…Emphasizes Need For Robust Governance Framework And Continuous Assessment For Improved Execution
…Pledges To Raise Governance Standards Beyond Past Administrations.
…Exco Members Encouraged To Align With Vision For A New Abia.
…Keynote Presentation By Mr. Stephen Oronsaye Focuses On Public Service Reforms And Efficiency.
The Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has called on members of his Executive Council to craft a sustainable and strategic execution framework that will ensure the state’s governance targets for the 2025 fiscal year are fully achieved.
Governor Otti made this charge during the opening session of the First Executive Council Retreat for 2025, held for the enlarged State Executive Council (SEC).
The two-day retreat, themed “SUSTAINING MOMENTUM: ACCELERATING EXECUTION,” serves as a leadership summit, interactive session, and strategy-setting forum aimed at identifying challenges, minimizing operational bottlenecks, and creating actionable solutions to improve governance.
Delivering his keynote address on the topic “Eyes on the Ball,” Governor Otti emphasized the importance of periodic assessments and the conscious application of lessons from past achievements to enhance governance efficiency. He underscored the retreat’s purpose as an avenue to explore innovative solutions to improve execution and achieve the administration’s strategic targets.
“The retreat has been packaged to bring certain operational outcomes to the fore and ultimately guide us to the new ways of overcoming the obstacles that stand in the way of the path of effective execution,” the Governor stated.
Governor Otti called on participants to collectively design a robust execution template.
“What we need to do in the course of this retreat is to see where and how our approach to the execution has deviated to the trajectory we seek to travel. The agenda for us all in this exercise shall be to collectively develop a robust execution template that will drive the attainment of our strategic governance target for the current fiscal year,” he added.
Governor Otti described 2025 as a pivotal year for Abia State, urging his team to exceed past achievements and align with the government’s ambitious targets. He reminded the Executive Council members of the high expectations from Abians and the need to deliver results with renewed urgency.
“This retreat has been set up to underline how we shall run as a government in the new year. 2025 will be a crucial year for the State, so we are required to exceed whatever we achieved in the past,” he stated.
Governor Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to raising governance standards far beyond those of previous administrations.
“This administration is not going to be judged by the mediocre standards of the past administration because we were elected to raise the bar and raise it very, very high,” he said.
He encouraged participants to use the retreat as an opportunity to assess deviations from the set trajectory and realign their strategies for improved execution, calling for open and constructive engagement throughout the retreat.
In his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Kenneth Kalu, described the retreat as a time for reflection and strategic planning to ensure the administration’s goals are met. He stressed the importance of collaboration and clear policy implementation to avoid conflicts between political appointees and bureaucrats.
Reacting to the Governor’s address, participants expressed optimism about the retreat’s potential impact.
Sir Chris Onwuegbu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, and Lady Ugonma Jimonu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, noted that the retreat would align top government officials with Governor Otti’s vision for a new Abia.
They highlighted that the program would bridge gaps between bureaucrats and political appointees and provide clarity on policy implementation and program execution.
The retreat featured interactive sessions, workshops, and a keynote presentation titled “Enhancing Public Service Through Efficiency, Accountability, Transparency, and Impactful Reforms” by Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation.
The sessions provided practical insights on improving public service delivery and inspired participants to embrace innovative approaches to governance. The two-day retreat ended with a renewed resolve among participants to drive Abia State toward greater prosperity.
