Abia State Governor, Alex Otti
President Bola Tinubu is set to visit Abia State on October 3 to commission a number of completed infrastructure projects, including the much-anticipated reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba, Governor Alex Otti announced on Friday.
Speaking during the September edition of his monthly media engagement, ” _Gov. Alex Otti Speaks to Abia People,”_ the governor urged residents to show support by turning out in large numbers to welcome the president.
> “We are excited to host Mr. President on October 3. He will be commissioning several projects, including the rebuilt Port Harcourt Road in Aba. I encourage Abians to come out en masse to receive him,” Otti said during the chat held in Umuahia.
He also revealed that the state government would soon commence reconstruction of the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road, emphasizing that infrastructure remains a top priority for his administration.
> “We are prioritising critical infrastructure because it drives development and opens up economic opportunities across the state,” the governor explained.
*Airport, Education, and Security Updates*
On the progress of the Abia Airport project, Otti confirmed that runway works are well underway under the supervision of the state government.
He addressed complaints from landowners, attributing compensation delays to incomplete documentation and contractor errors. He assured that all outstanding issues, including boundary disputes in Nsulu, would be resolved.
> “Wherever there were encroachments or unpaid compensations, we are addressing them swiftly. No one will be shortchanged,” he stated.
Otti also disclosed that the state will soon begin deploying security personnel to public schools to curb ongoing vandalism.
*On Nnamdi Kanu’s Case*
Addressing the status of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Governor Otti confirmed that engagements with the Federal Government are ongoing.
> “We are working quietly but firmly with relevant federal authorities to ensure his release. Some of these discussions involve all South-East governors and are deliberately kept out of the public domain to achieve meaningful results,” he said.
*Market Management, Agriculture, and ASCETA Revamp*
Otti explained that the state has stopped investing directly in markets due to constitutional limitations, noting that market management is the responsibility of local governments. Still, the government is investing in the reconstruction of Ekeoha and Ariaria markets, despite limited control.
On agriculture, Otti shared plans to expand rice cultivation after the success of the Owerrinta Rice Pilot Project, which yielded five tons per hectare.
He said Abia is working toward becoming a top rice-producing state in Nigeria.
In the education sector, the governor highlighted massive rehabilitation efforts at the Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu (ASCETA), including the appointment of a new rector and board chairman.
> “ASCETA is central to our education reform agenda. As the only surviving state-owned college of education, it deserves focused attention,” he said.
Governor Otti also revealed plans to renovate and expand the Aba Correctional Facility, aiming to decongest the prison and transform it from a punitive facility into a true centre of reformation.
