Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has tasked members of the Abia State Executive Council on creating a comprehensive and sustainable framework to achieve the state’s strategic governance objectives for 2025.
Governor Otti made the call at the opening of an enlarged two-day Executive Council Retreat held at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia. The retreat, themed “Sustaining Momentum: Accelerating Execution,” seeks to identify operational challenges and offer solutions to enhance effective governance.
In his speech titled “Eyes On The Ball,” the governor emphasized the importance of regularly evaluating progress and using past achievements to improve governance and institutional effectiveness.
Governor Otti highlighted that the retreat was designed to address key operational issues and provide guidance on overcoming obstacles that hinder effective execution. He urged participants to tackle their duties with renewed urgency, emphasizing the high expectations of the people and reaffirming his administration’s commitment to surpassing the standards set by previous administrations.
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, explained that the retreat was intended to maintain the momentum of Governor Otti’s administration in various developmental sectors, including health, education, and more. He encouraged participants to reflect and strategize on how to achieve the administration’s goals, stressing that complacency should not be an option.
During the retreat, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation, presented a paper on “Enhancing Public Service Through Efficiency, Accountability, Transparency, and Impactful Reforms.” He identified challenges such as a lack of capacity, accountability, and transparency in the public service, recommending solutions like capacity-building, improved work environments, and filling gaps through contract appointments.
Oronsaye also proposed better collaboration between the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Head of Service, emphasizing that reducing friction between public servants and civil servants could improve goal achievement.
Participants, including Sir Chris Onwuegbu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, and Lady Ugonma Jimonu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the retreat.
They noted that it would help align top government officials toward the shared goal of building a new Abia, as envisioned by Governor Otti. They also hoped the retreat would foster better cooperation between political appointees and bureaucrats, facilitating smoother policy implementation for the current fiscal year.
The Deputy Governor, Chief Ikechukwu Emetu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Head of Service, Mr Benson Ojeikere among other government officials, also participated in the retreat.
