URBANISATION AND THE VISION OF TOMORROW

Being the Text of a Speech Delivered by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, during the joint flag off of the Construction of the 4.32 kilometre Orpet-Umuafai-Lodu-Ahiaeke Road and the 3.79 kilometre Ahiaeke-Okwuta-Bende Road on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at Craneburg Site Office along Lodu-Ahiaeke Road

Protocols

1. Shortly after taking the oath of office on May 29, 2023, we announced a commitment to effectively transform our dear State capital, Umuahia, to a “model city with world-class infrastructure.” At another event, a few months after, precisely on January 24, 2024, we publicly faulted the widely held impression that Umuahia has always been a civil service town. We went down memory lane to remind the audience that this city has a long history of supporting the lofty dreams and aspirations of thousands of individuals from different parts of the world since the colonial era. We pointed out that the decision to set up investments worth tens of millions of British Pounds Sterling including the Golden Guinea Breweries and the Modern Ceramics Industrial Complex in the middle of the 20th century by the then Premier of the Eastern Region, Sir M. I. Okpara, speaks to the immense potential of this city as a land that not only supports big dreams, but one that challenges us to question our assumptions, however popular they may be.
2. It may not be our fault that the lofty visions of our heroes past were abandoned by the circumstances of the time and the leadership deficits of those who came immediately after, but the onus is now on us to take responsibility for what comes next. A sincere awareness of our debt to those coming after us is the reason we pledged from the get-go to turn around the fortunes of Umuahia by expanding its urban corridors through unprecedented investments in the city’s social and economic infrastructures.
3. Over the last 22 months, we have taken bold initiatives to transform the State Capital and expand its appeal as an urban destination. The reconstruction and expansion of the Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard from a narrow stretch of road to an inviting 6-lane highway with world-class multi-level flood control channels, and the ongoing infrastructure development projects around Library Avenue through Akanu Ibiam Road offer eloquent testimony of our commitment to the rapid transformation of this city from its semi-urban status a few years ago into a 21st-century metropolitan marvel.
4. It is remarkable that for the first time in decades, the roads within the city centre and the suburbs are without potholes, the streets are cleaner than they have ever been, and our efforts at enforcing order and civility in the social space are beginning to yield the desired fruits. Touts are being forced off the streets, and the old menace of harassment by their ilk has been reduced to the barest minimum. Across the city, a new sense of optimism is emerging and many, especially the young ones, are beginning to believe that they can build their future in this land and compete favourably with their peers in different parts of the world. The tech ecosystem is rising, and data available to me indicates that our young people in the space are rated highly by global ICT recruiters. With the recent launch of the Umuahia Dedicated Internet Access/Wide Area Network Project, we expect to see an even greater boom in the sector.
5. While we respectfully acknowledge the applause from the public, particularly from many respected opinion leaders, I can assure you that we are only just beginning. Our long-term objective is to make Umuahia a city that holistically supports the dreams of its residents in all spheres of human aspiration and needs — from housing to hospitality, education and recreation, health and transportation.
6. In pursuit of the above, we have gathered this afternoon to flag off the reconstruction of two major roads with great significance to the residents and businesses in our Capital. The 4.32-kilometre Orpet-Umuafai-Lodu-Ahiaeke Road and the 3.79-kilometre Ahiaeke-Okwuta-Bende Road represent more than just travel routes for motorists and commuters; the successful completion of these roads will effectively ease the daily hassles of thousands of people who ply them as they go about their regular economic and social activities.
7. As the Honourable Commissioner for Works, Engr. Don Otumchere Oti rightly pointed out, the roads, when completed, will offer a wide array of benefits to different stakeholder groups, including transporters and commuters, farmers, property owners and developers, students, artisans and traders who function along these corridors. You will therefore agree with me that we are not just building roads; we are expanding the Umuahia business ecosystem, supporting entrepreneurs and their families as well as lessening the economic burdens of fixed-income earners.
