Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has signed the Abia state Senior Citizens bill and 17 other Executive bills passed by the Abia state House of Assembly into law.
While speaking after an expanded executive council meeting chaired by the governor on Monday, the state Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, said, “It is record-breaking, going by standards set by previous administrations within and even outside the state.”
Kanu stated that the 18 executive bills signed into law by Governor Alex Otti bring the number of Executive bills passed by Abia state House of Assembly and signed into law by the Governor to 30 within his two years in office.
“This landmark achievement seeks to institutionalize the reforms and transformations that have so far taken place in Abia state,” Kanu said.
He noted that the two-year administration of Otti has been full of great achievements, as can be felt and touched by all and sundry, assuring that greater things lie ahead.
The Information Commissioner equally revealed that the state government in its commitment to the development of Abia state rural community has paid a counterpart fund of 3.5 billion Naira as a requirement for the upgrade of roads and setting up of agro logistics hubs in about 10 LGAS of the state under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Program (RAMP).
He said the projects are expected to start across the benefitting LGAs soonest.
“So the state has paid its own counterpart funds, and we expect that with similar action from the World Bank, that project will kick off around the state, “Kanu assured.
Also, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Ikechukwu Uwann, said that the laws signed would transform the landscape of governance in the state, adding that they underscore the government’s commitment to institutionalizing the reforms and changes being brought into governance.
“However, it’s important to note that these bills underscore His Excellency’s commitment to institutionalizing the reforms and changes that he’s bringing together in governance in the state.
“These bills also form the fulcrum, the engine block for all the roads that you see, for the infrastructural development that is going on across the state, for the massive reforms that are being carried all around the state. So that underscores the importance of these bills that have now been passed into law,” Barr. Uwanna stated.
Barr. Uwanna further revealed that with the 18 laws, some agencies have been moved from reporting directly to the office of the Governor to their line Ministries for optimal performance.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Blessing Ngozi Felix, said, “Gov. Otti has demonstrated once again his commitment to the development of our rural communities by investing in long-term solutions as regards road infrastructure under the Abia State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project.
“He recently approved the payment of the counterpart fund to the tune of N3.5 billion, which is a key requirement for all states who are participating in the Rural Access Project. Abia is one of the states.”