Otti Reaffirms Youth Development Agenda as Abia Leadership Academy Graduates First Cohort

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has restated his administration’s commitment to nurturing future leaders who will uphold the values of good governance in Nigeria and beyond.

He gave the assurance during the graduation ceremony of the pioneer set of the Abia Leadership Academy, where young Abians between the ages of 16 and 20 completed a seven-day intensive leadership training at Government College, Umuahia.

Delivering a speech titled “A New Pedestal”, Governor Otti emphasized that the academy was designed to instill empathy, responsibility, and community values in the state’s youth.

“We are committed to getting it right with the younger generation. Otherwise, our wider development efforts will be in jeopardy. The academy has been set up to return us to the ideals and values that made us distinct as a people,” he said.

He commended the graduates for their enthusiasm and discipline, while urging them to apply their newly acquired skills with humility and vision. Otti further revealed that plans were underway to deploy the 1,000 trained participants across secondary and tertiary institutions in the state to cascade their knowledge to peers.

The governor also disclosed that his administration is reviewing the school curriculum to align with present realities. In addition, he announced that the state had secured approval from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to acquire Star Paper Mill, a major employer in the past, with plans to revive it and later hand it over to the private sector.