Otti Prioritizes Merit in Abia State Appointments

Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, declared that his administration will prioritize merit, competence, and integrity in appointments and recruitments, ending the practice of nepotism characterized by “this is somebody’s friend, this is somebody’s wife.” This announcement was made during the Abia State Leadership Academy Executive Leadership Series for political appointees and senior public servants at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, part of the celebrations for Abia’s 35th anniversary. Otti cited competitive processes for admissions into Abia State University and the recruitment of 5,394 new teachers, along with the ongoing issuance of letters to another 4,074 teachers, as examples of this new approach.

He also mentioned the competitive appointment of Permanent Secretaries initiated in 2023. To ensure continuity, Otti revealed a 25-year development plan for Abia, which has been legislated and cannot be discarded by future administrations without State House of Assembly approval.

Additionally, he announced plans to establish the Abia State Bureau of Statistics to enhance data availability for planning and budgeting.