Otti to Create Additional LGs in Abia in 2025
* Vows to provides potable water in rural communities
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has initiated plans to increase the number of local governments in the state, saying that it has become imperative for “administrative convenience and efficient service delivery”.
He dropped the hint weekend at a civic reception organised by Awomukwu Think Tank Forum in honour of their two illustrious sons — Dr Monday Ubani (SAN) and Chief Davidson Alaribe — at Awomukwu Ikwuano Local Government.
Ubani was among the set of accomplished lawyers who rose to the rank Senior Advocates of Nigeria(SAN), while Alaribe was earlier in the year inaugurated as the 60th (Diamond) President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
Governor Otti, who was responding to the address by the Ikwuano people and the requests therein, said that increasing the number of local governments in Abia “is very critical” hence he has taken it as “a major project”.
Presently, Nigeria’s subnational governments are not constitutionally empowered to create local governments but several states have navigated around the impediment by creating development centre s(DCs).
Abia is composed of 17 local governments and it appears Otti might toe the line of carving out development centres, as he said that he would “see how we can restructure the state” for better service delivery.
He explained that some local governments in the state “are so big” to be split in two or more to drive efficiency in grassroots administration.
“If you know the geographical structure of this state, you will know that Ikwuano is one of those local governments that should not be one,” Otti said, adding that: “We are going to do everything possible to ensure that the right thing is done.”
But he was quick to point out that splitting the local councils would not in any way amount to “an attempt to divide the people”, stressing that the exercise “is just for administrative convenience”.
The governor pledged to fix the Ariam-Usaka road and other important roads in Ikwuano Local Government, reiterating that “once elections are over, governance sets in”.
He stated his readiness to work with all elected political office holders irrespective of political platforms in order to bring development to Abia.
To this end, Otti said that since Senator Austin Akobundu had informed him that the Ariam-Usaka road was captured in the 2025 federal budget, the state government would collaborate with him to ensure the road is fixed.
“I am going to work with him (Akobundu) to ensure that if the money in the (federal) budget is not enough, we will put more money and get it done this year,” he assured Ikwuano people.
Otti also disclosed that he has made it a point of duty in 2025 to provide potable water for Abia communities through the direct labour policy of his administration, which has been effective in road construction and maintenance.
“To that extent, we have acquired a massive industrial drilling rig, which has arrived the state a few days ago and we will deploy them to all parts of the state. It can drill like 200 metres in an hour,” he stated.
The governor assured the people of Ikwuano that they would “benefit a great deal from our 2025 water project” as decision has already been taken to put pipe-borne water in different communities in Abia.
Earlier in his remarks, Akobundu, who chaired the event, in collaboration with the governor for the development of Abia, said that he totally agreed with the governor that political differences should be subsumed in the interest of God’s Own State.
The senator, who represents Abia Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lauded Otti for his inclusive leadership and for reaching out to Abia lawmakers in the National Assembly for collaboration in moving their state forward.
