Dr. Alex Otti Commissions Old Court/Kent/Ehi Roads in Aba

 

Dr. Alex Otti Commissions Old Court/Kent/Ehi Roads in Aba
…Says Reconstruction of Enyimba Hotel Aba to start next month

 

It was jubilation galore in Aba on Friday, May 24, 2024 as an unprecedented crowd of Aba residents, traders, traditional rulers, the clergy, members of the ruling Labour Party in Abia State, top government officials and a galaxy of distinguished personalities from far and near came to witness the commissioning of the Old Court Road, Ehi Road and Kent Road that criss-crossed the popular Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba as part of the activities marking Dr. Alex Chioma Otti’s One Year in Office.

On arrival, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) was given a thunderous applause by the huge crowd that had waited patiently for him since morning.

 

The ceremony commenced with an opening prayer by the member representing Aba Central State Constituency, Hon. Akachukwu Stephen Ucheonye.

He expressed profound gratitude to God for given them Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) as the Governor of Abia State describing him as a dynamic, visionary, and promise-keeping governor whose scorecard within one year in office is unparalleled since the creation of Abia State.

He appreciated him for reconstructing the roads, which he said would boost commercial activities in Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba.

He prayed God to grant Dr. Alex Chioma Otti more wisdom, good health and strength as he pilots the affairs of Abia State to greater height.

 

 

In his goodwill message, the chairman, Eziukwu Road Market, Aba and President, ASMATA, Hon. Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo lauded Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) for his giant strides in the state within one year in office including the commissioning of the three roads stressing that he has surpassed their expectations.

He donated 6, 000 copies of 60 leaves exercise book to the First Lady of Abia State, Her Excellency, Priscilla Otti to distribute to school children during Children’s Day on May 27, 2024.

In his address, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Otumchere Otti commended Dr. Alex Otti for giving the people a new lease of life by reconstructing the long-abandoned roads.

He described the people of Aba as the greatest beneficiaries of the present administration’s road infrastructure.

He disclosed that the Old Court Road, Aba was realized through direct labour by engineers of the state ministry of works while Ehi Road and Kent Road were done by a reputable contractor, Rock Result (Nig.) Limited.

He said that the drainage were desilted while damaged ones were reconstructed including the provision of street lights to boost security.

He expressed happiness for being part of Dr. Alex Otti’s pragmatic leadership of the state and urged the people operating within the areas not to display their wares or pour any substance or chemical, or repair their Keke or trucks on the road or throw garbage into the drainage to prolong the lifespan of the roads.

 

Speaking, the Mayor of Aba South local government area, Hon. Chief Uche Wogu expressed satisfaction to be associated with the administration of Dr. Alex Otti adding that he has done them proud.

He prayed God to bless him and his family, the good people of Abia and the entire state.

Like Oliver Twist, he appealed to him to also give attention to Ohanku Road, Uratta Road among others.

The Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly and member representing Aba South State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa extolled Dr. Alex Otti’s monumental achievements in Aba and the entire state.

He described him as a man of his words stressing that whatever he says he would do, he would do without let or hindrance.

He assured him of the continued support of the State House of Assembly under his watch for the good of Abia State.

He expressed delight that the long-abandoned Port Harcourt Road would soon be completed saying that from No. 1 Port Harcourt Road, Aba down to Crystal Park Hotel is already completed.

He also commended him for the on-going reconstruction of Obohia Road, which he said is handled by two construction companies.

 

 

In his speech, Dr. Alex Otti expressed profound gratitude to the multitudes of traders and Aba residents that turned out in their numbers to witness the groundbreaking occasion as well as the dignitaries that accompanied him to Aba.

Dr. Alex Chioma Otti told the people that the state would regain its pride of place in the comity of states under his watch.

He described his administration as people-oriented and recalled from Genesis to Revelation how the reconstruction of the three roads started without missing any detail.

According to him, the journey started when he came to inspect the on-going work at Port Harcourt Road, Aba in February this year.

From there he went to see what was happening at Ndoki Road, Aba and thereafter he walked down to Old Court Road and was shocked by what he saw.

He said he knew that the road was bad but he did not know it was that bad. He lamented when he saw people swimming through flood to access their shop and residence at a place which should have been a road.

Hear him: “I was moved and I said, yes, even though it was not in our original list of priority project that the road has to be done”.

To make good his promise, he awarded contract for the rehabilitation of the road without delay, backed it up with the release of funds and effective supervision to ensure speedy execution and high quality delivery.

Dr. Alex Otti expressed joy that three months down the line the roads are now standing. He appreciated the contractors and the direct labour engineers of the state ministry of works for a job well done within 90 days.

He also commended the supervisors describing them as the most important part of the project adding that if something is not supervised it is not done and even when it is done, it is not done well.

He disclosed that the supervisors were there 24/7 and occasionally he would show up with his team to ensure that they did a very good job.

He disclosed that his administration is working tirelessly to change the narrative in Aba saying that the reconstruction of the long-abandoned Enyimba Hotel, Aba would be flagged off next month, June 2024 adding that it would be a five-star hotel. The announcement drew resounding ovation.

Dr. Alex Otti stated that by the time he is done with his plans of making Aba, one of the best cities in the Southeast all those who deserted the city so many years ago would come back.

He assured the people that Abia State would be better and her story of yester years would change adding that the Egyptians they used to see before they would see no more.

At the end of his speech, the special guest of honour, HRM Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, CFR, mni, expressed great happiness to be part of the epoch-making occasion.

