Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers governor and APC chieftain, has urged Abia State Governor Alex Otti to reveal the funding sources behind the state’s significant infrastructure projects. Speaking during a project tour with a delegation of UNIPORT alumni and classmates, Amaechi praised Otti’s accomplishments in his first two years in office.
“We’re a group of Governor Alex Otti’s classmates from the University of Port Harcourt, graduating between 1980 and 1989,” Amaechi said. “The transformation is truly remarkable, particularly on the Port Harcourt Road. I remember it being littered with trash and full of deep ditches; now, it’s a testament to the progress. This is impressive.”
Amaechi commended the quality of the work but raised the critical question of funding. “How is he funding this? Many governors, especially those in smaller states, often lament a lack of federal funding. We need to understand the source of these resources.” He also praised the reconstruction of the Omenuko Bridge on the Abam-Ohafia Road, calling the old structure a “death trap.”
“The old bridge was terrifying – it looked like something from the civil war,” Amaechi said, referencing the Omenuko Bridge. “Why was it allowed to deteriorate so severely for so long? Surely, previous administrations saw the danger? People died there in the ’70s and ’80s.”
Praising Otti’s choice of reputable contractors like Julius Berger, Amaechi noted his own experience working with them on significant rail projects like Warri-Itakpe, Lagos-Ibadan, and Port Harcourt-Aba. The developments impressed Amaechi, who predicted Otti’s reelection would be a strong possibility if the current momentum continued. He encouraged Abia residents to support the governor.
Other UNIPORT alumni in the delegation, including Hon. Ernest Rowland Douglas, Dr. Chidi Ulelu, and Mr. Duke Odinde, echoed Amaechi’s support for Otti, describing him as a capable and deserving leader.
The tour included inspections of various projects, including sections 1-3 of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Abiriba-Ohafia road, the Omenuko Bridge, Library Avenue (Bank Road), Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard, and Port Harcourt Road in Aba.
Governor Otti’s Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, who led the delegation, attributed the improved infrastructure to the governor’s careful financial management, zero tolerance for corruption, commitment to integrity, and good governance. “Every naira spent is accounted for,” Ajagba stated. “People questioning the funding source highlight the governor’s fiscal prudence. If others followed this example, Nigeria would greatly benefit.”