March 22, 2024

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has commended Gov. Alex Otti of Abia for assenting to the Abia State of Nigeria Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Repeal Law.

Obasanjo made the commendation on Friday when he paid a visit to the governor in Nvosi Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

“I saw the repeal of Abia pensions of former governors; you said to me that the pension scheme for former governors here is too outrageous.

“It allows them to have a house in Abuja and elsewhere, and it allows them to cart away with whatever they can.

“Yet the pensions of ordinary people from 2014 are unpaid’ and you came and said there will be an end to that rascality.

“I congratulate you and I hope that your colleagues will follow your footstep”, Obasanjo said.

The former president told Otti that there were lots of works to do in the state.

“You have started well, but you should never be tired nor discouraged, because you will be abused and you will be called names.”

“If we have one-third of our states doing what should be done, this country will be a different country”, Obasanjo said.

He urged the Abia governor to remain diligent and to pay adequate attention to infrastructure development.

He said that the people of Abia were enterprising, adding that good leadership and adequate infrastructure would serve as a huge incentive for them.

“I have always maintained that if there’s any zone in this country that could really give what I call regional development, it’s the Southeast, because you are almost monolithic in everything,” he said.

Responding, Otti said that he strongly believed that infrastructure remains a key determinant for socio-economic growth.

He also said that Abia government was intentional about developing infrastructure, particularly in Aba as the industrial hub of South east.

“In the last nine months, we have completed and commissioned ten roads in Aba and at the moment we have about 31 roads that are in different stages of construction and completion’’, he said.

Otti thanked Obasanjo for supporting the resolve of the State Government to revoke the pension law for former governors and their deputy governors.

He further said that he believed that “leadership is stewardship” and should be done with commitment to improve the welfare of the people by handling public funds prudently.

Otti urged the federal and state governments to make conscious efforts to recalibrate the cost of governance. (NAN)