Otti’s Abia: A State Once Mocked, Now A Model At 34

EBERE UZOUKWA, PhD

At 34, Abia State is rewriting its story. For years, the state was mocked across Nigeria as a tragic example of wasted opportunities. Despite its rich endowment in human capital and natural resources, Abia became synonymous with collapsed infrastructure, abandoned workers, dirty cities, and failed governance. The proud title of “God’s Own State” was reduced to a bitter joke.

Successive administrations failed to provide vision or leadership. Teachers and pensioners were left in misery, hospitals crumbled, schools collapsed, and the once vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of the people was stifled. Aba and Umuahia, which should have been centres of innovation and growth, became symbols of decay and embarrassment.

But today, a rebirth is taking shape. In just over two years under Governor Alex Otti, Abia at 34 is no longer a state to be mocked but a model of purposeful leadership and genuine transformation. The evidence is clear, the progress is visible, and the impact is being felt in every sector.

In health, over one hundred primary health centres have been rebuilt, fully equipped, and staffed with professional health workers to strengthen rural healthcare delivery. Ten general hospitals are undergoing comprehensive renovation to be fitted with modern facilities that will guarantee affordable and effective secondary healthcare services. For the first time in decades, Abians can see a government deliberately restoring public confidence in healthcare.

Education is also receiving unprecedented attention. Public primary and secondary schools across the state are being retrofitted and renovated, with new classroom blocks springing up in many communities. The government is constructing twenty smart schools that will integrate technology into teaching and learning. Five thousand three hundred and forty nine (5,349) newly recruited teachers have been trained, inducted, and posted to schools, while preparations are underway to employ even more. The vision is clear: to raise a new generation of well educated and globally competitive young people.

Security has not been left behind. The launch of Operation Crush, working in close synergy with all security formations, has positioned Abia as one of the safest states in Nigeria. By prioritising the protection of lives and property, the administration has created an environment where businesses and investments can thrive.

Perhaps the most visible transformation is in road infrastructure. Abia has become a massive construction site. Landmark road projects such as Port Harcourt Road in Aba, Ossah Road in Umuahia, Omoba Road, Jubilee Road, Green Avenue, Umuimo Road, Udeagbala Road, and many more have been completed, while others are progressing steadily. Roads that once symbolised decay are being reborn as vital economic lifelines, reconnecting communities, energising commerce, and reviving Aba as the commercial heart of the South East.

Urban renewal is also evident. Aba and Umuahia, once ranked among the dirtiest cities in Nigeria, now stand out as some of the cleanest in the region. Agriculture is being revitalised through rural access roads, farm support programmes, and deliberate investment in agribusiness. Plans are in top gear to revive moribund state owned industries, including the acquisition of the iconic Aba Star Paper Mill, while rural electrification and steady power supply are receiving renewed government attention.

The civil service has equally witnessed a revolution. Salaries and pensions are now paid promptly and in full. The ghost worker syndrome that crippled the system is being dismantled, restoring dignity to workers and retirees. Women and young people are receiving fresh opportunities through skills acquisition, SME support, sports development, and entrepreneurship initiatives.

Governor Otti’s philosophy is simple but profound: government cannot do everything, but it must remove obstacles that hinder productivity and enterprise. By fixing roads, paying workers, cleaning cities, reviving healthcare, securing the state, and restoring trust in institutions, his administration has created the fertile ground for Abians to unleash their creativity and thrive.

At 34, Abia is no longer defined by ridicule but by resilience. The state has proven that it was never cursed, only cursed with bad leadership. With sincerity of purpose, accountability, and vision, Abia is rising from the ruins of shame to a position of national admiration.

The journey is far from over. Challenges remain, but hope has been rekindled. From the farms of Bende to the markets of Ariaria, from Umuahia to Aba, the story is the same: the light has changed hands, and it is beginning to shine brighter.

Abia at 34 is more than an anniversary. It is a testimony of rediscovery and proof that with the right leadership, a people once mocked can become a model for others.

– Dr. Ebere Uzoukwa is the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Abia State on Public Affairs.