Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said that under his leadership, it is now the people’s turn to reap the benefits of democracy.
He noted that politicians who have governed the state since the advent of democracy in 1999 have already taken more than their fair share of the public resources.
During a meeting with a delegation from the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, at Government House Umuahia, Otti stated his commitment to ensuring that the masses, not just a select few, experience good governance.
He added his recent decision to clear the backlog of pension arrears dating back to 2014 as evidence of his dedication to serving the people who have been disadvantaged by the political elite.
He said that “never again shall Abia pensioners be owed their pension”, adding that he had also directed that they be paid along with workers on the 28th of every month, a directive, he affirmed, had taken effect from April.
“This is the people’s time, politicians have helped themselves enough for the past 24 years”, Otti thunderered.
Otti’s recognition of the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa’s emerging economies, particularly in the realms of security and finance, is insightful. Indeed, AI offers a myriad of advantages, from enhancing cybersecurity measures to combating financial crimes more effectively.
Its potential to revolutionize various sectors underscores the urgency for countries to embrace it. By integrating AI into their systems and processes, African nations can not only bolster their security infrastructure but also foster innovation and economic growth.
This forward-thinking approach aligns with the evolving landscape of global technology and positions Africa to harness the full potential of AI for sustainable development.
“Reject AI to your peril”, Otti said, citing example of how someone working in US bank smartly deviced and installed a code that was deducting a cent daily from customers’ accounts.
He mentioned that once the discovery was made, the suspect had illicitly amassed wealth and disappeared. He added that the Authorities initiated a search for him in order to decipher the code, as he was the sole holder of the secret knowledge.
Governor Otti emphasized the importance of harnessing and engaging youths with aptitude in AI to cultivate their skills for beneficial purposes, especially as the world increasingly leans towards Information Communication Technology (ICT).
“Your research theme is apt, particularly at this time when artificial intelligence has taken over from native intelligence. It may look esoteric at this time when you talk about robotics, artificial intelligence 3 D printing, driverless cars, electric vehicles, whether you like it or not that is the direction the world is going. And you refuse to key in and come on board at your own peril. So I like the foresight and I would like to encourage you to continue in that direction.
READ ALSO: Governor Otti Takes Action On Insecurity, Forms Security Advisory Council, Trust Fund for Abia
” This is very necessary and even more necessary in the area of technology because crime and criminality is also changing. People are using technology now to steal people’s money so if you don’t understand what they do or what they did you would not be able to solve the problem.”
Otti also conveyed to his guests that his administration upheld a strong alliance with state security agencies.
Reflecting on how prior administrations had exploited security forces to suppress opposition, Otti pledged never to manipulate security personnel for personal advantage.
He emphasized that in the past, the Correctional Centre at Afara Umuahia had been misused as a tool to detain political adversaries, but he asserted that he had alleviated the overcrowding by releasing politically detained inmates.
“One thing that nobody in this government will do is to ask security agencies or security men to do the wrong thing.
” Anytime we call you, it is for the general interest of the state. We don’t have any personal interest to pursue. We don’t have any enemies to arrest.
” Afara prison (correctional centre) which used to be a dumping ground for political opposition, we have ensured that there’s nobody that is there today, that is not supposed to be there and that is how our administration is.”
Earlier, Dr. Adegboyega Karim, the team leader of Course 17, Syndicate 2 at the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, highlighted the institute’s focus on research and human capacity building. He mentioned their one-week study in Abia.
Dr. Karim stressed the significance of artificial intelligence in contemporary governance and lauded Governor Otti’s establishment of a Ministry of Digital Economy and SME. He expressed gratitude for Otti’s collaboration with federal institutions in Abia State and commended the governor’s support for them.
“Your commitment to health sector is commendable. We were marveled when we got to the FMC (FMC, Umuahia) and saw the structure you constructed. At least we observed that in some states where they would say, yes, this is federal institution, we have nothing to do with them, but you took it upon yourself to even construct works for them and gave them support”.
He also praised Otti for his progress in development, stating that if this pace continues, Abia will soon be recognized as a model state.
(Vanguard)
