Governor of Abia state, Alex Otti, has revealed that his administration has thus far paid off N72 billion out of the N138 billion debt it inherited from earlier administrations upon assuming workplace in Could 2023, with out taking up any new debt.
Talking in the course of the April version of the month-to-month media parley held on the Authorities Home in Umuahia on Wednesday, Governor Otti cited figures from the Debt Administration Workplace (DMO), which point out that the state’s debt has now dropped to N66 billion as of December 2024.
“In order that being, by their very own numbers, we now have paid down N72 billion of inherited debt and we now have added no dime in borrowing,” the governor stated.
Governor Otti reiterated his dedication to monetary self-discipline, noting that the state’s progress in debt discount is a results of fiscal prudence, credibility, and strategic negotiation in authorities transactions.
“On the administration of our sources, we’ll proceed to be prudent and to make sure that no kobo of Abia cash is wasted. Some persons are used to losing cash. However this authorities is an excellent authorities,” he added.
He defined that the debt determine inherited, as said by the DMO, probably underestimates the precise legal responsibility. The state’s inside assessments, he stated, embrace backlogs of unpaid salaries, pensions, and contractor obligations that weren’t captured within the federal company’s report.
Healthcare Investments and Medical Metropolis Mission
Offering updates on healthcare, Otti spoke on the continued “Mission Ekwueme,” which includes the development and renovation of 200 major healthcare centres throughout the state, with assist for an extra 67 centres from the World Bank.
“Info obtainable to me is that about 103 of the 200 major well being centres are in several levels of completion. On the common, we now have attained about 70% completion,” he stated.
- He additionally introduced the graduation of retrofitting basic hospitals and a brand new compensation bundle for healthcare staff. The administration has permitted the recruitment of 771 well being personnel to spice up service supply.
- Of explicit word is the deliberate inauguration of the Abia Medical Metropolis, a landmark well being infrastructure mission backed by a $1.3 billion personal funding.
“We’ve signed off on a brand new improve and switch mannequin with a reputable associate who has secured the funding. We’ve seen the color of the cash,” Otti stated.
- The governor expressed confidence that the Medical Metropolis would assist stem Nigeria’s estimated $2 billion annual expenditure on medical tourism by attracting a minimum of 10% of that spending again into the nation.
- In training, Governor Otti famous a spike in scholar enrollment following the introduction of free and obligatory fundamental training within the state.
“In the intervening time, we now have about 700,000 Abia youngsters having fun with the free training launched by the federal government,” he stated.
To deal with the surge in pupil numbers and keep high quality requirements, the state authorities has permitted the employment of 9,000 further academics to bridge the student-teacher ratio.
Infrastructure Initiatives Close to Completion
On infrastructure, Governor Otti disclosed that the long-awaited Port Harcourt Street in Aba, being dealt with by Julius Berger, is nearing completion and shall be commissioned on Could 29. The street, which is a key financial artery within the industrial metropolis, has been a precedence for the administration on account of its potential to spur enterprise actions and ease visitors congestion.
Otti reaffirmed the administration’s zero-tolerance coverage on crime, urging residents to stay vigilant and cooperate with safety businesses. He additionally famous that steps had been taken to spice up agricultural productiveness throughout the state, although he didn’t present specifics.
Governor Otti additionally used the chance to warn towards misreporting by the media and inspired journalists to confirm government-related data by way of official communication channels.
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