FENRAD lauds Gov. Otti on 100 days in office
Urges him to do more in road infrastructure delivery along Ogbor hill, Aba axis
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, a human and environmental rights advocacy group, has commended the Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti who has sat on the saddle for hundred days, for road projects being massively carried out in Aba and Umuahia. These first hundred days look promising, even though much still needs to be done.
In his first hundred days in office, Governor Otti has taken to the business of governance like a duck to water, as workers’ salaries are being paid on or before the 28th day of the month, although there are still outstanding issues regarding those whose records are still being processed. The government, commendably, has weeded out thousands of ghost workers from its record plugging the decades-long revenue leakage that has drained the government’s lean purse. While this is commendable, roads, especially collector roads, are being constructed and, in some cases, collapsed ones rehabilitated. Roads like Cemetery, Shalom and Emelogu were recently commissioned. This is salutary, even as FENRAD would love critical and arterial roads like Port Harcourt Road, Ohanku Road and the rest to be fixed.
FENRAD equally calls on the state governor to extend his ongoing road maintenance and rehabilitation to Ogbor Hill axis in Aba, where nearly a half of the city’s population resides. Ikot-Ekpene and adjoining George’s Street, both, are deplorable and require urgent attention. This has become even more critical as we approach December during which time our people travel to their homes and villages for Christmas and New Year celebration.
At Owaza, in Ukwa East LGA, the governor recently unveiled his master plan to revive Abia economy through massive infrastructure that unlocks the economic potentials of the state. Sea and inland dry ports are essential in Abia considering the volume of trade Aba alone has with China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. While successive administrations, heretofore, have pledged and failed Abians countless times, there is a seeming hope that it may no longer be business as usual; yet the Foundation wishes to remind the state governor never to rest on his oars as much still needs to be done.
Having stated the above, the Foundation sends its ‘come over to Macedonia’ plea to the governor concerning Ogbor Hill axis, hoping that the governor will do the needful before the festive season.
Lastly, the Foundation wishes to remind the governor that roads in other parts of the state, outside Umuahia and Aba, are critically vital and deserve a facelift too in order to achieve inclusion. As a foundation, FENRAD believes this captures the governor’s priority.
Signed.Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD Nigeria