Ezekwesili Advocates Sound Policies, Tech-driven Governance for Abia 

* Otti inaugurates state orientation agency

A former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has advised Governor Alex Otti to deploy technology and sound policies in order to achieve his vision for Abia State.

She gave the counsel Tuesday at the anniversary lecture she delivered to mark the 2023 Abia Day celebration themed, ‘Abia: Hitting the reset button’, and the inauguration of Abia State Orientation Agency (ABSOA).

Ezekwesili, who is a well known advocate of good governance, stated that: “Technology is what would transform Abia” beyond expectations and make the state a haven for local and foreign investments.

According to her, using technology to promote all government businesses “is critical” to good governance hence Otti should not shy away from running a technology-driven government.

While urging the Abia governor to formulate sound policies, the former minister was quick to point out that sound policies must be complemented with conducive environment and infrastructural facilities to promote economic growth.

She noted that “a lot is expected from Abia” given its huge potentials in human capital and natural resources waiting to be maximised by a visionary leader.

However, Ezekwesili regretted that Abia has a problem of “leadership ambition gap” despite the fact that it once produced a great leader, late Michael Okpara, who is credited with “visionary transformation” of the former eastern region.

The guest lecturer assured Abians that “the possibility of achieving and even surpassing what Okpara had done in the past” is there depending on how the new leadership pilots the state affairs.

She stated that the governance approach of Governor Otti would  determine if he would unleash Abia’s great potentials and anchor the state on the path of sustainable development.

Ezekwesili underscored the need for Otti to completely do away with all the impediments of the past that stagnated Abia’s growth and underutilised its richly talented population.

She said that public financial management system must be put in place, noting that it was poor management of resources and corrupt enrichment by leaders that has always been the bane of Abia, Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

In his remarks, the former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, advised Abia government to heed the advice of Ezekwesili in order to make the state great.

Meanwhile, Governor Otti formally launched the State Orientation Agency, saying that even the most visionary leader will be helpless if the people are not in tune with his vision and mission.

In his speech entitled ‘To a new path’, Otti said that the inauguration of the new ABSOA “is a way of hitting the reset button” to get Abia moving on the right track.

He said that a lot has gone wrong in the way things are done in public and private lives of Abia people hence, the need for reorientation in the governance and socio-economic aspects of Abia life to usher in a new Abia.

“In a new Abia, it will be anathema for any traditional ruler to confer chieftaincy title on any person with questionable character,” he said.

Otti vowed that with his transformational governance, Abia would, at the end of the day, remain a reference point for good governance, active and responsible citizenry.