Okonjo-Iweala urges Otti to develop infrastructure in Aba

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has advised Alex Otti, Abia State governor-elect to make Aba, the state’s commercial hub, the focal point of infrastructure development in the state.

Okonjo-Iweala gave the advice on Friday, through Zoom, while delivering her keynote address at the inauguration of a Transition Committee, set up by Otti, to help him articulate a policy document that would forge a direction and developmental agenda for his administration, in line with his vision for the state.

The team will X-ray and cover different dimensions of the massive challenges staring the incoming government in the face.

The WTO DG also recommended that healthcare must be given urgent attention just as she lamented that 90 percent of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria were imported and stressed the need to attract pharmaceutical companies to Abia State.

She called for transparency in the management of Abia’s finances, stressing that the state must set an example for good governance and financial transparency.

She urged the incoming administration to leverage on renewable energy in Abia State, to create access toelectricity, adding that households can be powered by renewable energy. She equally recommended that the incoming government should expand the internally generated revenue (IGR) base to ensure that the state depended less on federal allocations.

She also called on the incoming government to think of disruptive strategies, rather than the traditional way of doing things which, according to her, has not worked.

The WTO DG, who is from Abia, charged the incoming government to try and attract international businesses into the state and raise the local supply chain.

The committee, which has personalities with proven track record of creativity and service delivery, is required to set the state on a progressive path to socio-economic recovery.

Members of the committee include Victor Onyenkpa, partner and COO, KPMG, as chairman, and co-chaired by Ifueko Omogui Okauru, former executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Others are Arunma Oteh, a former director-general of Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ndubuisi Ekekwe, a professor and Nigerian-born inventor, who helped Apple design a sem-conductor for the iPhone and Uche Orji, the immediate past CEO of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

Also in the committee are, Victor Okoronkwo, GMD of Aiteo Oil and Gas; Frank Nneji, founder, ABC Transport Company; and John Udeagbala, president, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Okey Oramah, president, Afreximbank, Cairo.

Other notable personalities on the list are, David Ogba Onuoha (Bourdex), Ume Kalu (SAN); Uche Eme Uche, a professor; Ndukwe Osogho-Ajala, Uzoamaka Amah-Mbah, Okey Anueyiagu, Vincent Asor, Chris Igwe, among others.