislators support his administration, regardless of party affiliation.
The governor of Abia noted that some government-owned rice fields, agricultural villages, and rubber plantations had been granted to private parties by earlier state administrations, but he added that his administration was investigating the issue.
He also gave the people of Abia the reassurance that the Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Recovery of Government Funds and Properties is now looking into claims related to the distribution of some government land to private parties, and that the Panel is anticipated to release a preliminary report shortly.
Otti took the opportunity to restate that contractors who had previously received funding to build roads in the State but had since abandoned them would be required to provide answers regarding their use of the money.
