Connecting Communities, Spreading Prosperity – Being Governor Otti’s Speech At The Flag Off Of The Reconstruction Of The 11.27 Kilometre Mbala-Umuaku-Ngodo Road

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES, SPREADING PROSPERITY

Being the Text of a Speech by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, at the flag off of the Reconstruction of the 11.27-kilometre Mbala-Umuaku-Ngodo Road on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at Ngodo-Umuada Junction

Protocols,

1. Umunneochi Local Government Area occupies a unique place in the geography and socioeconomic evolution of Abia State in particular and the southeast region in general. This district, beyond its peculiar geographical advantages, has also been blessed with outstanding men and women who have historically contributed to the making of the modern Nigerian society. Home to the source and origin of the magnificent Imo River, this land connects east to west, north to south and rightly points us to the benevolence of the Creator to our people.
2. This land of giants is not a perfect place but it is an important community of people whose quest to improve their environmental reality makes Umunneochi a beautiful place. Through the philanthropic disposition of several good-spirited individuals, thousands of families can now have regular access to potable water supply and in several communities; the barriers to education, especially for those from disadvantaged-backgrounds, have since been removed through scholarships, mentorships and the goodwill of persons who see every child as a potential asset to the community.
3. The good fortunes of Umunneochi, beyond its beautiful topography, the quality of its rich agricultural produce and wonderful cuisines, is in the generous disposition of the average individual found on this land; the Good Samaritan attitude to the poor and vulnerable, the resilience to follow a just cause to its logical conclusion and the willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty to hearken to the cries of our brothers and sisters in places far and near. This is therefore a community of good people and we have gathered this afternoon to celebrate our collective triumph and toast to the promise of a beautiful future.
4. On this note distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me formally welcome you to the flag off of the reconstruction of the 11.27-kilometre Mbala-Umuaku-Ngodo Road. I want to specially appreciate you for your collective enthusiasm and for the carnival-like atmosphere around this ground. You have gathered in large numbers from different clans and villages in Umuchieze, Nneato and Isuochi to share in the joy of this event because you know that this is only the beginning of what is to come.
5. May I cease this opportunity to thank you for your steadfast commitment to our cause and for consistently supporting the vision of a new Abia where no part of the State is abandoned to criminal entities. Today, we have come to celebrate our victory over the elements that once threatened to consume all of us.
6. I want to thank all the individuals that spoke before now for their kind words and for appreciating all that we have done in the last 20 months to restore law and order to Umunneochi; let me specially thank you for your cooperation and support to the security agents since they moved in to face the threats head-on in mid-2023. Without the commitment to reclaiming your communities, our efforts would have been in vain.
7. I am quite glad that the stakeholders in the LGA understood what was at stake at the time. Our success in the restoration of security in this part of the State points to what is possible when we work in unity as leaders to solve the social and economic problems facing our communities. I would be pleased to see the same spirit of oneness in tackling the other development challenges confronting the entire local government. We may belong to different political leanings and groups but the welfare of the good people of Umunneochi must never be sacrificed on the altar of petty partisan politics.
8. Your requests for government attention on other difficult road stretches across several communities in the LGA have been duly noted and within the limits of available resources, we shall continue to appropriate funds to support the transportation of people and goods across the local government. My assurance to our traditional rulers and presidents-general of town unions is that no community in Umunneochi and within the State at large shall be left behind in our accelerated development framework.
9. Currently, we are retrofitting several primary healthcare facilities around the LGA under a special intervention project in the health sector codenamed Project Ekwueme. We have also pencilled down a reasonable number of primary and secondary schools in Umunneochi for remodelling under the AbiaFirst Education Transformation Programme which we just launched in Umuahia before coming here.
10. In view of the significance of this local government area to our agricultural development agenda, taking cognisance of the cashew belt and other export-friendly agro commodities that are massively cultivated around this region, I am glad to inform this august gathering that Umunneochi has been selected as one of the three locations where we will site a multi- billion naira agro-industrial processing facility in this administration. Structured to radically transform the agricultural ecosystem in the State, the facility shall integrate production, aggregation and processing of agro-commodities for local consumption and export. It shall come with dedicated infrastructure including independent energy ecosystem.
11. We shall create robust systems in collaboration with the LGA leadership to actively put the dormant economic resources within and around Umuchieze district to good use; especially the livestock and allied market in Lokpa and the solid mineral deposits within the community. This time, we shall go beyond just primary production and begin to add value to whatever is mined from the ground to increase their economic value and the benefits to the local communities. This is particularly important as we shift our development focus to wealth creation for businesses and families now that the monster of insecurity has been sufficiently tamed. We shall partner with interested investor groups to establish a robust hub of legitimate economic activities within the zone, creating jobs, and varieties of opportunities for our young people.
12. In other communities within the LGA, we shall invest in the development of production-support infrastructure to improve economic outputs and help our people to earn the right reward for the labour. We are committed to creating an environment that promotes the productivity of the general population while giving them the leverage to flourish and become the best in their respective trades and enterprises. The days of being disadvantaged because you are not living in the urban centres are over.
13. Our goal is ambitious but we shall continue to draw strength from the exploits of our ancestors who walked barefooted that we may run with shoes. If our forefathers could travel hundreds of kilometres in order to tap into the promises of quality education, it behoves us to build model schools in our land that our children may learn more for less. If our fathers dared endless odds in pursuit of their dreams, the best way of honouring their memories is to set up structures that draw out the abundant resources buried beneath our feet and leverage same to build a prosperous social system. Do not forget that this is the land that births giants — a place where limiting beliefs are never entertained. My assurance to all of us is that your government will be ready and willing to provide every support that would make your dreams of a greater and more prosperous Umunneochi a reality.
14. As I conclude, let me thank the Honourable Commissioner for Works, Engr. Don Otumchere Oti for all the hard work and determination to getting this 11.27 kilometre stretch of road completed over the next 12 months. May I quickly assure that the State Government will be up to date with payments for completed works in line with our contractual agreement.
15. Let me also invite the stakeholders and interested members of the communities around this corridor to effectively take ownership of this project. Feel free to speak to the supervisory team from the State Ministry of Works and express your concerns when the need arises. The Honourable Commissioner will also not mind receiving your reports regularly. We are encouraged to work with security agents to guarantee the safety of equipment that shall be deployed to site by the contractor. Stealing and vandalism are antithetical to our cultural values so whoever attempts to do that shall be regarded as an enemy of the people.

1. Lastly, do not forget that development is tied to funding. Each time you refuse to pay your fair share of taxes; you sabotage government’s development projects in your community and elsewhere. You are therefore encouraged to be regular in the payment of your taxes and other statutory fees because that is how these development projects are funded. You can take it for granted that every penny paid into the coffers of the State Government shall be properly utilised and accounted for. Rebuilding Umunneochi, and Abia in general is a collective responsibility, let us work together to make it happen.
2. Thank you for listening and may God bless Abia State.

Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR,
26/02/2025