Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has expressed his administration’s determination to develop and transform Aba into a thriving commercial city.

Otti made this known on Tuesday during a town hall meeting in Aba organised by the state government for the people of Abia South Senatorial District as part of the activities marking his first anniversary in office.

The governor said that in the past 12 months, his administration had made concerted efforts to ensure that the glory of Aba as a commercial hub was restored.

He said that years of poor leadership by past administrations had thrown Aba into a state of underdevelopment and stagnation.

He said, “We said our Aba cannot collapse under our watch.

“I have said it time and time without number that one of the reasons I offered myself and made the sacrifice to come and run for the governorship was because of Aba.

“At the time, ten years ago, when I resigned from my role in the banking industry, for someone that was presiding over a thriving bank to resign and come into the uncertain territory of politics to come and fight.

“One of the reasons I took that decision was because of Aba.”

Otti said that he was born and bred in Aba, and therefore felt the need to give back to society by ensuring that the commercial city would record massive socioeconomic growth.

He described Aba as a town respected because of the numerous opportunities that abound for people who had nothing and aspired to make it in their ventures.

“All you need to succeed in Aba is hard work, sincerity and energy, and God-given skills and then we sat and watched several decades later while Aba disappeared.

“Now we are saying that we must bring Aba back.

“All you see today is a dress rehearsal, we are just starting.

“We have a lot of programmes and we are rolling them out one after the other, by the time we are done you will not recognise it again,” Otti said.

He commended the Transition Committee chairmen in the zone for presenting their scorecards, which showed they had done well.

He said that he had taken note of the demands made by some of the chairmen and promised to take appropriate action to address them.

Otti urged the people of Abia to feel free to share any progressive ideas they had with the government to facilitate the delivery of a democratic dividend in the state.

In an address, Deputy Govovernor Ikechukwu Emetu described the event as an opportunity for Aba residents to interface with the government.

Emetu said, “Our mission is to show our scorecard and get your feedback.”

Also, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Emereuwa, said that the chairmen had shown capacity and dedication to service through their scorecard.

Emereuwa, representing Aba South Constituency, said that the scorecard was an indication that the administration’s rural development initiative had started yielding positive results.

The lawmaker, representing Obingwa/Ugwunagbo/Osisioma Federal Constituency, Chief Munachim Alozie, commended the governor for his visionary leadership style.

Alozie said that the governor had changed the narrative of Aba in national discourse through his rebuilding agenda.

The National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party (Southeast), Mr Ceekay Igara, said that the party promotes ideologies that encourage growth and development in the state.

Igara also said that the party was open to receiving anyone interested in joining the party and supporting the present administration to take Abia to greater heights.

In a remark, the Chairman of Aba South Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Ugwuzor, thanked the government for the ongoing massive infrastructure development in the state.

Ugwuzor appealed to the government to expedite action to rehabilitate Uratta Road in Aba and alleviate the suffering of the residents of the area.

The Leader of the Hausa Community in Aba, Alhaji Bello Shehu, commended the governor for the improved security and socioeconomic development of Aba.

Bello also said that “as tax-paying and law-abiding citizens, we appeal to the government to introduce skill acquisition and agriculture development programmes to tackle unemployment”.

The TC Chairmen of Aba South, Aba North, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Obingwa and Ugwunagbo Local Government Areas presented their scorecards for the six months in office.