Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has attributed the achievements of his administration in the last three years to divine guidance, announcing plans to build an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia as part of his personal commitment to God.
The governor spoke on Sunday during an interdenominational thanksgiving service organised to mark the third anniversary of his administration at the Trademore Event Centre in Umuahia.
Otti said his administration had remained committed to serving the people with the fear of God and fulfilling promises made at the beginning of his tenure.
According to him, thanksgiving to God has remained a personal principle for him and his family, noting that the successes recorded by the administration could only be explained by God’s grace.
The governor disclosed that immediately after taking office, his administration rededicated Abia State to God and resolved to place divine direction at the centre of governance.
“We started by taking the State to God in prayers and rededicated the State immediately after we were sworn in,” he said.
Otti also revealed that arrangements had been concluded to begin the construction of an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia, stressing that the project would be privately funded and not financed with public resources.
He explained that the initiative was in fulfilment of a vow he made to God and noted that the land designated for the project was acquired by him in 2009 before he became governor.
“We vowed that we are going to build an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia for God. The Ecumenical Centre will not be built with government money. No dime from the State Government will go into it,” the governor stated.
Otti further appreciated clerics and Christian leaders for their prayers and support over the years, particularly commending the President of Living Word Ministries International, Dr. Emma Okorie, for standing by him during difficult political periods.
The governor recalled that during his 2014 governorship ambition, Dr. Okorie suffered intimidation from officials of previous administrations because of his association with him.
In a sermon titled “Where There is No Vision, the People Perish,” Dr. Emma Okorie described Otti as a leader divinely appointed to transform Abia State.
He compared the situation in Abia to the biblical account of the Israelites in Egypt, saying the people had endured years of hardship and poor leadership before Otti’s emergence.
According to the cleric, the governor’s emergence was evidence that God answered the prayers of Abians for purposeful leadership.
Also speaking, the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Ukpong, encouraged the governor and members of his administration to remain focused and not allow distractions to derail their good works.
He assured them of God’s continued protection and support as long as they remained committed to serving the people faithfully.
The Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuahia Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dr. Chibuzor Opoko, in his testimony, listed several achievements of the Otti administration, including road infrastructure development, prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions, settlement of inherited arrears, erosion control efforts, improvements in healthcare services and reforms in the education sector.
He said the administration had restored pride and confidence among Abians and urged residents to continue supporting the government’s development programmes.
The event attracted religious leaders, political stakeholders and dignitaries from different parts of the country.
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