Aba should be focal point of your infrastructural development - Okonjo-Iweala tells Otti

BY OHUIZU CHUKWUEBUKA / UMUAHIA

Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has charged Abia State Governor-Elect, Dr Alex Otti to make Aba the focal point of infrastructural development.

The WTO Director made the suggestion while presenting her keynote address via Zoom at the inauguration of the Transition Council of Abia State Governor-Elect, Dr Alex Otti.

Recall that Otti had explained that the Transition Council would help to articulate a policy document that would forge a direction and developmental agenda for Abia in line with his vision for the state.

The Team as gathered will X-ray and cover different dimensions of the massive challenges staring the incoming government in the face.

Okonjo-Iweala recommended that healthcare must be given urgent attention and investment, stressing that 90 per cent of pharmaceutical products are imported into the country.

“So it is important to attract pharmaceutical companies to Abia State”, she added.

The WTO Director also recommended that there must be transparency in Abia’s finances, stressing that Abia State must set an example for good governance and financial transparency.

She also recommended that Otti should look at how to leverage renewable energy in Abia State to create access to power (electricity), adding that households can be powered by renewable energy

She equally recommended to Otti to expand the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base of Abia State to ensure that the state depends less on Federal Government Allocations.

The WTO Director called on the incoming government to think of disruptive strategies, rather than the traditional way.

She charged the incoming government to try and attract international businesses into the state and raise the local supply chain.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.