Abia State has climbed from 17th to 4th position in the BudgIT States Performance Report on Fiscal Transparency and Accountability within just two years of the current administration, a development that has drawn widespread commendation from the Abia Patriots.
The group, in a press statement signed by Mazi Adindu Madumere on Wednesday, praised Governor Alex Otti for making transparency and responsible management of public funds the cornerstone of governance in the state.
The Abia Patriots noted that the commendation by the BudgIT Foundation, a leading civic organisation focused on public finance accountability, is a clear validation that deliberate reforms, prudence, and openness are yielding measurable results in Abia State.
According to the group, Governor Otti’s position that “transparency is not negotiable” and his insistence on using public funds for the public good resonate with the yearnings of Abians who have long desired a government that puts people first.
The statement highlighted the administration’s progress in rebuilding infrastructure, reviving primary healthcare centres, restoring sanitation, and creating an enabling environment for business before aggressively pursuing internally generated revenue (IGR), describing it as a model of responsible governance.
The Abia Patriots particularly acknowledged the administration’s focus on asking the right questions: whether Abians are happier than yesterday, whether businesses are doing better, whether children are in school, and whether the sick have access to care. The group stated that these are the true indices of development and must remain the compass of government policy.
The group urged Governor Otti and his team to sustain the tempo, adding that consistency in procurement transparency, fiscal sustainability, and social investment will consolidate the gains and position Abia as a national benchmark for good governance.
The Abia Patriots also encouraged continued collaboration with civil society organisations like BudgIT to deepen citizens’ participation and trust.
“Abia is rising, and the world is taking notice. Let us keep building,” the statement concluded.
