Okonjo-Iweala tasks on transparency in governance, as Otti inaugurates transition committee

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

The Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has tasked politicians on the need for transparency in governance.

This is even as the Governor-elect of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti has inaugurated his transition committee.

Participating in the inauguration of the committee visually from her Geneva base, Okonjo-Iweala tasked those elected into offices to run transparent government and make public their monthly allocations as was the case when she was Minister of Finance under former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

This she said would eliminate suspicion and make the governed to believe more in their leaders.

Okonjo-Iweala advised that the committee should deviate from the old norm, be innovative and embrace the new order as did Ghana and the Philippines.

She called for advancement towards renewable energy as an alternative source of power, even as she advised the in-coming government in Abia to focus on Aba to tap on her economic and human resources.

“Efforts should be focused on Aba to tap into the human resources. Attention should be paid on SMEs in Aba. When I visited the city with the World Bank President some years ago for an event, I insisted the conference bags should be produced in Aba and I still use those bags till date”.

The DG, WTO lamented the debt profile of Abia which she said has the highest debt profile, insisting the only way out was for the in-coming administration in the state to focus more on enhancing its internally generated revenue (IGR).

Okonjo-Iweala said Abia State has Diasporian strong base and urged Otti to tap into for the overall development of the state.

Otti while inaugurating the committee said going by what was on ground, his government would have a lot to do, but said the good news was that he was capable of tackling the problems.

Otti said Aba was chosen for the inauguration of the committee because, despite the fact the city had been abandoned over the years, it remains strategic to his administration’s plan for the development of the state.

The Governor-elect thanked those who honoured the invitation and hoped together they can build a better Abia.

Chairman of the 100-member committee, Victor Onyenkpa assured Otti the committee will provide a document with which to perform as the governor of Abia state.