in Umuahia

Governor Alex Otti has leveraged his array of friends, political and business associates to generate handsome funds to implement his strategies aimed at making Abia State very safe at all times.

They answered his clarion call at the launch of the Abia State Security Trust Fund Thursday in Umuahia, dipped hands into their pockets and made generous donations totalling over N3.4 billion.

Otti treated the donors to a luncheon at the International Conference Centre Umuahia, during which he launched the fund-raising project, saying that it “is in line with the provisions of the Abia State Security Trust Fund Law, 2024.”

According to him, the law in reference “empowers the state to set up a specialised framework for mobilising, managing and deploying resources in support of our security infrastructure across the state.”

He reiterated that security is everybody’s  business hence Abia residents should take more than a cursory interest in security issues around their environments in order to nip security challenges in the bud.

“To counter the enormous cost of security crisis, all of us are invited to always take more than a passing interest in security issues in our neighbourhoods, places of business, and in the larger community,” Otti stated.

The Abia governor noted that the launch represents another layout programme in his holistic security initiative which focuses on prevention of criminal activities.

He stressed the need for the government to make security a top priority, given that “insecurity creates economic and social crisis, impoverishes the population, and makes refugees of individuals and families in their homeland.”

Otti thanked all the donors to the trust fund and promised that every kobo raised at the luncheon would be judiciously applied, adding that his administration has demonstrated prudence in the management of resources.

He expressed satisfaction with the job being done by the security agencies in keeping with his firm commitment to make Abia a hostile place for criminals to stay and engage in their nefarious activities.

Recalling the level of insecurity he met on assumption of office, Otti said that through Operation Crush and other security interventions, he has been able to make Abia relatively peaceful.

He, however, assured Abia people that he would not rest on his oars in his efforts to ensure security of lives and property throughout the state.

Abia stakeholders across political divides were on hand to offer their support to the governor so that God’s Own State would remain safe for all, both residents and visitors.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, former Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Dr. Uche Ogah, graced the luncheon in solidarity with Otti.

Onyejeocha commended her state governor for his unrelenting efforts to checkmate security in Abia, adding that security should never be politicised as nobody is immuned from the adverse effects of insecurity.

She said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully in support of what Otti has been doing to make Abia safe and conducive for residential and business purposes.

Onyejeocha lauded Otti for his developmental strides since he became the chief executive of Abia two years now, enthusing that she can now proudly declare her citizenship of Abia.

Ogah also commended Otti for making a big difference in the governance of Abia and lent his voice to the call that security should be everybody’s business.

He said that Abia Security Trust Fund has come at the right time and pledged he would be making handsome monthly donations in support of the initiative for a period of one year.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Abia State Security Trust Fund, Mr. Stanley Obiamaraije, represented by the Vice Chairman, Chief Johnson Chukwu, said that the Trust Fund as stipulated by the enabling law, is a public-private partnership (PPP).

He explained that it was designed to mobilise resources from both government and non-governmental stakeholders to enhance the operational capabilities of security agencies within the state.

“The overall goal is simple: to provide logistics, equipment, communication tools, surveillance infrastructure and other critical support to enable security agencies to respond effectively to challenges in real time,” Obiamaraije stated.

He commended the governor for not only initiating and supporting the functionality of the Security Trust Fund but also “backing the initiative with unwavering political will, visionary leadership and actionable commitment.”

Among the highest individual donors were
two business moguls, Chief Adedeji Adeleke
and Chief Arthur Eze, who donated N500 million and N200 million, respectively. The President of Innoson Motors, Chief Innocent Chukwuma followed with a donation of N100 million.