FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
🟩Abia @35: FENRAD Commends Governor Otti on Infrastructure, Security and Urban Renewal; Calls for Stronger Workers’ Welfare and Inclusion of Civil Society in Policy Development
📍Umuahia, Abia State — 28 August 2026
✳️The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) congratulates the Government and people of Abia State on the occasion of the State’s 35th anniversary, and commends Governor Alex C. Otti for notable interventions in infrastructure development, urban renewal, security and the broader transformation of the State.
✳️As Abia marks 35 years of statehood, FENRAD recognizes the significant progress recorded in various sectors under the present administration, particularly the visible improvement in road infrastructure, rehabilitation and construction of critical public assets, urban renewal initiatives, sanitation efforts and measures aimed at restoring order and functionality to major urban centres.
🟩FENRAD particularly acknowledges the administration’s efforts to reposition Abia’s urban landscape and improve connectivity across communities. The ongoing road construction and rehabilitation projects, alongside interventions in Aba and other parts of the State, have contributed to renewed economic activity and improved public confidence in the possibility of a more functional and investment-friendly Abia.
✳️The Foundation also commends the administration for its efforts to strengthen security and create an environment where residents, businesses and investors can operate with greater confidence. FENRAD believes that sustainable development cannot thrive without peace, security and respect for the rights and dignity of citizens.
🟢Workers’ Welfare Must Remain Central to Development
🟢While acknowledging these achievements, FENRAD calls on the Abia State Government to place workers’ welfare, decent working conditions and inclusive governance at the centre of the State’s development agenda.
🟢The Foundation recognizes that infrastructure and physical development are important indicators of progress, but sustainable development must ultimately be measured by its impact on the lives and welfare of citizens, including civil servants, teachers, health workers, pensioners, artisans, traders, young people, women and other vulnerable groups.
🟢FENRAD therefore urges the Government to sustain and deepen its commitment to the timely payment of salaries and pensions, improved working conditions, staff capacity development, social protection and other measures that will enhance the productivity, dignity and wellbeing of workers.
✳️The Foundation further emphasizes that workers are not merely beneficiaries of government policies; they are critical partners in delivering public services and achieving the State’s development objectives.
✳️Civil Society Must Have a Seat at the Policy Table
✳️FENRAD also calls for greater institutionalization of the participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), professional associations, community-based organizations, traditional institutions, women and youth groups, persons with disabilities and other relevant stakeholders in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of public policies and development programmes in Abia State.
✳️The Foundation believes that the experience, technical knowledge and community-level intelligence possessed by civil society actors can significantly strengthen government decision-making and improve policy outcomes.
Accordingly, FENRAD recommends the establishment or strengthening of structured platforms for regular consultation between the Government and civil society, particularly in areas such as budget formulation and monitoring, environmental governance, urban development, security, social protection, climate action, public health, education, accountability and community development.
Such engagement should go beyond occasional stakeholder meetings and become an institutionalized component of the State’s governance architecture.
Development Must Be Inclusive and Sustainable
As Abia enters another phase of its development journey, FENRAD urges the administration to ensure that ongoing infrastructure and urban renewal programmes are implemented with adequate attention to environmental sustainability, social safeguards, community participation, accessibility and long-term maintenance.
The Foundation stresses that development must not only transform physical spaces but also strengthen institutions, protect citizens’ rights, create economic opportunities and ensure that no community or vulnerable group is left behind.
FENRAD also encourages the Government to make greater use of evidence-based policymaking, open government principles, public data, citizens’ feedback and independent monitoring mechanisms to measure the impact of its interventions.
FENRAD’s Recommendations
As part of its contribution to Abia’s continued development, FENRAD calls on the State Government to:
- Sustain and deepen investments in critical infrastructure, while prioritizing quality, durability and effective maintenance.
- Strengthen workers’ welfare, including timely salaries and pensions, decent working conditions, professional development and social protection.
- Institutionalize civil society participation in policy formulation, implementation and monitoring across key sectors.
- Strengthen citizens’ participation and feedback mechanisms to ensure that government policies respond to the realities and priorities of communities.
- Promote environmentally sustainable urban renewal, with appropriate environmental and social safeguards.
- Deepen transparency and accountability in public expenditure, procurement and project implementation.
- Ensure equitable distribution of development interventions across urban, rural and underserved communities.
- Strengthen collaboration with development partners, CSOs, professional bodies and community stakeholders to leverage expertise and resources for sustainable development.
A Call for Collective Responsibility
FENRAD recognizes that the task of building a prosperous, secure and sustainable Abia cannot be accomplished by government alone. It requires the collective responsibility of government institutions, citizens, civil society, the private sector, traditional institutions, development partners and communities.
As Abia celebrates 35 years of statehood, the Foundation encourages the Government to build on its achievements while remaining open to constructive criticism, independent oversight and meaningful citizen participation.
FENRAD believes that a stronger Abia is one where infrastructure development goes hand in hand with human development; where security is accompanied by respect for human rights; where urban renewal includes social and environmental safeguards; where workers are valued; and where citizens and civil society have meaningful opportunities to participate in governance.
The Foundation congratulates the people of Abia State on this historic anniversary and reaffirms its commitment to working with government and other stakeholders to advance environmental justice, human rights, accountable governance, inclusive development and sustainable communities across the State.
Signed:
Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) Nigeria
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