Abia State All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti has unveiled his plans and programmes for the reconstruction of the state from the shackles of underdevelopment and deficiency of infrastructure, if elected into office.

He unveiled his blueprint yesterday during an interactive session with reporters in Lagos.

The former Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank Plc said he would build on the following planks: Resuscitation of moribund industries, including the 50.000 leather products workers at Ariaria market; rehabilitation of Aba roads; provision of regular power supply; provision of road network across the state; exploiting the agricultural potential of Abia State; building of three major health centres in the three senatorial zones and empowerment of small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the state, based on his experience in Diamond Bank where he initiated the MSME projects which raised their loan book to N100 billion.

Otti said that unknown to many, Abia is a rice producing state, and that potential is currently untapped, just as he noted that the people of Bende area sell off their cocoa harvests raw.

He promised to set up a cocoa processing plant to boost its farming as well as create jobs as well as earn foreign exchange as the butter could be exported. Regretting that Abians cannot continue on subsistence farming in a country that spends $365 000 per annum in rice importation. Abia will fully exploit its rice production potential.

On funding of the projects, he said as an economist and seasoned banker, he had attracted international partners and donor agencies when he was in Diamond Bank, and could do it again if he is elected governor, as such agencies usually prefer working with experts whom they can trust.

He said that he is a financial expert who is informed on budgeting and planning to achieve optimal results.

The APGA standard bearer regretted the state of health in the state where he said that infant mortality is among the highest in the country while maternal health is also in a pitiable state, due to the high rate of poverty in the state where, according to him, civil servants have not been paid for some months now despite being in election month.

Dr Otti, said that he would be meeting with representatives of the International Finance Corporation later today at Aba on what he called Light of Africa, involving 200 companies.

He added that when Geometrics Independent Power Project comes on stream, that Abia will not only be sufficient in power supply but have extra to pass on to the national grid.

He cautioned on the imminent danger of insecurity against the background of the incumbent governor's current drive of recruiting and arming hooligans with imported weapons who would be deployed as security men during the election.

•Photo shows Alex Otti.

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