Abia PDP Chairman, Writes Open Letter To Gov Otti Over Continuous Use Of Private Residence As Govt House
OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF ABIA STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY DR. ALEX OTTI
Your Excellency,
RE: PUBLIC CONCERNS ON GOVERNMENT HOUSE USAGE, INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Warm greetings from a concerned indigene and taxpayer of Abia State.
This letter is prompted by the recent interview granted by your Chief of Staff, Mr. Caleb Ajagba, during the visit of renowned Arise TV journalist, Mr. Rufai Oseni, to Abia State. In that interview, the Chief of Staff attempted to justify the continued use of your private residence as the operational seat of government by claiming that the new Government House constructed by your predecessor is “not 100% complete.”
Sir, this explanation raises more questions than it answers. If the said building is indeed 95% completed, why has your administration, nearly one year in office, not prioritized completing and occupying it? The continued use of your private home, maintained and upgraded with public funds running into billions of naira, sends a worrying signal about transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline.
One must ask: what has happened to the Old Government House in Umuahia, which served multiple administrations before yours? Why is that structure no longer deemed adequate for temporary use, at the very least, while work on the new complex is completed? The refusal to utilize available public infrastructure, while expending huge sums on a private residence, places a heavy and unnecessary financial burden on the already struggling taxpayers of Abia State.
Your Excellency, the notion that a government cannot occupy or deploy infrastructure until it is “100% completed” is not only impractical—it contradicts global best practices. Governments across the world have, in the interest of the public, deployed strategic infrastructure even while certain finishing touches remain outstanding. Consider these few examples:
• The Second Niger Bridge: Commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari, it was opened for public use even though the Asaba bypass and other link roads were yet to be completed.
• The Big Dig in Boston, USA: Segments of the mega project were opened in phases, years before final completion.
• The Thameslink Programme in the United Kingdom: Upgraded trains and lines were operational even as station works and integrations continued.
• Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany: Parts of the facility were used for logistics and testing before the formal opening in 2020, despite significant delays.
• Healthcare.gov in the United States: Deployed to millions while backend systems were still being patched.
Furthermore, your recent commissioning of the Uzuakoli–Abiriba–Ohafia Road, despite ongoing work on the Abiriba–Ohafia section, proves that strategic deployment of uncompleted infrastructure is both possible and practical when public interest is at stake. It is therefore inconsistent and unacceptable to argue that the Government House cannot be similarly used or completed, despite being at 95% completion.
We appreciate your administration’s efforts to improve infrastructure and governance in Abia, but governance must also reflect prudence, equity, and a clear commitment to public transparency. Redirecting resources to finalize and use public buildings, rather than investing billions in maintaining private property for government operations, is not only good economics—it is sound governance.
I respectfully urge Your Excellency to:
1. Complete and occupy the new Government House without further delay;
2. Provide a transparent breakdown of the costs incurred at your private residence;
3. Clarify the status and usability of the Old Government House and why it remains idle;
4. Adopt the global standard of deploying public infrastructure at beneficial stages of readiness.
The people of Abia are watching. History will not only remember what was built—but also how, where, and at what cost.
With all due respect and in service to the ideals of good governance,
Elder Abraham Amah
Abia state Chairman PDP