8. Beyond supporting and reviving what already exists, the two roads we have come to flag off their construction today will lead to the creation of new employment and income-generating opportunities for thousands of men and women with business interests in agriculture, real estate and hospitality, financial retail services, ICT, and so much more. The projects, in addition to improving the stock of social infrastructure in the city, will also support the livelihoods of individuals and families, and ultimately add to the appeal of the destinations around these corridors for those wishing to set up businesses or have a new experience in another part of the town. We have particularly taken note of the rapid population growth in the city, so as a forward-thinking government, the layouts of the new urban corridors will seamlessly absorb the increasing pressures on housing and vehicular traffic.
9. The State’s urban mass transit initiative which shall be launched within the next few months will not only change the way we move people and goods in cities like Umuahia and Aba, it will also streamline transport services, cut costs for commuters and improve the safety of passengers at any time of the day or night. Underwritten by public sector funding, the urban mass transit scheme shall be driven by experienced private sector players to guarantee operational efficiency and effectively insulate it from bureaucratic bottlenecks. The target is to seamlessly move tens of thousands of people from one part of the town to another or across different locations within the State at minimal costs.
10. The mass transit vehicles, powered by clean energy sources, shall be integrated into the Urban Renewal and Public Transport Project, which we flagged off on May 29 last year as part of activities to mark the first anniversary of the administration. The modern bus terminals and shelters, currently under construction, and the superior quality road networks in the cities shall form the infrastructure backbones for the new intra- and inter-city transport regime in Abia.
11. It has been said before now, but it bears repeating that what we have come to do is to raise the governance bar so high that there shall be no room for little thinkers and self-seeking actors in our political space when we are done. We have demonstrated in the last 22 months that when a government is run with an honest public service orientation, civil servants and retirees can be paid what is due them at the end of every month without excuses, even as hundreds of kilometres of new roads are being constructed, reconstructed and maintained in different places.
12. In the New Abia, we have established that even in this part of the world, individual and business freedom need not be sacrificed for the security of lives and property; we have effectively shown that security and freedom need not be mutually exclusive — that legitimate businesses can be conducted at any time of the day or night, and that in the modern world, the opportunity to provide genuine services and make honest earning is not dependent on social conventions and bureaucratic regimen.
13. I am happy that great progress has been made between May 2023 and no,w but as I earlier hinted, we are only just beginning. The state of our capital city will be holistically different by the time we begin to commission some of the ambitious projects we have launched. I expect that in nine months, when we shall return for the commissioning of these two roads, we shall have more impressive testimonies to share as we work collectively to actualise the vision and dreams that kept our fathers awake most nights.
14. The profile of the Contractors tells us all there is to know about the level of importance we attach to these two road projects, which will go on simultaneously. We expect nothing but the best in terms of delivery quality and the management of the inevitable fallout, including traffic and environmental challenges. As always, we encourage every vendor working with the State Government to source certain categories of labour and raw materials from the communities, so as to also support our local economy. The supervising team from the State Ministry of Works has been directed to not just work with the Contractor to ensure that project delivery aligns effectively with the approved design; they are to also monitor and report on how much inputs into the construction value chain comes from within.
15. Umunnem ndi Abia, development, as you may know, is a very expensive undertaking. None of the projects we have outlined for Umuahia and the State at large shall be completed without your active support through the regular and prompt payment of your taxes and other statutory levies. I would encourage you to recommit yourself to the demands of good citizenship by paying the State what is due it from the proceeds of your earnings as an individual or a business. Do not wait to be reminded, as that would mean failing in your duty as a partner in the New Abia Project. The commitment to make Abia great in our lifetime is a collective obligation, so I encourage you to do your part while you hold the government accountable for what it does with your money. Our promise remains what it has always been: we shall not fail you.
16. Thank you for listening, and may God bless Abia State.

Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR,

25/03/2025