He described Dr. Alex Otti as God-send to come and liberate the state from darkness after 24 years of decadence and wandering in the wilderness.

He recalled that Aba used to be the number one city in the nation in the past because of its resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.

He lauded Dr. Alex Otti for restoring Aba to its former glory within one year in office and assured the people that Abia would be one of the best states in the nation before the end of his first tenure.

He described Dr. Alex Otti as a man of his words and prayed God to sustain him with good health, strength and wisdom as he pilots the affairs of Abia State to greater height in the years ahead.

Thereafter, he commissioned the roads to the glory of God and betterment of the people.

At the end, everybody was happy and full of praises for Dr. Alex Otti’s achievement-laden one year in office.

 

The occasion attracted the presence of so many dignitaries. Some of those present were the general manager of Greater Aba Development Authority, Uche Ukeje, the national vice chairman of Labour Party, Southeast zone, Hon. Ceekay Igara, Commissioner for Works, Engr.Otumchere Otti, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, Commissioner for Sports, Obilor Ananaba, HRM Eze Linus Nto Mba (chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Ibe Enyeazu, the immediate past chairman, Aba South Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Victor Asonye, HRM Eze Monday Ugbor, HRH Eze Blessing Ogbonna, Hon. Destiny Nwagwu, Dr. Eric Egwuibe, the Mayor of Obingwa local government area, former member representing Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Ebisike, Comrade Emeka Okeke, the chairman, Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, Comrade Ozoekwe Chikadibia (chairman, Ariaria International Market, Aba), Hon. Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo (chairman, Eziukwu Road Market, Aba/President of ASMATA) among others.

In a chat with newsmen, the following personalities bared their minds on the ground-breaking occasion. Excerpts.

 

 

Dr. Alex Otti is a Magic-Performing Governor
-Comrade Emeka Okeke
(Chairman, Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba)

How do you feel about the commissioning of the three roads within Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba?
I am so happy and grateful to Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) for rehabilitating the three roads within Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba in fulfilment of his promise to us. In fact, I am surprised by the speedy completion of the roads within three months. Dr. Alex Otti is a man of his words (Ekwueme Ndi Abia). Whatever he says he would do, he would without fail do it. Within his one year in office, he has done so many things people feel are impossible to achieve. The newly-reconstructed roads would boost commercial activities in Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba. We appreciate Dr. Alex Otti for changing the face of Aba through massive infrastructural development despite the meagre resources accruing to the state. That is why I call him a magic-performing governor.

Dr. Alex Otti’s administration is second to none. He is God-send. He is our redeemer in Abia State. As you can see everywhere is filled to capacity and people are happy. We are celebrating here in our Secretariat because of what he has done for us and we know he would still do more for us in the years ahead.

What is your advice to the traders?
We will continue to give him our unalloyed support and ensure we pay our taxes and other government approved levies as at when due so as to use it to do more work in the state.

We will also make sure that the traders and others do not convert the newly reconstructed roads into mechanic workshops or turn the drainage into refuse dump.

Finally, my prayer is that God would give him long life, good health and wisdom to continue to pilot the affairs of Abia State to greater height.

 

 

Hon. Chidera Bennet Ndubuisi
(Councillor representing Ekeoha Ward 8, Aba South Legislative Council)

Ehi Road, Aba has been an eyesore for over two decades now including Kent and Old Court Road. We are happy to see these roads coming back to life again. We are proud of the performing governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) for his monumental achievements in Aba and other parts of the state. He has surpassed our expectations. If you go to Aba Town Hall, now you will see a lot of transformations going on there. You can no longer associate Aba with dirtiness. Gone is the era when the slogan, ‘Aba Dirty’ was used to describe Aba’. The city is wearing a new look since the advent of the present administration in the state. I know that Dr. Alex Chioma Otti would sustain his developmental strides in Aba and other parts of the state and our prayer is for God to grant him long life, strength and wisdom.

 

 

Chief Sunday Anokwuru
(Overall Chairman, Old Court Road Market, Aba)

I am so happy and grateful to God for given us Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR).

Since he assumed office he has done so many remarkable things in the state, especially Aba.

For example, the Old Court Road, Aba, which he just commissioned had been in a deplorable state for over twenty years. It was so difficult for us to come to our shops, especially during rainy season. But today, Dr. Alex Otti has wiped away our tears.

I saw him the day he came to Old Court Road, Aba and before you know it, he commenced work on the road and within a very short time he completed and commissioned it today to the jubilation of all and sundry.

Apart from the three roads, he commissioned today in Aba namely Old Court Road, Ehi Road and Kent Street, he has done so many other good things in Aba and the the state at large.

Look at Port Harcourt Road, Aba. They used to make caricature of Abia State because of Port Harcourt Road, Aba but the road would be completed and commissioned very soon.

If Dr. Alex Otti achieved all these things within one year in office, he would do far more things in his second year and before the end of his first term, he would have turned Abia State to El Dorado.

I assure him that we will pay our taxes and other approved government levies without wasting time, keep our market clean and ensure that nobody turns the drainage into refuse dump to ensure free flow of storm water.

Apart from infrastructural transformation of the state, another milestone achievement of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti one year in office is the existence of peace in the state.

He has excelled in his relationship with his deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu and other arms of government unlike what happens in River State. He carries them along and allowing them the opportunity to play their constitutional roles without inhibition or meddlesomeness.

I wish him long life, good health and wisdom as he pilots the affairs of the state in the years ahead.