Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has responded to criticisms surrounding the use of the term “Mayors” for the recently sworn-in local government Chairmen and their Deputies in the 17 LGAs of the state. Otti emphasized that the term “Mayor” simply denotes elected or appointed Chairmen for cities or councils, and therefore should not spark controversy.
The Governor’s remarks come in the wake of a recent incident where the Mayor of Umuahia North LGA, Victor Ikeji, faced criticism from a former Commissioner for Information in the State, John Okiyi Kalu, for addressing the public with national and state flags mounted behind him.
During the 3rd edition of “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians” at the Government House, Umuahia, Governor Otti spoke to Journalists, citing the dictionary definition of “Mayor” as an individual elected or appointed to lead a city. He stood by his decision to address the local government appointees as “Mayors.”
Furthermore, Governor Otti affirmed that the LGA Chairmen he appointed would have autonomy in managing the resources available to their local governments, signaling an end to the era of treating local government areas as mere money-sharing centers in Abia.
Otti divulged that several donor agencies that had previously left the state have now returned, with the state initiating payments of counterpart funds and receiving financial support from some of these donor and multilateral organizations. “Donor agencies and multilateral organizations that left the state are coming back. We have started paying counterpart funds and we have also received funding from some of them,” he stated.
Addressing allegations of sacking Permanent Secretaries, Otti clarified that the suspended Permanent Secretaries were only retired, refuting claims of improper dismissals. He maintained that all appointments and contracts made by his administration adhered to due process, lamenting the spread of falsehoods by opposition members in the state.
In response to concerns about the impact of the majority of PDP members in the Abia State House of Assembly on his administration, Otti asserted that his governance enjoys the support of the state legislature, irrespective of party affiliation.
Governor Otti also revealed that his administration was investigating the concession of government-owned farm settlements, rubber plantations, and rice fields to private individuals by previous administrations in the state. Additionally, he assured Abia citizens that the Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Recovery of Government Funds and Properties is actively investigating allegations concerning the allocation of government lands to individuals, with a preliminary report anticipated soon.
Conclusively, Otti pledged to hold contractors accountable for abandoning road projects despite having received funds for their execution. He affirmed that those who collected funds but failed to complete the roads would be called to explain how the allocated resources were utilized.
