Being the Text of a Speech by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, at the Flag-off of the Construction of 19.1Kilometre Itungwa-Mgboko-Amaise-Amairi-Omoba-Ahiaba-Nkwo-Elechi Road on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at Railway Crossing, Omoba
Protocols,
1. Our capacity to effectively make the most of the advantages conferred on us by nature will be determined by the structures and systems we put in place to spur the productivity of the general population, creating incentives for hard work, and commensurate reward for enterprise. We are a hardworking population, blessed with large expanse of arable land, favourable climate and large market for our agricultural produce. Unfortunately, we have often found ourselves relying on farmers in distant lands to feed our population for the simple reason that we either do not sufficiently appreciate how blessed we are or have simply refused to do what needs to be done to mine the gold beneath our feet.
2. While it is often common to hear about lofty plans for agro-infrastructure, the evidence around us proves that we are either not sincere or have simply not done enough to supercharge our economy just by leveraging on our comparative advantage in agriculture. Food insecurity, unemployment, poverty and the rising tide of rural-urban migration are proofs that the agricultural value chain has not been given the pride of place it deserves in our push for prosperity and the welfare of the people.
3. We came to power with a promise to be firm in unleashing the economic levers that would drive the prosperity and wellbeing of our people. In the last 16 months, we have kept faith with our commitment, rebuilding and initiating new projects across all parts of the State, restoring order to communities that had been overrun by criminal gangs and ultimately, making a bold statement that service is the first condition of leadership. We are in a hurry to banish the ugly memories of the past defined by insincerity and colossal waste of public resources.
4. Today we have gathered to continue a governance tradition that puts the people first because as we promised during a long season of campaigns and struggle for the soul of Abia State, our only motivation for seeking public office was to efficiently deploy the resources of the land to build new layers of support for enduring social prosperity. The target is to build a broad economic system that runs on the productive energy of the people so that whether you are a farmer, an artisan, or operate in the MSME space, you will always find the Government working round the clock to dismantle the barriers that impede your productivity.
5. On this note distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me formally welcome you to the flag-off of the construction of the 19.1-kilometre Itungwa-Mgboko-Amaise-Amairi- Omoba-Abiaba-Nkwo-Elechi Road. This is a World Bank-supported scheme under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP). Governments before ours bought into RAAMP to improve transport conditions and expand access to urban markets for farmers and others who operate in the agricultural value chain. This administration is excited to be partnering with the World Bank in this Project as it aligns perfectly with our vision of bringing sustainable development to the rural communities through structured investments in social infrastructure.
6. The eventual take-off of this project is yet another testament to our unflinching resolve to develop robust structural pathways that support the entrepreneurial energy of Ndi Abia. We have flagged off dozens of road projects across the State in the last 16 months, but this particular road has a special appeal to it — a story that speaks to the determination of the present administration to do whatever is required to achieve the outcomes that we seek.
7. This particular road project had for several years, been on the drawing board without traction. We are glad that we have been able to move it from the drawing board to the execution table. Truly, we have gathered to flag-off a road project but the significance of this event goes beyond roads and creating new paths for commuters. This exercise sends a clear signal that we are mindful of even development across all parts of the State, and that no part of Abia shall be left behind in our push to create a support system for those who dare to dream. In Abia, the days of small dreams and mediocre vision are long gone.
8. Special gratitude is due to the World Bank team in Nigeria for their support to this Project, and for their patience with the State, especially when we struggled with the protocols. I want to specially thank the former Country Director of the Bank, Dr Shubbam Chaudhiri, who visited last year to engage with our team to iron out the fine details of the Bank’s project support structure for the State. This was following my own visit to him in Abuja to put the RAAMP projects on the front burner. Part of the fruits of those visits is the Project we have come today to flag-off. We would also like to appreciate Dr Ndiama Diop, the present Country Director of the Bank, for his interest and commitment to the successful execution of the broad spectrum of RAAMP.
9. Let me reiterate that Abia is willing to work with regional and international development partners to achieve our governance agenda in infrastructural development and social services delivery, especially in health, education and public transportation. As the take-off of this Project has demonstrated, we are prepared to do whatever is required, within the ambit of the law, and subject to the availability of resources, to execute projects that have direct impact on the welfare of our people.
10. This 19.1 kilometre stretch of road is only the pilot phase of RAAMP in the State. May I happily announce that between now and the end of the year, we shall, subject to the ratification by our project partners, award many more contracts for the construction and upgrade of roads extending up to 256 kilometres spread in different parts of the State.
11. More than just roads, RAAMP is an integrated infrastructural development framework set up to stimulate the economic transformation of our rural communities. In addition to building roads to traverse through major agricultural zones, the Project will also see to the improvement and upgrade of 6 agro-logistics hubs in different parts of the State. The markets cutting across 6 local government areas in the 3 senatorial districts include: Eke Uzuakoli in Bende LGA, Ndioro Market in Ikwuano, Orie Obinto in Arochukwu, Nkwo Elechi in Obingwa, Nkwo Ebe in Isiala Ngwa South, and Ohanku Market in Ukwa East.
12. As you will agree with me, RAAMP is about bringing the markets to the farms, cutting out post-harvest losses and increasing the profit margin of our farmers who would no longer have to travel long distances to access markets in the urban centres. The project is structured to make the State a thriving agricultural hub and effectively expand the volume of investments in the sector. This will in turn create jobs for our teeming youth population and generate wealth for the entrepreneurs who will put our agricultural resources, including large expanses of fertile land, into effective use.
13. To sustain the anticipated gains of RAAMP, we have effectively set up mechanisms for the establishment of support structures, including the Rural Access Road Agency (RARA) which will see to the continuous maintenance of the roads at the end of the RAAMP cycle. We are also working on the modalities for setting up the State Road Fund (SRF) for the purpose of raising funds for timely maintenance of the roads.
14. While it is true that this is a project supported by the World Bank, it would be proper to announce that the State has effectively taken ownership of the deliverables. These roads shall therefore be constructed to very high standards to support the anticipated increase in economic activities in the communities. I am also excited to announce that we have since paid the N600 million counterparts funding for RAAMP. I have also approved the release of additional N2.6 billion to facilitate effective project execution and cut down incidences of delays over the entire project cycle.
15. To conclude, I would like to express our collective gratitude to every team member whose inputs and sacrifices made the flag-off of this project possible. Commendations are due to the efforts of the State Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix, and her team, the State Project Implementation Unit, Senior Officials of the Abia State Government interfacing with the World Bank team, amongst others. Thank you for your hard work, resilience and for putting the State first all through the negotiations. I am optimistic that the same pattern of dedication and sincerity will continue over the project cycle.
16. Thank you for listening and may God bless you all.
Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR.
2/10/2024
