No Limits In The Pursuit Of Excellence: Being Gov Otti's Speech At The Swearing In Of SAs And Mgt Of Boards

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No Limits in the Pursuit of Excellence

Being the Text of a Speech Delivered by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, at the Swearing-in of the Special Advisers on Health and Energy, and the inauguration of the Management of Agencies and Boards on Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Protocols,

Let me joyfully welcome everyone who has come to witness the formal swearing-in of two very accomplished Nigerians as special advisers, and another set of distinguished professionals and leaders to the management of boards and parastatals.
I want to specially thank Dr Ngozi Azodoh and Engr Kachy Etolue for accepting to serve the State as Special Advisers on Health and Energy respectively. We are bringing you on-board because of the strong conviction that you will not just be great additions to our team but would actually push the boundaries of governance in the very direction we seek.
May I also congratulate other appointees who were carefully selected to preside over agencies and parastatals particularly those of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) who had just been confirmed by the State House of Assembly.
Expectedly, reports of your joining our team of very dedicated professionals and goal-getters have elicited great excitement from informed commentators who, like us, are very convinced that the State will be better for your services.
Our commitment to excellence in service delivery remains sacrosanct for the simple reason that Abians of today, and those coming after us, deserve no less. While we continue to work diligently to make our collective today better than what we had yesterday, we are most conscious of the future we are creating for our children and grandchildren.
The coming on board of the new management team of ASUBEB is expected to answer in part, questions around the future we wish to create for those who shall replace us in the fullness of time.
The new ASUBEB management team has been carefully selected to drive our holistic development programme in the basic education sector, working hand in glove with various local, national and international partners to create a certain competitive edge for Abia children in terms of quality of knowledge and a robust understanding of the dynamics of the world they will live in as adults.
The chairperson and other board members need no introduction in relevant circles and that’s already a huge asset for us. We shall now look forward to seeing how you bring your wealth of experience, goodwill and reach to effect the radical transformation of the basic education ecosystem in the State — focusing extensively on the quality of teaching, performance of pupils, and very importantly, the robustness of the reforms you initiate and successfully execute.
You are therefore encouraged to work closely with our development partners to make sure that our children in the rural and urban centres are taught in an environment that supports quality teaching and learning; that teachers are well equipped and motivated to teach; and that pupils go home at the end of each school day satisfied that their time had been invested wisely.
Another area of interest for us is the challenge of out-of-school children. This Board must work hard to see that every child of school age is in school when they should be in school and not on the streets hawking or doing any other thing. We must work with parents, traditional, and religious leaders to give every Abia child the opportunity of being properly educated, especially at the basic level.
Indiscipline, extortion and other practices that are inimical to teaching and learning should have no place in our schools and whoever is found to be indulging in any of these must be seen as working in opposition to our philosophy and must be shown the way out. You have to ensure that teachers, education officials at the local levels, and everyone else connected with our basic education system behaves ethically because we cannot afford to have bad role models in the system.
To the new special advisers and other appointees, you are encouraged to integrate yourselves into our specific and general programmes designed to improve the lot of our hardworking men and women, to support, and give them the leverage to build their tomorrow today, using the bricks of yesterday’s experiences.
Our people, as I said earlier, deserve the best and this conviction has remained at the heart of our public endeavours. We are about the most hardworking group in the world, a people who never give up, irrespective of what life throws at us — who believe that no matter the odds stacked against us, victory would ultimately come, that hope would triumph over despair – that tomorrow will be better.
To the Special advisers, you were selected on merit. We believe you would bring your experiences to bear to make our state the star in your areas of specialization. Your assignment is clearly linked to the entire spectrum of our economic and social development agenda. The expectation is that you would work effectively with other key players within the State and beyond to help create a roadmap for sustainable and reliable energy for every home and business in the State as the case may be. The same applies to the heads of agencies and parastatals being inaugurated today.
My message to you all is not different from what I had told your colleagues a few months ago at a similar ceremony: this government shall have zero tolerance for idle excuses and poor judgement. All we want is result and you must be prepared to do everything within your powers to deliver.
In the same vein, our government has zero tolerance for corrupt practices. We are confident that you would not be found wanting in this most important aspect.
It will not be entirely easy but I have great faith in what you can do. If you need any support from my office, please do not hesitate to call because we are one united team, dedicated to the ideals of excellence in relentless service to our people.
Congratulations to you all once again.
Thank you for listening and may God bless you.