Abia State Governor Alex Otti has said he will personally bankroll the construction of a new ecumenical centre in Umuahia, insisting that no public funds will be used for the project.
The governor made the announcement during a thanksgiving service held to mark the third anniversary of his administration, describing the centre as a fulfilment of a promise he made to God. He revealed that the land earmarked for the project had been purchased long before he entered office.
He said, “We vowed that we are going to build an ecumenical centre in Umuahia for God.
“The ecumenical centre is not going to be built with government money. No dime from the state government will go into it.”
Otti said his administration has remained committed to seeking divine direction since taking office, recalling that the state was dedicated to God shortly after his inauguration.
“We started by taking the state to God in prayers and rededicated the state immediately after we were sworn in,” Otti stated.
In a sermon at the event, President of Living Word Ministries International, Emma Okorie, praised the governor’s leadership, describing him as a “God-sent” leader tasked with changing the fortunes of Abia State. Drawing parallels with the biblical story of Moses, he said Otti emerged at a time when residents were yearning for change after years of poor governance.
Religious leaders, including Catholic Bishop Michael Ukpong and Methodist Archbishop Chibuzor Opoko, also commended the governor’s performance and urged him to remain focused on delivering good governance.
“Do not allow anything to distract you from the good works you are doing. The prayers of the people will continue to be with you,” they advised.
The event also featured the foundation-laying ceremony for the 1,000-capacity ecumenical centre in Umuagu, Umuahia, a project Otti said was part of commitments made before the 2023 governorship election.
