Governor Alex Otti Explains Delay in Reconstructing Abia Government House, Emphasizes People-Oriented Governance.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has shed light on the reasons behind the delayed reconstruction of the Government House in Umuahia, explaining that it was not a top priority when his administration assumed office.
Naijapunchnews reports that, speaking during an inspection tour of the ongoing renovation works at the Government House, Governor Otti revealed that the state has now commenced the upgrading of key government infrastructure, including the Governor’s Office and Lodge. However, he emphasized that the decision to delay the project was deliberate and based on prioritizing the immediate needs of the people.
“As a government that places the welfare of its citizens at the forefront, we had to choose carefully where to start,” Otti said. “There were more pressing concerns affecting the lives of ordinary people that required urgent attention.”
He explained that upon taking office, his administration applied the economic principle of a “scale of preference” to determine which challenges should be addressed first.
“We didn’t consider renovating the Government House more important than paying workers’ salaries, revitalizing primary healthcare, or fixing our broken educational system,” he stated.
Otti further highlighted that the state focused first on rehabilitating essential public infrastructure, implementing free basic education, and improving health and transportation systems before turning attention to administrative buildings.
“Children who couldn't afford education now have access, and schools that were neglected are receiving attention. We had to take care of roads that were nearly impassable and fix government offices in terrible condition,” the governor added.
With significant progress made in addressing those core issues, Otti said the time had come to also give attention to the seat of government. He confirmed that work is underway on several structures, including the reconstruction of the Michael Okpara Auditorium, which he expects to be completed before the end of June.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to people-centered development and transparent governance, stating that the government house upgrade will not come at the expense of vital services.
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