Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has expressed his desire for a higher share of federal revenue allocation to enable his administration deliver more development projects across the state.

He made this known while receiving Mrs Nkechi Oti, the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), who visited his office to present reports from her recent familiarisation tour and stakeholder engagements in the state.

Governor Otti emphasised that an improved allocation from the federation account would significantly boost the state’s capacity to implement critical projects for the benefit of its people.

He further highlighted that his administration’s prudent financial management was evident in Abia State’s favourable ranking in the latest report by the Debt Management Office (DMO), underscoring his government’s commitment to accountability and fiscal responsibility.

He said; “Anything you can do to help us increase our Federal allocation will be very much appreciated by your State and by the government. Once again, thank you for the report. I will take my time and read through it.

“We have a lot of things on our hands. If we get more money to be able to execute them, why not? Particularly, we have also shown financial discipline.

“I am sure you may have seen the report that came out last week, which shows that our State has done well in terms of reduction of debt.

“That could only have happened because we are disciplined in terms of how we spend. We only spend when it is absolutely necessary and for the right reasons.”

While thanking Mrs. Oti for the observations they made in various areas and agencies of the State government, the Governor explained that his government is a responsible one, and believes that things should be done properly.

On the issue of over staffing observed in ASOPADEC by the Federal Commissioner, Otti assured that he would handle it urgently.

He said: “I will also engage further with ASOPADEC to understand what their problem is. The truth is that, we do not want to throw people into the job market.

“What I had instructed was some form of restructuring. If there is excess capacity, they could be sent somewhere else rather than putting them in the unemployment queue.

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“The Head of Service should also be part of this meeting. It should happen as quickly as tomorrow, so that we can look at the headcount and know how to send some people to other places.”

Earlier in her remarks, Mrs Nkechi Oti explained that her visit to Abia State was part of her familiarisation tour, following her recent appointment as the Federal Commissioner representing the state at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

She shared that her team had engaged with various agencies and stakeholders across Abia and was impressed by the significant strides recorded under Governor Otti’s administration. According to her, the state has witnessed notable progress in areas such as road infrastructure development, the digitalisation of internally generated revenue processes, upgrades in public schools and healthcare facilities, as well as the recruitment of over 5,000 teachers.

However, Mrs Oti also pointed out certain concerns identified during the visit. These include issues of overstaffing within the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC) and the need for deeper community engagement in the oil-producing regions to foster inclusiveness and development.