Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has fulfilled his promise to members of the Abia State House of Assembly by presenting them with 24 brand-new Roxettes Utility Pick-Up Vans to enhance their legislative and oversight functions.
During the official handover ceremony, Governor Otti presented the keys to the Speaker of the 8th Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, emphasizing that the gesture was aimed at improving the mobility and effectiveness of the lawmakers.
"I promised that I was going to make available a truck for each of you for your oversight functions," the governor stated.
Governor Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting local businesses, noting that the vans were locally assembled in Abia State by Roxettes. He highlighted his policy of prioritizing indigenous manufacturers as a way of fostering local industrial growth and improving product quality.
"This vehicle was assembled in Abia State by Roxettes, with a workshop already in place in Ohia, Umuahia, while the factory is in Ukwa. This is all geared towards supporting local manufacturing and adding value to our economy," he said.
He further disclosed that the manufacturer, an indigene of Abia from Umunneochi LGA, is on the verge of completing his factory in Obuaku, Ukwa West LGA, with road construction to the site nearing completion.
Governor Otti emphasized that his government is focused on upscaling the quality of indigenous products to boost confidence in locally made goods and position them for export. He revealed that efforts are ongoing to establish an export growth lab in the state in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"I'm sure you have read that we are trying to establish an export growth lab, and UNDP has promised to support us," he stated. "Our people are fantastic. There is nothing they can't produce with their hands; they only need a little support."
He also encouraged Aba-based manufacturers to boldly brand their products instead of using foreign labels.
"We see a lot of people improving on their products, particularly in Aba. What we are doing now is to encourage them to be bold enough to write their names instead of writing Prada, Gucci, or Fendi," Governor Otti noted.
In response, the Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Augustine Meregini, expressed gratitude to the governor on behalf of his colleagues, acknowledging that this is the second vehicle the governor has provided for the 8th Assembly.
He commended Governor Otti’s leadership for fostering unity among lawmakers, stating that party differences no longer divide the House.
"We want to assure you, just as we assured you earlier, that the House is unified now, courtesy of your leadership. We are all working on the same page irrespective of party differences," Meregini said.
He assured the governor of the Assembly’s continued support for his administration’s vision to uplift Abia State and its people.
The donation of the vehicles marks another step in Governor Otti’s commitment to good governance, infrastructural development, and economic empowerment through local production.
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