Transition: Otti must not fail Abia - Residents

OHUIZU CHUKWUEBUKA / UMUAHIA

As the only Governor the Labour Party (LP) produced after their serious wave recently, all eyes are on Dr Alex Otti to see what he and his party that has been talking about good governance will offer.

Aside from the expectations from LP, voices from the streets of Aba are saying that the hope of Abia is hanging on Otti and should he fail, the state will be in a deeper mess.

A former Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Aba Branch, Victor Onweremmadu said that the expectations from Otti are too weighty and heavy.

Setting the agenda for Otti, Onweremmadu said that decay in infrastructure especially in Aba, should push the new governor to pay special attention to Aba to recover the city from ruins, especially on road infrastructure.

“This terrible history of owing workers and pensioners should be put to a stop by a financial expert and economist like the new governor. The number of months we hear that workers especially teachers and lecturers are being owed salaries is disturbing.

“As a lawyer, I must talk about the judiciary. As of today, the Abia State judiciary is on strike. Lawyers are now at home because court gates are under lock and key. The incoming administration should look at this.

“Another major problem is the issue of land acquisition in Abia State. Otti should tackle it to encourage development. This is the only state where people still buy land with only the ‘Power of Attorney’ which simply makes a property owner become a mere caretaker of the person he bought it from which does not confer the original title of ownership to anybody.

“That’s why you see the person that sold land to a buyer here, coming to collect some money as rent every year claiming he’s the original landlord. How can one buy property and continue to pay rent?

“The government must ensure that people get a Deed of conveyance which enables the seller to transfer all rights to the legal owner who is the buyer. It is clear that the purchase of a property is not complete without a Deed of Conveyance.

“The new government should act fast to make people relax to buy property here. A particular ministry can be designated to handle that where people can get such documents.

“The economy should be another serious place to pay attention. Look at how the former government destroyed a lot by trying to run market unions and deciding who should be leaders even in markets. The whole markets in Aba are dilapidated. They need to be renovated.

“The transportation crisis in Aba should be looked into. The prices are too high. Maybe because of bad roads but immediately government tackles some issues relating to roads

“I think they should think of introducing what we use to call “Merry Go Round” transportation back then in Enugu when big lorries are designated to convey people from one place to another at a cheaper rate.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiatives (YSAD), Obinna Nwagbara said that one of the things all Abia people are expecting from Dr Alex Otti is aggressive rehabilitation of roads in the state, stressing that nothing can be achieved without road infrastructure in a state like Abia.

Nwagbara said that Otti should consider the issue of Local Government Autonomy as sacrosanct for rural development where Abia people can hold local government leaders accountable.

He charged Otti to completely avoid the error of listening to sycophants, stressing that there should be no room for sycophancy and that appointees who are not serious should be kicked out immediately if they are found wanting.

Nwagbara said that educational development must be thoroughly looked into, adding that Otti must take primary and secondary education seriously and place serious importance on the recruitment and remuneration of teachers which must never be reduced to settlement for party loyalists.

He equally said that Aba is extremely dirty and suggested that there should be a need for the establishment of recycling plants in the state, stressing that this will help create demand for the wastes generated in the state

“There should be genuine youth empowerment/entrepreneurship programmes for the youth. The State should harness opportunities in the digital space, garment, shoes, and agriculture. Agriculture should include investment in agro-processing.

“There’s a need for investment in the environment. Markets in Abia should be remodelled. People come from different parts of the country and beyond to Aba. He should be able to hold security agencies in the state accountable. He should be concerned about the relationship that exists between security agencies and Abians/Abia Residents and visitors.

“He should be able to engage the leadership of these security agencies on issues of human rights abuses. He should not be nonchalant about it. Workers’ salaries and pensioners’ pensions should not be toyed with and there should be a system in place to ensure that workers are productive.”

Chief Anthony Olemgbe said that Otti must avoid the errors of the past government and serve the people with sincerity, stressing that many years of lies, deceit and joking with people’s emotions helped to bring down the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Olemgbe said that a whole lot of things are wrong with Abia State, adding that since the people of Abia have chosen their own Governor, the Governor must stand firm and deliver good governance to the people.

“Aside from road construction, Dr Otti should pay attention to the new law signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. The law granted rights to the state governments to establish their railway service. With this, the railway moves from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent list.

“As a state that’s known for commerce, I think Dr Otti should pay attention to this. He should partner with other Governors in the South-East and make the move to have a Regional Railway different from the abandoned Federal Railway. Otti must stop this issue of Street Trading.

“There should be enough business centres or markets for traders. This issue of converting every street especially in Aba into markets must stop. He should equally borrow a leaf from other brave governors in Nigeria to fight this issue of ghost workers and reform Abia Civil Service.

“Otti should decongest Aba, he should clean up Aba and he must remove this issue of touting and using touts to collect revenues please. Those touts are causing trouble.”

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.