Otti: Abia’s Huge Debt Constitutes Landmine for Future Generations

Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
The leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, yesterday, alleged that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had laid “landmines” for future generations of Abians by increasing the debt profile of the state to unsustainable level.

He raised the alarm in a statement he read on a radio programme in Umuahia, saying that it was distressful that while the Ikpeazu administration was wasteful in managing state resources, it was equally accumulating huge debts without plans for repayment.

“Either by omission or commission (Governor Ikpeazu) seems to be squandering what’s accruing to the state while at the same time incurring debts without clear cut strategy and futuristic plan for repayment, thus planting a landmine for the Abia unborn generations,” Otti lamented.

Though the former bank boss did not give specific figures on the debt profile of Abia, he said that God’s own state has continued to fair badly under the present government, adding that the third anniversary of Ikpeazu’s government has offered Abia people good opportunity to assess his performance.

“It’s very easy to reach a conclusion that the present government has sadly failed to steer the vehicle of governance in a manner that would lift you from the doldrums of poverty and hopelessness, to a veritable economic pedestal that would show you hope and great opportunities,” he told Abians.

According to him, there was hardly any sector of the Abia economy that has witnessed significant improvement under the present administration, adding that Abians should see 2019 as crucial year when they would once again get the chance “to decide your socio-political and economic future as Abians.

He scored Ikpeazu’s government very low, noting that “socio-political and economic indices clearly show that Abia remains on the downward spiral in agriculture, education, health, security, general infrastructure, industrialisation, among others.”

“This alarming situation is a frightening reminder to the urgency of the mission of every Abia progressive. Remember, if the good men among us do nothing, the evil ravaging Abia would reach a point of invincibility,” Otti said.

Otti, who is preparing hard to once again challenge Ikpeazu for the governorship seat, said there was no need asking the Abia governor to turn a new leaf because “a bad government is a bad government.”
He said he would rather ask Abians “to redouble your resolve and remain firm and resolute as we collectively look up to a brighter day which shall come to actualisation in no distant time.”