It has been a pleasant era of steady progress for Abia State under the purposeful administration of Governor Alex Otti which began barely one and a half years ago. The prudent and result-oriented disposition of the new administration has made it to record outstanding achievements in diverse sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, and rural development among others.
In line with its cost-saving approach, the Otti administration, recently rebuilt and brought to life the previously abandoned Nnamdi Azikiwe State Secretariat after months of retrofitting, remodelling and external works. . The landmark project was executed with N900 million only instead of its earlier N2 billion contract value thereby saving a whopping N1.1 billion for the state. Here is the speech delivered by the high flying achiever-governor during the reopening ceremony of the secretariat:
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Let me joyfully welcome you, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, to the reopening of the previously abandoned Nnamdi Azikiwe State Secretariat after months of retrofitting, remodelling and external works. This reopening ceremony is in furtherance of our commitment to building a State that serves the needs of the general public in the most efficient way. I want to specially appreciate the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr Chaka Ikenna Chukwumerije, and his team from the Ministry who executed this project by direct labour, giving us a peek into the capacity that hitherto lay dormant in our civil service. What we are witnessing today could not have been possible if not for the trust this Administration reposed in the technical cadre of the State civil service from where we have deployed teams of engineers, architects, surveyors and other professionals to execute various important public-sector projects.
The majesty and ambience of this structure validate the decision to trust our civil servants with projects that would have otherwise gone to independent contractors at humongous sums. Working directly with our people has led to drastic reduction in costs, improved the technical capacities of the teams and opened new vistas of opportunities for local businesses that supply materials or lease the machines that are used for these projects in all parts of the State. The direct labour initiative has helped in minimising capital flight, brought job satisfaction to the technical corps in the civil service and created job openings as local businesses are empowered through supply contracts. Had we executed this project by contract it would have cost over N2 billion but the total cost by direct labour was about N900 million.
Beyond the revelations that are coming to the fore on the depth of competences that are domiciled in the civil service, we are also seeing opportunities for further professional development because there is so much more to be done. We shall continue to trust the technical teams we have in the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with new assignments. The reward for a good job, as I always say, is more jobs.
The renovation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat is another pointer to our determination to change the face of the State’s civil service by creating suitable working environment that not only supports optimal productivity but also add to the dignity of close to 1000 personnel. In the next few days, the management and staff of four different MDAs will have their permanent addresses here; another four will also move in, but only for the meantime while we work to find permanent office spaces for them.
Recall that suitable and supportive office accommodation have already been provided for the management and staff of several establishments in the Ministry of Budget and Planning, Civil Service Commission, and other parastatals. The relevant personnel have since moved in. In late May this year, I commissioned the new Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) Building here in the State capital after years of abandonment. I am glad that today, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Eye Health Management Bureau and other agencies have moved into the new edifice. You may also have noticed that the New State Secretariat Complex now looks better following weeks of structural improvement works. Plans are in place to commence the external works and give the entire surrounding a new look that befits such a magnificent structure.
We are not just building and retrofitting structures that excite onlookers; the functionality of the buildings is as important as the aesthetics. This explains why we are restoring water and electricity supply to all the public offices here in Umuahia. We are also going to create green areas around the complex to make it more environmentally appealing. Already, new air cooling systems, furniture, conveniences and similar structures that add extra layers of comfort to those working or visiting have been set up. Security has also been prioritised in all public offices in the State capital to make the spaces safe and enabling for peak productivity, and to also protect public infrastructure from vandals. The overarching vision is to create a working environment where workers are motivated to come to each morning to do their jobs.
The extensive investments in the restoration, acquisition and building of office complexes speak to the determination of the State Government to create a robust civil service architecture. An effective and responsive civil service system is pivotal to the successful delivery of our core governance objectives. The reforms we intend to push will be stifled without a motivated civil service to drive the policies and programmes. In the light of the immense role an organised and result-oriented civil service plays in actualising the policy direction of governments, one can say without fear of contradiction that our capacity to pursue certain development objectives is extensively dependent on the quality of the civil service.
Ours is a development-focused Administration, committed to the holistic transformation of all aspects of our socio-economic realities. The attainment of our broad governance priorities requires effective planning, public sector data management and an efficient template for policy coordination. All of these functions are within the purview of the civil service and its long tradition of bureaucracy, firmed on the principles of consistency with laid down rules, accountability and sound judgement in decision-making.
A thorough understanding of the place of an efficient bureaucracy in the execution of the Government’s policy outlook informed our decision to take a well-rounded approach in restoring the dignity of the civil service in the State, beginning with a drastic change in the process of appointing Permanent Secretaries. In the new template, competence and experience have since replaced all other considerations.
It is already taken for granted that we pay salaries, allowances and other perks promptly and regularly. This Administration in the last 18 months has remained consistent in prioritising the welfare of our workers. Just as we promised, the implementation of the new national minimum wage has since commenced. One thing you can take to the bank is that never again will the welfare of our workers be taken for granted. Nobody shall withhold what is due you, not under my watch!
In the light of our commitment to the welfare, safety and career progression of the civil servants and other categories of employees working for the State Government, it is expected that we shall begin to see higher output levels in all the public sector establishments in the State. Truancy, lateness, leakage of government documents and other forms of indiscipline and abuses shall not be tolerated. You are required to take your job more seriously going forward; be at your duty post when you should and be conscious of your professional development. I encourage you to guard against being stagnant because the world is a dynamic place. My office is working closely with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the Offices of the Head of Service and the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, to work out suitable training programmes for different cadres of personnel in the civil service beginning in the New Year.
The Secretariat we have gathered to commission, and other office complexes, must be put to effective use. I have directed the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Housing to work out a sustainable plan for the effective maintenance of these structures. The plumbing, electrical and other components of the buildings are expected to be in good shape at all times. The heads of the various establishments working from the office complexes will have the responsibility of ensuring that repair works are carried out as quickly as possible. We have to consciously jettison the old lackadaisical disposition that led to the deterioration of the facilities before now. It is the duty of whoever works from any of the offices here to take ownership and manage them like we would take care of our private property.
The New Abia philosophy is not just about new roads and public buildings. It is especially about our attitude to work, the disposition we bring to what we do and how we treat the responsibilities that have been entrusted to us. All the funds we have sunk into the restoration and expansion of public infrastructure projects will amount to nothing if they are poorly managed because eventually, we shall find ourselves in the very ugly position we are just coming out of. We all have an obligation to prevent that from ever happening.
Thank you for listening, and may God bless you all.
Dr Alex C. Otti,
Governor, Abia State