Alex Otti of Abia on Friday inaugurated three roads in Aba and promises to transform the city into a modern economic ecosystem.
Speaking during the inauguration of Cemetery Market Road Phase 1 in Aba, Otti said that under his watch, Aba would be rebuilt with the implementation of social investment programmes that would boost economic activities.
The governor said that the government was poised to rebuild Abia and would not tolerate any activity that would impede its development agenda. He said: ” Our vision for Aba is very clear as we are making the best decisions and investing money where we will have multiplier effect on the economic and social life of residents.
Otti said: “We want to open the city up for private investors across the world to move in and take advantage of the enormous human and material resources that this town has been blessed.
“We are investing heavily in roads because it has been proven that roads are economic enablers. This is exactly what we are doing with the three roads being inaugurated today.”
He said that the state government was desirous of building the best roads, modern markets, hospital facilities, hotels, and conference centres in Aba to make the city an investors’ haven. Otti urged the residents of Aba to remain law abiding, adding that the government would not relent in strengthening the security architecture of the state.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Works, Mr Don Otumchere, said that the state government had a wholistic plan to ensure that the city had an effective road network that would facilitate economic growth. Otumchere urged the residents to reciprocate government’s good gesture by taking responsibility of keeping the roads clean and desist from disposing waste in the drainages.
He also said that plans were underway to promulgate a law that would make it an offence for one to either drop refuse in the drainages, repair automobiles or display one’s merchandise on the roads.
In a remark, the President, Aba Chamber of Çommerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), Chief Jerry Kalu, commended the state government for its efforts in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.
Kalu said that the newly reconstructed roads would contribute immensely to the socioeconomic development of the city and the state at large. Also, Mr Uche Okafor, an Aba resident, thanked the state government for its efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the residents of the city.
Okafor said that the newly reconstructed roads had further strengthened the confidence of the residents of Aba in the present administration. Other newly inaugurated roads include Shalom and Emelogu Roads.
