Text of Governor Alex C. Otti’s Remarks at the Flag-Off of Aba Water Scheme Phase 1, St. Joseph College, Aba — Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Access to clean, safe, and affordable water is a fundamental human right—just as vital as access to clean air. Life is jeopardized when this basic necessity is either inadequate or compromised. Beyond being a biological necessity, water is essential for hygiene, economic productivity, and everyday living. It keeps our hospitals functioning, our schools operational, and our markets clean. Water is the silent enabler of life, flowing through our homes, cities, and ecosystems.

Today, we are here to mark the official commencement of the first phase of the rehabilitation of the Aba Water Scheme. I warmly welcome you all to this significant milestone—another fulfillment of our campaign promises to Ndi Abia. As I have stated in the past, our manifesto wasn’t a collection of political catchphrases. It was a carefully thought-out blueprint based on a thorough understanding of the economic and social needs of our people.

This project—the revival of Aba’s long-abandoned urban water infrastructure—is crucial not just to public health but to the transformation of Aba into a modern 21st-century city. Pipe-borne, treated water available in homes, offices, and public spaces is a non-negotiable standard in any thriving urban centre. This is just the beginning. In due time, we will also kick off the Aba Water Intake and Ariaria Water Schemes, as well as activate the Ogbor Hill Booster Station, ensuring equitable access to clean water for every resident, regardless of status or income.

As our Honourable Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday, has noted, this effort is part of the Abia Integrated WASH Accelerated Programme (AIWAP)—a comprehensive state-wide initiative to increase access to safe drinking water. Our aim is to ensure that every home is within a 2-3 minute walk of a public water standpost. This will drastically reduce the time and energy spent—especially by women and children—fetching water from private or distant sources.

AIWAP is more than just a water project. It’s a health, economic, and environmental initiative. By ensuring consistent water availability, we improve hygiene, combat disease, and support productivity. Our schoolchildren will benefit from improved study time, our emergency responders will be more effective, and our communities will become more livable and sustainable. In every sense, AIWAP supports life.

Personally, this project holds special significance for me. First, it brings us closer to our vision of a new Aba—a city powered by strong, functional infrastructure. It also helps reduce environmental pollution by decreasing the reliance on sachet water, leading to a cleaner environment and better household savings. But most importantly, it demonstrates our capacity to persevere through obstacles.

Let me share that this project faced delays due to unforeseen policy changes from an international partner which had initially agreed to support the work. In January, their sudden policy shift nullified prior commitments, threatening to derail our plans. But we remained undeterred. We returned to the drawing board and found alternative means to fund and execute the project. Today is a testament to our resolve to deliver results, no matter the challenge.

Work on additional schemes in Aba and other parts of the state will follow as resources become available. Already, we’ve revived water projects in places like Abia State University, Uturu, and acquired a high-capacity drilling rig to support additional community efforts before year-end.

Our efforts also extend to combating open defecation and its environmental impact. Just this morning, I commissioned a model WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facility at Okigwe Motor Park in Umuahia. It features solar-powered infrastructure, modern toilets, and water access points. Similar projects are underway across public spaces and markets statewide, promoting dignity, hygiene, and environmental responsibility.

In closing, I wish to commend Engr. Ikechukwu Monday and his team for their diligence and dedication. I’m pleased to see renewed activity across previously dormant departments in the ministry. I urge continued vigilance in maintaining and safeguarding our public utilities. Security has been deployed to protect these assets, and I encourage citizens to report any act of vandalism or sabotage.

My dear Ndi Abia, this is your government. I urge you to keep supporting us by paying your taxes and levies responsibly. Every contribution you make is a step toward the development of our beloved state. Rest assured, every naira you invest will be transparently and efficiently used to improve lives, expand businesses, and create opportunities.

Thank you all for listening, and may God continue to bless Abia State.