17 LG Mayors assume office in Abia as billionaires, ex-military officer make list

Governor Alex otti of Abia State has inaugurated the newly appointed Transition Committee Chairmen (Mayors) for the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State with a charge to make the local communities conducive for active production and rapid growth.

Governor Otti, while speaking during the occasion on what he christened ‘Expanding the Frontiers of Development,’ said:
“Your primary task as mayors and deputies shall be to make the local communities and towns conducive for active production and rapid growth. We expect you to quickly develop holistic frameworks for improving agriculture and light scale production in ways that enhance outputs and attract domestic and foreign investors.”

Otti reminded them that their appointments were call to serve and not to be served.

“We do not expect you to get everything right on the first day but you must be willing to learn, keeping your mind open to new ideas and possibilities,” he said.
He promised that his administration would give each of them freehand to manage the affairs of the council responsibly.

He said it was very important to design their programmes in ways that align with the general development philosophy of the present Labour Party administration in the state.

The Abia Chief Executive further tasked them to enhance security of their various domains.

“Your first task as leaders of the various LGAs shall include strengthening the security architecture in the towns and villages within your domain, especially as the yuletide approaches,” he said.

Otti disclosed that his administration was working with multiple stakeholders, including multilateral and donor agencies, global IT companies and local financial institutions, to develop a robust framework for addressing the critical challenges facing the people, including endemic poverty, restricted access to basic amenities , limited skills for enhanced earning and unequal access to the boundless opportunities of the 21st century global economy.

He charged them to get their priorities right, build networks that could help them drive the development agenda of the Labour Party in their various Councils, and discern where more would be achieved through partnership with relevant agencies of the State.
He admonished them to guard against distractions that are bound to come from internal wrangling.

On his reason for appointing such class of people as Mayors, Governor Otti said: “We need the best hands and heads to drive the development of the state. We are in a hurry to elevate the standards of leadership to accommodate strictly those who have something to offer.”

He thanked the Mayors and their Deputies for accepting to bring their extensive wealth of experience in various fields of human endeavours to bear in the service of their communities and urged them to serve as the vanguards of the New Abia in the 17 LGAs.

Uzor Nwachkwu, commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, earlier in his address, said that Governor Alex Otti desired to bring together the individuals as Mayors and Heads of the Local Government Councils because he has great plans for the LGAs which include ensuring accelerated development in the grassroots. He also said that there was no doubt that the Mayors would deliver given their pedigree.

In their various speeches, the Mayor for Isiala Ngwa South LGA, Elelenta Nwambuisi Elelenta; Mayor for Arochukwu LGA, Joe Eze Aru, and their Ikwuano counterpart, Osinachi Nwaka thanked the governor for appointing them and pledged their commitment to serve.