Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with key Federal Government agencies to improve the state’s business environment, expand rural electrification, and accelerate the transition to green transportation.
Governor Otti gave the assurance on Thursday while receiving delegations from the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV) at the Government House, Umuahia.
The delegations were led by their respective Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers.
Speaking during the meeting, Governor Otti commended the agencies for their presentations and pledged his administration’s full cooperation in ensuring that the partnerships deliver tangible benefits for the people of Abia State.
The Governor appreciated the Managing Director of MOFI, Dr. Armstrong Takang, for returning to Abia barely two weeks after their previous engagement, describing the renewed interest in the state as encouraging.
He assured the agency of the government’s commitment to implementing all necessary agreements to maximise the benefits of its partnership with MOFI.
Earlier, Dr. Takang disclosed that an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MOFI and the Abia State Government is ready for implementation.
He expressed confidence that the partnership would begin yielding measurable results within the coming weeks, stressing MOFI’s commitment to meeting expectations.
On the Rural Electrification Agency’s intervention, Governor Otti described it as unfortunate that Abia had not made the expected progress despite possessing the necessary resources to advance renewable energy projects.
He assured the REA that decisive action would be taken within the next 14 days.
Just watch us and see what will happen in the next 14 days. I would like to have another session with you because some of the information and data you presented are things I need to work with. You can be sure you will hear from us within the next 14 days,” the Governor said.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Dr. Abba Aliyu, revealed that the agency has mapped communities across Nigeria requiring rural electrification and is currently deploying 1,000 mini-grids nationwide.
He noted that although an MoU was signed with the Abia State Government last year, implementation has been slow. He assured the state of the agency’s readiness to provide support once the government demonstrates commitment to the project.
Governor Otti also pledged to provide land for the proposed Green Mobility Plant under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV), indicating that the facility would most likely be located in Aba because of its high commercial activity and traffic volume.
He also promised to appoint a state focal person to coordinate engagements with the initiative.
The Governor noted that Abia’s electric buses have continued to perform effectively, contributing significantly to the state’s clean energy agenda.
He added that while electric vehicles remain a priority, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) presents a practical alternative for vehicle owners who wish to convert existing petrol-powered vehicles to cleaner energy.
Executive Chairman of PI-CNG & EV, Barr. Ismaeel Ahmed, said the initiative is impressed with the progress recorded by the Otti administration and is seeking a strategic partnership with Abia State.
According to him, the initiative plans to position Abia as the CNG hub of the South-East through the establishment of a clean mobility plant.
Ahmed disclosed that PI-CNG & EV is already collaborating with MOFI on several investment initiatives in the state and plans to organise a Clean Mobility Investment Forum, with Abia expected to play a leading role.
He requested the allocation of land along a major traffic corridor for the proposed facility and asked the Governor to nominate a state focal person to facilitate seamless collaboration.
Also present at the meeting were the Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Strategy Officer to the Abia State Government, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, alongside other members of the State Executive Council.
