Umuahia: Governor Alex Otti has restated his administration’s unwavering commitment to serving God and fulfilling promises made to Abia citizens, assuring that his government remains focused on delivering the reforms and development pledged at its inception.
Otti said this on Sunday in Umuahia during an interdenominational thanksgiving service, organised by the Abia Government to commemorate his third anniversary in office.
“We started by taking the state to God in prayers and rededicated the state immediately after we were sworn in.
Otti said, “Another vow we made is the one we are about to fulfil.”
Otti said that thanksgiving and worship remained a personal conviction for him and his family, adding that giving glory to God is necessary for the successes recorded by the administration.
The governor declared, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
He announced plans to build a privately funded ecumenical centre in Umuahia.
He noted he had provided land, acquired in 2009 before his governorship, for the project.
“We vowed to build an ecumenical centre in Umuahia for God, which will not use any state government funds.”
He explained that the ecumenical centre will be financed entirely by private contributions, with no government funds used for its construction.
The governor also appreciated the President of Living Word Ministries International, Dr Emma Okorie, for his support and prayers over the years.
He recalled that in his 2014 governorship bid, authorities allegedly pressured the cleric not to associate with him.
According to him, when Okorie refused, the authorities at the time demolished his fence.
“He is one of the people who suffered at the hands of the previous administration.
“But all those who did that have been forgiven, and because he has forgiven them, we have also forgiven them,” the governor said.
Delivering a sermon, entitled “Where there is no vision the people perish”, Okorie described the governor as a “God-sent” on a mission to deliver the Abia people.
Okorie, who took his scripture reading from Exodus 3:1-10, said that the Israelites spent long years under bondage in Egypt, and God sent Moses to deliver them after they cried out to God.
He likened the experience to the case of Abia, which had undergone setbacks in the past 24 years, “as a result of having people without vision in the saddle of leadership, and the citizens crying to God for deliverance”.
He said that Otti’s emergence as governor of Abia was a sign that God had heard the people of Abia’s cry and sent him to deliver them from their misery.
Okorie said, “I believe with all I have seen, Gov. Otti encountered God, just like Moses did at the burning bush.
“I believe he did not just take up governance; he encountered God.”
He described the governor as a man with a divine mandate, vision and a servant to the people of Abia, focused on transforming the state.
In a remark, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, Most Rev. Michael Ukpong, said: “All God needs from you is your trust and for you to continue doing good.
He said, “Do not allow anything to distract you from the good work you are doing, and the prayers of the people will continue to be with you.”
Ukpong said that his message was not only directed at the governor but also at his collaborators, appointees and civil servants.
He reminded public office holders that they would ultimately give account before God, concerning the offices entrusted to them.
The cleric said, “Let us make concerted efforts to ensure that the good work witnessed in Abia under this administration will be sustained.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the thanksgiving service featured praise and worship sessions, testimonies and prayers for the state, the governor and his family.
NAN also reports that the governor performed the groundbreaking for the construction of the Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia.
