Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has signed the N750 billion 2025 Abia State budget into law, with praises for the members of the state House of Assembly for giving the bill an accelerated hearing and passage.
Speaking after appending his signature, Otti said the budget would give his government the impetus to continue to deliver on its promises to Abians.
“This budget that was passed is a budget that will give us the impetus to continue to fire on all cylinders to ensure that our people are living a good life.
“I want to thank specially, the House members and the leadership of the House for doing such a thorough job in record time. I want to commend you for being thorough. That’s actually what our government is about.
“We pride ourselves as a serious-minded government, so anything we present, we are ready for scrutiny, and I want to thank you for a great job you did in scrutinizing the budget, disagreeing in a few areas, and also being flexible enough to accept when reasonable responses are given.”
Otti, describing the budget as a budget of sustained momentum, maintained that the government was deliberate in tagging the budget because it is the second budget the present administration was rolling out.
He explained that the budget demonstrates his push for infrastructural development having allocated 82 percent of the entire budget to capital expenditures.
“Our push for infrastructural development is demonstrated in this budget because when you have capital expenditure over 80 percent, it speaks to what you want to do with infrastructure, things that would out-last all of us”.
He said that some of the projects that kicked off in 2023 and would be delivered in 2025 include the Port Harcourt road in Aba, Umuahia – Uzuakoli -Abiriba – Ohafia road, the Ohafia – Arochukwu to the boundary in Ini, the Okobo -Abam- road, the Omenuko bridge, Nunya road and all other roads that have been awarded or flagged off among other projects including hospitals and schools.
He also announced that he was working towards the creation of more local government areas in the state for administrative convenience and better service delivery to the people.
Speaking at an event in Awomukwu in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Otti said: “Something else which is very critical, and I have it as a major project, is to see how we can restructure the State.
“When you look at some Local Governments, they are so big to even be two local Governments. And, if you know the geographical structure of this State, you will know that Ikwuano is one of those Local Governments that should not be one.
“I would also like to State immediately that that is not an attempt to divide you people; it’s just for administrative convenience.”
He promised to do everything possible to ensure the right thing was done in that direction.
