Bring Your Investment Home, Governor Otti Urges Abians, Challenges Abiriba People To Invest In Star Paper Mill Recently Re-Acquired By The State
Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has urged Abians at home and in diaspora to bring their investments home to develop the State.
Governor Otti was speaking on Wednesday, January 28, in his office while receiving in audience a delegation of the Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU) World Wide, led by the General President, Chief Yuccee Ottah Uwah.
Gov. Otti said that he has recovered Aba and created the enabling environment for businesses to thrive, adding that, attraction of investment into Abia is very critical.
“For us as a government, some of the things we do are a way of laying the foundation and creating the enabling environment for investment to flow in.
“So, we wanted to recover Aba first, which we have done now, and other parts of the State. And having done that, we have armed our people to get their investments back.
“It is good to talk about foreign investment, but you will be amazed at how much local investment that has gone out there. A lot of your people have manufacturing outposts in China, Turkey, and the rest of them.
“So, home is still home, we want to start by getting them to come back. And a lot of them are coming back,” Gov. Otti stated.
Governor Otti challenged Abiriba people to invest in Star Paper Mill previously owned by their son, Chief Nnanna Kalu of blessed memory and recently acquired by the Abia State Government, from AMCON after several years that it went moribund.
The State Chief Executive said that he is open for negotiation with private individuals who would be ready to put it to good use and provide jobs for close to 2,000 people as the company used to have.
“I’m happy you also spoke about Star Paper Mill. We have taken it over completely. We have paid AMCON. It now belongs to Abia State Government.
“We are open. As a government, we don’t intend to run it. That’s not our job. Our job is to encourage the private sector, because it’s the job of the private sector to run business.
“But as a government, it would be irresponsible of us to sit here and allow companies like that to die.
“So, if you have people who are interested, who have the capacity, who also have the capital and have the character, then we are happy to discuss with them so that we can put it back.
“I’ve received a lot of proposals, including proposals from China. But I’m wary to hand it over to foreigners when a local set it up several years ago.
“So, Mr. President (of ACIU), it’s a challenge that I’m throwing back at you to say, yes, we’ve taken it back, but we still need our people to come and invest and turn it around and employ our people. That’s all that I’m interested in.
“So, that’s the message, for every one of us. And there are no better people to give this message than Abiriba people,” Gov. Otti stated.
Governor Otti directed his Chief of Staff, Commissioners and other line staff to further engage with the people and have a coordinated approach towards getting investments from Abians “who are in different places, in the diaspora, in Lagos, in Abuja, in Ghana, in Jos, in different places. We want to get them back home.
“They don’t necessarily need to close what they are doing there, but whenever they are thinking of expansion, their passion should be back home,” Gov. Otti maintained.
On the request by the Abiriba Community to fix the ravaging erosion challenges in communities in Abiriba and the Light challenge in Abiriba communities, Governor Otti assured that holistic efforts are already on ground to restore the light problem not only in Abiriba but the entire Abia North while solution would be provided for the erosion challenges.
The Governor, who assured that the Akahaba General Hospital renovations would soon start, thanked the Abiriba Community for setting the pace as usual and hosting him at Aba on June 12 last year.
In his speech, the General President, Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU) World Wide, Chief Yuccee Ottah Uwah applauded Governor Alex Otti’s giant strides in the State and said that they came to thank him for various projects he has done for the State.
He pointed to the road, Umuahia – Uzuakoli – Akara – Alayi – Abiriba road renamed Joe Irukwu road, ongoing redesigning work of the Akahaba General Hospital, fulfilling his promise to reclaim the Star Paper Mill among others, assuring him of the Abiriba community support in 2027 elections.
The General President used the opportunity to draw the Governor’s attention to some erosion challenges in their communities and the lack of electric power in Abiriba for about 15 years as well as their intentions to activate their networks outside the country to attract investors to the State since the Governor has fixed Abia and restored security.
Contributing, former Secretary to Abia State Government, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa extolled the sterling performances of Governor Alex Otti in all sectors of the State economy, saying that Governor Otti’s achievements have surpassed those of the previous civilian Governors in Abia State.
“Your Excellency, I am privileged, and I give God the glory that I have traversed all the administrations in the civilian administration, through Orji Uzor Kalu, through T.A Orji, and through Governor Ikpeazu.
“But I dare to say, and without any fear of contradiction or equivocation, that in two years, you’ve done what could not be done in 24 years.
“Nobody ever imagined that the roads in Umuahia, metropolis, could be widened, asphalted as they are today.
“Certain things we thought were privileges, you have liberalised.
“For eight years, I sought for a certificate of occupancy (CofO) before you came. Surprisingly, when you came, I received a phone call from that office, and they said, you applied for a C of O years back. Come and receive your C of O.
“For me, it looked like a dream. I said, could this be Abia? Could this happen in Abia State? This is a transformed Abia.
“I wished I had the opportunity to serve in this administration. Because all my efforts in the previous administrations, I appeared to be drowned.
“And all of us were classified as unproductive. It’s a pride and for those of you who are in this administration, thank your God. Because you are part of the glory that he is making of us” Prof. Mkpa declared.
The erudite professor thanked the Governor for hiring professionals who are serving the State with humility. He particularly singled out the Chief of Staff as one whose humility and access is uncommon compared to what the office used to be in the past.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Ph.D, Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr Matthew Ekwuruibe, SA on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs Magdalene Ugoanusi, and the Executive Secretary, Abia State Diaspora Commission, Rev. Annie Onu were all present during the visit.
Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State
January 29th, 2026.
