NEWS
“There Is No High-Capacity State Without High-Capacity People” — Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka Says, Challenges Abia Leaders as Gov. Alex Otti Deepens Merit-Based Governance Agenda
Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has delivered a powerful challenge to political appointees and senior public servants in Abia State, declaring that no government, regardless of the quality of its policies or the ambition of its development plans, can achieve meaningful results without competent and capable people to turn intentions into execution.
Chief Chidoka made the assertion while delivering a thought-provoking lecture titled “Strengthening Governance: Ethical Leadership and Public Service Delivery” at the Abia State Leadership Academy Executive Leadership Series held on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
The event, which brought together political appointees, Permanent Secretaries and senior public servants, was part of activities marking the 35th anniversary of the creation of Abia State.
The Executive Leadership Series, themed “Strengthening Government Ethical Leadership and Public Service Delivery,” focused on leadership development, institutional reforms, accountability and the urgent need to build a new generation of leaders capable of sustaining Abia State’s development beyond the lifespan of the present administration.
At the heart of Chief Chidoka’s lecture was a fundamental question about governance: what separates governments that merely make promises from those that actually deliver results?
According to the former Minister, the answer lies in the capacity of the people entrusted with the responsibility of translating government vision into concrete outcomes.
Chief Chidoka stressed that political appointees and career public servants occupy the critical space between government intentions and the actual experiences of citizens. Governments may formulate policies, approve budgets and unveil ambitious plans, but those documents and decisions can only become meaningful when competent people effectively implement them.
Using the story of a missing pair of scissors at a commissioning ceremony as an illustration, he described State capacity as “the ability of government to convert intention into execution.”
The analogy brought the conversation from the lofty language of policies and government programmes to the practical realities of administration and execution, highlighting how even the best intentions can be undermined when systems and the people responsible for delivering results lack the capacity to perform.
“There is no high-capacity State without high-capacity people,” he declared, urging Abia appointees to recognise that administrative capability, competence and professionalism are indispensable to effective governance.
Chief Chidoka’s message was that the true test of leadership does not end with the announcement of a policy or the approval of a budget. The real test begins with implementation.
A government may have a vision, but vision without competent hands to execute it can remain permanently trapped on paper.
Drawing lessons from China, Britain, Singapore and Rwanda, the former Minister emphasised the importance of merit, administrative capability, disciplined execution and accountability in building institutions that can survive individual leaders and political transitions.
He observed that policy without execution remains only a document, stressing that Abia’s development vision must therefore be matched by a public service capable of delivering.
Chief Chidoka also called for a deliberate alignment between political appointees and career civil servants, warning that the two arms of government administration cannot operate in isolation if the desired transformation is to be achieved.
He noted that while political appointees may have only 48 months to deliver on the mandate of an administration, career officers can remain in the public service for decades.
This, he explained, makes career civil servants vital to institutional memory, continuity and the long-term sustainability of government reforms.
His lecture therefore served as both a challenge and a call to action for those entrusted with the responsibility of driving the machinery of government in Abia State.
The former Minister’s intervention came as Governor Alex Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a government founded on merit, ethical leadership, competence and effective public service delivery.
Governor Otti said the establishment of the Abia State Leadership Academy and the Executive Education Programme was part of a deliberate strategy to build strong people and institutions rather than create a system dependent on particular individuals.
Recalling his interaction with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the Governor said one of the major lessons he took from the encounter was that good leadership must deliberately raise and develop people who can eventually surpass those who mentored them.
“It is the essence of this Leadership Academy, the essence of this executive education that we are having today. That is how we want to build our own leadership,” Gov. Otti said.
The Governor reiterated that merit, competence and integrity would remain at the centre of his administration’s approach to recruitment and appointments.
According to him, positions and opportunities in government should be earned through transparent and open competition rather than political connections or personal relationships.
Governor Otti cited admissions into Abia State University, particularly professional courses such as Medicine and Law, the recruitment of 5,394 new teachers in the first batch and another 4,074 teachers now collecting their appointment letters, as well as the competitive appointment of Permanent Secretaries.
The Governor said his administration had deliberately moved away from the old system in which sensitive public positions could be influenced by friendship, family relationships or other personal considerations.
“I believe that the good thing about good governance is that once people test it, then it becomes difficult to take them back to where they are coming from.
“We had started, last week, interviewing those that had applied, were screened through computer-based testing, passed and then the oral interviews.
“Since we came in 2023, we made the appointment of Permanent Secretaries competitive. No longer, ‘this is somebody’s friend, this is somebody’s wife’, No,“ Governor Otti stated.
Governor Otti also revealed that his administration had put in place a 25-year development plan for Abia State and ensured that it was backed by legislation.
He explained that the long-term plan cannot simply be discarded by future administrations unless the relevant laws are repealed by the Abia State House of Assembly, providing an institutional framework for continuity in the State’s development.
The State Chief Executive further underscored the importance of accurate data, proper planning and effective supervision, announcing that the Abia State Bureau of Statistics would soon be established to improve the availability of reliable data for planning and budgeting.
Governor Otti thanked Chief Chidoka for his thought-provoking lecture, which reinforced the administration’s emphasis on building capable institutions and strengthening the people responsible for implementing government policies.
In his opening remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Meribeole, called on political appointees and senior public servants to uphold competence, integrity, accountability and transparency in the discharge of their responsibilities.
He stressed that public office is a position of trust and reminded participants that the decisions taken by those in government have direct consequences on the lives and wellbeing of citizens.
Dr. Meribeole explained that the Executive Leadership Session was deliberately included among the activities marking Abia State’s 35th anniversary because sustainable development requires more than physical infrastructure.
According to him, strong institutions, ethical leadership and a competent public service are essential foundations for lasting development.
He urged political appointees and career civil servants to work together as one government in pursuit of Governor Alex Otti’s vision of a better Abia.
Also speaking, the President of the Abia State Leadership Academy, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, said the academy operates Executive Education and Enterprise Development programmes aimed at equipping emerging and established leaders with transformational leadership skills.
He added that the programmes also seek to strengthen the capacity of small businesses, particularly in areas of financial management and sound management practices.
Prof. Kalu described the Executive Education Programme as a significant milestone and welcomed Chief Chidoka as the guest speaker.
He urged participants to take the lessons from the session beyond the auditorium and apply them in their respective offices and institutions to improve service delivery to the people.
As Abia marks 35 years of its creation, the Executive Leadership Series became more than an anniversary event. It provided a platform for a deeper conversation about the kind of leadership, institutions and public servants required to sustain the State’s future.
For Chief Chidoka, the message was unmistakable: government vision alone is not enough. Policies alone are not enough. Budgets alone are not enough.
The strength of a government ultimately depends on the strength, competence, professionalism and ethical standards of the people charged with converting its intentions into results.
And as the Otti administration continues to pursue merit-based recruitment, institutional reforms and long-term planning, Chief Chidoka’s challenge to Abia’s political appointees and career public servants may prove particularly significant: the New Abia can only rise as high as the capacity of the people entrusted with building it.
The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE; Commissioners; political appoi
ntees of the State Government; Permanent Secretaries and other senior public servants.