Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has disclosed that his administration has cleared N72 billion of the N138 billion debt inherited from previous governments since taking office in May 2023—all without accruing any new debt. During the April edition of the monthly media parley at the Government House in Umuahia, Otti referenced data from the Debt Management Office (DMO), which showed that the state’s debt now stands at N66 billion as of December 2024.“By their own numbers, we have paid down N72 billion of inherited debt, and we have added no dime in borrowing,” Otti stated.
He emphasized that this achievement is a result of disciplined financial management, transparency, and strategic negotiation. “On the management of our resources, we will continue to be prudent and ensure that no kobo of Abia money is wasted,” the governor added, taking a veiled swipe at past administrations.
Otti also noted that the DMO’s figure likely underrepresents the true debt burden, pointing to uncaptured liabilities such as salary and pension arrears and outstanding contractor payments.
Healthcare Boost and Medical City Project
Updating on healthcare reforms, Otti spoke about “Project Ekwueme”—an initiative to build and renovate 200 primary healthcare centers across the state. He revealed that around 103 centers are at various stages of completion, with about 70% overall progress, while an additional 67 centers are being supported by the World Bank.
He announced ongoing upgrades to general hospitals and a newly approved compensation package for health workers, alongside the recruitment of 771 new healthcare professionals to bolster service delivery. Highlighting a flagship project, Otti introduced the Abia Medical City, a $1.3 billion privately funded development. “We’ve signed off with a credible partner who has secured the funding. We’ve seen the colour of the money,” he said confidently.
He added that the project aims to reduce Nigeria’s $2 billion annual medical tourism bill by attracting at least 10% of that spending back into the country.
Education and Infrastructure Drive
In education, Otti reported a surge in student enrollment due to the free and compulsory basic education policy. “Right now, we have about 700,000 children benefitting,” he said. To support this growth, the state has approved the recruitment of 9,000 teachers to address the teacher-student ratio and ensure education quality.
On infrastructure, the governor confirmed that the much-delayed Port Harcourt Road in Aba, being handled by Julius Berger, is nearly complete and will be inaugurated on May 29. The road is a vital commercial link in the city and is expected to enhance trade and reduce traffic congestion.
Security and Governance
Governor Otti reiterated his zero-tolerance stance on crime and urged citizens to support security agencies. He briefly mentioned steps taken to enhance agriculture across the state. He concluded by advising media practitioners to avoid misinformation and verify reports through official channels to maintain accuracy in public communication.
Source : https://nairametrics.com/
