COMMENTARY
ABIA STATE IS NOT FOR SALE — WE WILL NEVER GO BACK TO EGYPT, SAYS HON. GINGER ONWUSIBE
The Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes and Member representing Isiala Ngwa North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, has declared that Abia State is “not for sale,” insisting that the state will not return to what he described as years of decay and misrule.
Onwusibe made the statement while assessing the performance of Governor Alex Chioma Otti’s administration, describing the current government as a clear departure from the past and a turning point in Abia’s governance history.
According to him, the tenure of Governor Otti has brought a conspicuous shift in the state’s narrative, moving Abia from decades of infrastructural decay and weak governance to an era marked by visible development, strategic planning, and institutional reforms. He likened the difference between past administrations and the present one to “night and day,” adding that the contrast is comparable to the biblical journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.
The lawmaker recalled that for over 24 years, between 1999 and 2023, Abia State suffered severe neglect and unresponsiveness, a period he said culminated in poor service delivery, infrastructural collapse, low public trust in government, and allegations of corruption and mismanagement. He noted that the civil service was badly affected, with workers owed months, sometimes years of salary arrears, while pensioners endured prolonged hardship, with many dying without enjoying the benefits of their years of service.
Onwusibe stated that Governor Otti introduced a new governance approach anchored on professionalism, transparency, and fiscal discipline, stressing that the era of sharing public funds among political elites had been replaced with prudent management and long-term development planning.
He highlighted infrastructure and urban renewal as one of the most visible achievements of the current administration, pointing to massive road construction projects that have improved connectivity, particularly in rural areas, and stimulated local economic activities by linking communities to major commercial centres.
In the public service sector, the federal lawmaker said sanity has returned, noting that salary arrears inherited by the administration have been cleared and that workers now receive their wages as and when due. He added that the payment of a “13th month” salary previously considered unrealistic, has become a reality, while outstanding pension arrears have also been settled, restoring confidence in governance.
Onwusibe further listed improvements in healthcare, education, human capital development, employment, civil service reforms, and overall governance standards as evidence that Abia State is back on a path of progress.
He said the visible achievements recorded within just two years have earned the administration widespread support and commendation from Abians at home and in the diaspora.
Reaffirming his position, Onwusibe warned against attempts by what he described as vested interests to discredit the current government, urging Abians to scrutinize the antecedents of those attacking the administration. He alleged that such individuals are motivated by personal gain rather than the collective interest of the state.
“Abia State is not for sale. Our support for Dr. Alex Otti’s second tenure is non-negotiable,” he said, calling on residents to unite against what he termed the same forces that held the state back for over two decades.
He concluded by urging Abians to protect the gains recorded so far, declaring that the state has “seen the light” and must never return to the darkness of the past.