By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia, on Wednesday, warned political office holders and senior public officers to step up their performance or shown the way out.

Otti issued the warning, while addressing the 2025 Second Quarter Abia Executive Council Strategy Retreat at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

The retreat has as Its theme: ?Sustaining the Momentum: Leadership in Execution.?

He said that his administration would no longer tolerate underperforming officers, adding that the retreat was mandatory for all senior state?s public service officers.

He urged them to embrace continuous learning, collaboration, and regular self-assessment to sustain the momentum of reforms and development efforts across the state.

He said that the outcomes of the retreats were expected to drive government?s holistic transformation agenda.

?These sessions help us assess progress, measure against key milestones, and accelerate delivery within available resources,? he said.

The governor, who referenced a biblical principle on unfruitful trees, reiterated his zero-tolerance for mediocrity in leadership.

?I?m sure you recall the biblical instruction about trees that do not bear good fruit,? he said.

He commended his team?s progress but urged them not to benchmark themselves against past administrations, which he said were marked by mediocrity.

Otti called on participants to maximise mentorship opportunities from members of the Global Economic Advisory Council present at the retreat.

He further emphasised that consistent underperformance was a result of personal choice and not the lack of opportunities for improvement.

?Leadership is not perfection but the courage to learn, unlearn, and relearn,? he said.

In a remark, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, described the theme as both a recognition of progress and renewed call to action.

Kalu said that effective execution remains the real test of leadership credibility.

He expressed the need for discipline and collaboration to translate the visions of the administration into tangible results.

The event was attended by top government officials, development partners, and members of the Abia Global Economic Advisory Council. (NAN)

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