Former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has praised Gov. Alex Otti of Abia for assenting to the Abia State of Nigeria Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Repeal Law.
Obasanjo made the commendation on Friday when he paid a courtesy visit to the governor Abia state.
“I saw the repeal of Abia pensions of former governors; you said to me that the pension scheme for former governors here is too outrageous.
“It allows them to have a house in Abuja and elsewhere, and it allows them to cart away with whatever they can.
“I congratulate you and I hope that your colleagues will follow your footstep”, Obasanjo said.
Chief Obasanjo told Otti that there were lots of works to do in the state and he’s commitment is vital.
“You have started well, but you should never be tired nor discouraged, because you will be abused and you will be called names.”
“If we have one-third of our states doing what should be done, this country will be a different country”, Obasanjo said.
He however insisted that the people of Abia were enterprising and deserved a leader who would prioritize their interests.
“I have always maintained that if there’s any zone in this country that could really give what I call regional development, it’s the Southeast, because you are almost monolithic in everything,” he said.
Otti responded to the former president’s comments, stressing that Abia government was intentional about developing infrastructure, particularly in Aba as the industrial hub of Southeast.
“In the last nine months, we have completed and commissioned ten roads in Aba and at the moment we have about 31 roads that are in different stages of construction and completion’’, he said.
Otti then urged the federal and state governments to make in depth efforts to recalibrate the cost of governance.
Chinedum Anayo