Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, has condemned the deplorable condition of the state when he took office last year.
While lamenting the situation, he stated that he was not whining, but rather dealing with it.
He stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, discussing the state’s current position.
He said, “Absolutely, very, very bad shape, but I am not complaining. I have folded my sleeves and I am just dealing with what I met here.”
The governor further lamented what his predecessor borrowed money for was not felt by residents of the state.
“My worry is not really about debt, it is about what the debt is used for. If you inherited a debt profile of N34.4 billion by May 29, 2015 and eight years later you ran that debt to about N192.2 billion; I really can’t see anything that you have done with the money, salaries were not being paid, pensioners were being owed, infrastructure was decaying, the place go into ruins, schools were run down completely, hospitals were dilapidated.
“So, the issue is where did the money go? If I am going to take debt, it is going to go into regenerative expenditure. But when you are taking loans and you are running the state into debt, just for consumption, you are not investing in the state; you are not paying salaries; that’s actually what I was talking about.”
Otti had said residents of the state deserve all the dividends they are getting in terms of infrastructural development and prompt payment of salaries and pensions.
He added that by providing the benefits of good governance for the citizenry, he was not doing the people any special favour but simply carrying out the responsibilities of government.
He said, “When we are building roads, it is not a favour, we want to create access so that people can go about their businesses freely because we want to make life better for the people.”
