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The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has maintained that his administration would only borrow for investments when the need arises and not for consumption.
Otti also re-emphasized that the State is yet to borrow in the last 2 years and a month that he has presided over her affairs.
A post by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, said Governor Otti stated this on Tuesday, during the welcome dinner organized by the Abia State Government for the Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council, ushering in the beginning of the 2025 mid-year retreat for the appointees of the Government.
The CPS said the Governor stated this while reacting to claims of the opposition that he has been borrowing to run the State, drawing their attention to the recently published Debt profile report by the Debt Management Office (DMO), a Federal Agency that put Abia first among the States that reduced their debts between March 2024 and March 2025.
In the DMO report, within the period under review, Abia reduced its public debt exposure by 57.20%, the highest reduction across the country.
Governor Otti said,“There is nothing wrong with criticizing the Government, but you must criticize with facts. Opinions are free but facts are sacred.
“Some people have come out to say that we are borrowing, they are lying. Did I borrow from them? I saw a report yesterday that says that 26 out of the 36 States have actually reduced loans in the last 12 months and Abia came first, having reduced its debt profile by 57.20% in one year,” Dr. Otti disclosed amidst applause from the audience.
On insinuations that he intends to join the APC or the coalition currently being formed by some opposition elements in the country, Otti said he is still a member of the labour with the Supreme Court having resolved the crisis that threatened the survival of the party.
“I will just spend a few minutes talking about what some members of the Global Economic Council have been asking me. One of them is the report about 5 Governors decamping to APC… I’m still a member of the Labour Party and I’m not looking for where to decamp to.
“The second point is about coalition, and a lot of people have been asking me, are you a member of the coalition? And, my response is, have you seen my name? Have you seen me attending the coalition meeting?
He reiterated that his administration came to correct anomalies, stressing that, those who don’t want to do things right have no business in his Government.
The Governor warned those complaining about stomach infrastructure, saying Abians are not people who believe in handouts but hard – working people who just need the enabling environment, like good roads, clean environment, etc, to thrive in their businesses and daily endeavours.
Dr. Otti also disclosed that his administration has set up a Project Implementation Bureau, headed by an Abia son, Mr. Onyinye Nwosu, who left his job in Canada, where he was working with General Electric (GE), to contribute his quota for the growth and development of the State.
He also used the opportunity to thank members of the 20-Member Advisory Council for their sacrificial support and contributions which have helped his administration record the achievements being celebrated within and beyond the State in the last 2 years.
Earlier in her speech on behalf of the Council, the Co-Chair of the Abia Global Economic Advisory Council, Prof. Ms. Arunma Oteh, said that it was a pleasure to serve in the Economic Advisory Council and an absolute pleasure to see and be part of what has been achieved in Abia.
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