Otti receives praise in Abia after 100 days in government, and the PDP cheers

During his first 100 days in office, Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, made a few small strides in a variety of fields.

The former managing director of the now-defunct Diamond Bank PLC, who took office on May 29, promptly proclaimed emergencies about trash disposal, poor roads, and state insecurity.

Nine roads in Aba are being built, five of which have already been finished and are prepared for commissioning. The governor signalled the start of their construction.

Asopadec, the Abia State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission, developed the Umuimo, Emelogu, Jubilee, Cemetery, Shalom, and Obehie roads in the Ukwa West Local Government Area.

Agbama Housing Estate in Umuahia, the state capital, is also undergoing road restoration.

160 structures will be torn down between Ossah Junction and Okpara Square in order to make room for a 6-lane road as part of the governor’s initiative to modernise the state capital. The specifics of how property owners would be compensated are already being worked out.

Under Otti’s direction, the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, has acquired and placed over 100 waste buckets at key locations in Umuahia and Aba for the convenience of collection and removal of trash.

Three hospitals in the state have been renovated by the Otti administration in the healthcare sector. Doctors of medicine have also been hired and assigned to the hospitals.

In Umuahia, Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Ugwunagbo General Hospital, and Obehie General Hospital are among the hospitals.

In order to combat criminal activity in the state, the governor also established a joint security force known as Operation Crush.

20 Toyota Hilux vans have also been given to various security organisations in the state by Otti’s administration, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and NSCDC, among others.

In order to improve Umuahia and Aba’s appearance and aid security forces in the fight against crime at night, the Otti-led Labour Party administration is also putting in solar-powered lamps on some of the city’s main thoroughfares.

Additionally, Otti has adhered to his campaign pledge by paying Abia State civil officials’ salaries on or before the 28th day of each month.

In addition to these, he has resolved the unpaid wage arrears from April and May left by the previous Okezie Ikpeazu administration.

However, many employees who were not successfully identified during the continuing verification effort have not yet received their pay.

According to the Accountant General, Mrs. Njum Onyemenam, the verification effort undertaken by Otti’s administration resulted in the finding of 2,300 ghost workers, resulting in a savings of N220 million from the state’s salary bill.

The governor also established a Probe Panel under the direction of Justice Florence Duruoha-Igwe (Rtd) to recover all public funds and assets allegedly mismanaged or stolen by members of the Okezie Ikpeazu administration.

Otti and the cabinet he heads have faced constant criticism from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) throughout their first 100 days in office.

The PDP claims that the governor has accomplished nothing deserving of praise despite criticising nearly all of his actions.

The Abia State PDP chapter claimed Otti’s management of the state’s affairs is dictatorial through its vice chairman, Abraham Amah.

The majority of the governor’s activities, according to the PDP, are intended to “witch-hunt” previous governor Okezie Ikpeazu and members of his administration rather than promote the state.

Among Otti’s actions criticised by the opposition party are the creation of a panel to look into Ikpeazu’s eight years in office as governor, the suspension of permanent secretaries, and the dismissal of civil servants hired by the previous administration between December 2022 and April 2023.

The Otti, according to the PDP, has been claiming credit for various projects completed by the previous administration, notably the renovation and redesign of the A-Line part of Ariaria International Market in Aba, without acknowledging Ikpeazu.