news

Abia to roll out 20 electric buses as Gov Otti highlights cost-effective road project

Published

1 year ago

May 23, 2025

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has announced that 20 electric buses will be introduced into the state’s transport system within the next two months, revealing that his administration completed the Port Harcourt Road reconstruction for $22 million, significantly less than the $29 million spent by the previous government without yielding results

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced ambitious plans to revolutionise the state’s public transport system with the introduction of 20 electric buses within the next two months.

Also read: Governor Alex Otti dismisses opposition noise, focuses on governance

This revelation came during a thanksgiving carnival organised by the Aba community at Umuagbai Secondary School, Port Harcourt Road, celebrating the successful reconstruction of the long-abandoned road.

Governor Otti informed the appreciative crowd that bus terminals are currently under construction across the state to support the new transport system.

“In the next two months, not more than two months, our transport system will start working,” he declared. “We have paid for the 20 electric buses.

So, they are bringing the buses to carry you and me, and the buses will be beautiful.” He emphasised the modern nature of the buses, stating, “The only difference is that these buses will not use petrol.

In 2025, $22m was spent and a standard road is done and delivered for use.

It will not use diesel. It will not use gasoline. They will be electric buses.”

During his address, Governor Otti also used the occasion to highlight his administration’s fiscal prudence in completing the Port Harcourt Road, a project abandoned for over three decades.

He contrasted his government’s expenditure with that of the immediate-past administration, revealing a stark difference in cost and outcome.

“In 2017, they awarded this Port Harcourt Road. The amount at that time was N9.8bn and they paid out the entire money.

But the road was not done,” Governor Otti recounted. He then provided a detailed financial breakdown to counter “noisy opposition” criticisms regarding the current project cost.

“In 2025, the road cost N36.5bn, they started making noise. So, I said, since you people understand mathematics, the average exchange rate in 2017 was N333 to a Dollar. Now, if you apply that, the N9.8bn was actually $29m (equivalent).”

He continued, illustrating his government’s efficiency: “In 2025, at the average exchange rate of N1,600, N36.5bn is actually $22.8m equivalent.

So, let us do the mathematics. $29m and $22m, which is higher? The real issue is that in 2017, $29m was spent, and no road was done. In 2025, $22m was spent and a standard road is done and delivered for use.”

The Governor expressed gratitude to the Aba people for their consistent support since his first gubernatorial contest in 2015.

In a notable gesture, he rewarded a Keke (tricycle) driver in Aba with N1.4 million for his honesty in returning N2.4 million forgotten by a passenger.

Senator Darlington Nwokocha and the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, both commended Governor Otti’s achievements in Aba and the state, describing them as a testament to focused leadership.

Representatives of the Aba business community and the Aba Landlord’s Association, including Chief David Onuoha, Chief Leo Okoye, Chief Alphonsus Odigbo, and carnival convener Chief Onyeka Udeajah, lauded the governor, particularly highlighting the completed Port Harcourt Road as a landmark achievement.

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State development

Bauchi Urges Girls to Pursue Education and Skilled Jobs

Published

2 hours ago

October 26, 2026

Peculiar Adirika

Bauchi girls’ education campaign urges students to complete school, learn vocational skills and pursue careers traditionally dominated by men

Girls in Bauchi State have been encouraged to complete their education, acquire vocational skills and pursue careers traditionally dominated by men as part of efforts to promote financial independence and reduce gender inequality.

Also read: Rest of World to Shut Down as Search for New Home Continues

The call was made on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at an event in Bauchi to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.

The event was organised under the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Project in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria, Azurfa Women and Youth Development Initiative, and Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative.

Speaking at the event, Mustapha Idris, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative, said the annual observance aimed to raise awareness of girls’ rights and promote their well-being.

He said the programme was designed to encourage girls to explore a wider range of professions and address gender disparities in the workplace.

Idris urged students to use their school holidays to learn practical skills, including shoemaking and soap production, which could help them earn an income and improve their economic prospects.

“Girls should not feel ashamed of learning a trade or engaging in legitimate businesses. These skills can provide them with sources of income, promote financial independence and reduce their reliance on others,” he said.

Monica Tanko, Executive Director of Azurfa Women and Youth Development Initiative, urged the girls to remain committed to their education and avoid leaving school before completing their studies.

She also encouraged them to develop practical skills alongside their formal education, saying the combination could help prepare them for future challenges and employment opportunities.

Tanko stressed the importance of self-reliance while encouraging the students to maintain their personal dignity as they pursued their ambitions.

Timothy Ibrahim, an engineer with more than 20 years of professional experience, encouraged the students to consider engineering and other professions in which women have traditionally been underrepresented.

He urged them not to allow gender stereotypes to discourage them from pursuing their interests, adding that girls could excel when they had access to opportunities, encouragement and support.

His message reinforced the event’s call for girls to look beyond occupations traditionally associated with women and explore careers across technical and professional fields.

The event was attended by female students from several schools in Bauchi metropolis, including Rafin Zurfi, Bakaro, Unguwar Doya, Gudun Sayawa and the Federal Government Girls’ College.

The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on October 11 to promote girls’ rights and draw attention to challenges affecting their development.

The Bauchi event used the occasion to highlight the importance of education, vocational training and access to a wider range of career opportunities.

The organisers’ message was that empowering girls requires more than keeping them in school.

Also read: Rest of World to Shut Down as Search for New Home Continues

Access to practical skills, supportive role models and opportunities to enter different professions can also help young women build greater economic independence and participate more fully in their communities.