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Otti Assures Tiv Community of Inclusion, Promises Support for Farming, Market Access in Abia. —-Governor Pledges to Explore Land Opportunities, Establish Produce Market as Tiv Leaders Endorse His Administration Ahead of 2027.
Otti Assures Tiv Community of Inclusion, Promises Support for Farming, Market Access in Abia. —-Governor Pledges to Explore Land Opportunities, Establish Produce Market as Tiv Leaders Endorse His Administration Ahead of 2027.
Otti Assures Tiv Community of Inclusion, Promises Support for Farming, Market Access in Abia.
—-Governor Pledges to Explore Land Opportunities, Establish Produce Market as Tiv Leaders Endorse His Administration Ahead of 2027.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive governance, food security and economic development, assuring members of the Tiv Socio-Cultural Association resident in the state of equal opportunities and support for their businesses and agricultural activities.
Governor Otti, represented by his Deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the association to the Deputy Governor’s Conference Hall, Government House, Umuahia, where he pledged to explore the possibility of providing land for agricultural purposes and a suitable market for the sale of farm produce.
The governor said residents who live, pay taxes and contribute to the development of Abia State should be treated as members of the Abia community, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.
He explained that his administration was committed to building a new Abia where appointments and employment opportunities were based on merit rather than ethnic considerations.
Otti cited the appointment of a civil servant from Edo State as Head of Service, as well as the recent recruitment of Tiv indigenes and their spouses into the state teaching service, as examples of the government’s commitment to fairness and equal opportunities.
He congratulated the Umuahia Chairman of the association, Hon. Daniel Iorfa, and his wife on their successful recruitment into the Abia State Civil Service, urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them through dedication and effective service delivery.
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The governor also commended the association for its kind words concerning the developmental strides of his administration, noting that good leadership remained essential to economic growth and improved living standards.
He explained that the state government was already considering measures to relocate traders operating around Isi-Gate to a more centralised market, adding that such an arrangement could provide an opportunity to accommodate the Tiv community’s commercial activities.
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According to him, improved access to farm produce from Benue State and other agricultural areas would strengthen food security, reduce transportation costs and make essential food items more affordable for residents.
He expressed confidence that increased agricultural production within and around Abia would boost food availability, create economic opportunities and help reduce poverty.
Addressing concerns about the marginalisation of Tiv people and their being mistaken for members of other ethnic groups, particularly the Fulani, he called for greater public education and understanding among communities.
He stressed that every ethnic group had people with different characteristics and that individuals should not be judged or discriminated against because of their ethnic identity.
He said the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs could work with traditional rulers to promote better understanding between host communities and non-indigenous residents engaged in legitimate businesses.
He further urged eligible residents to participate in the electoral process, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), where applicable, and protect their votes during elections..
The governor thanked the association for expressing its support for his administration ahead of the 2027 general elections, assuring the visitors that their requests would be communicated to him for further consideration.
Earlier, the President-General of the Tiv Socio-Cultural Association in Abia State, Hon. Jmason Mbacho, commended Governor Otti for what he described as remarkable improvements in infrastructure, digital services, electricity supply and other areas of governance.
Mbacho said the Tiv community, which he put at about 5,000 members across the state, was willing to contribute more to Abia’s economic development through agriculture, trade and other productive activities.
He disclosed that members of the association were already engaged in farming in different communities, including Ohafia, where some cultivated maize and other crops.
The association president said access to land and a designated market would enable Tiv farmers and traders to supply large quantities of yams and other agricultural produce to Abia, potentially increasing food supply and reducing market prices.
He also appealed to the state government to address challenges arising from misconceptions about the Tiv people, insisting that they were a distinct ethnic group deserving of recognition and fair treatment.
In his remarks, the Pathfinder of the association, Prof. David Uduma, said Tiv residents were pleased with the changes witnessed in Abia since the emergence of the Otti administration in 2023.
Uduma described the visit as an expression of solidarity and appreciation for the government’s performance, adding that the community looked forward to sustained development in the state.
The Umuahia branch chairman, Hon. Daniel Iorfa, who said he had lived in Abia for more than 15 years, expressed gratitude to the state government for providing employment opportunities based on merit.
Iorfa disclosed that he and his wife were among those recently recruited into the state teaching service, adding that neither of them paid money to secure the appointments.
He also praised the improvements in road infrastructure and other public facilities, saying the changes had positively influenced his perception of the state.
The chairman reaffirmed the Tiv community’s support for Governor Otti and commended the administration for its efforts to improve the welfare of residents.
Similarly, the Aba branch chairman, Hon. John Chie, conveyed the support of Tiv residents in Aba for the governor, while appealing for assistance to enable eligible members without voter cards to obtain them and participate in future elections.
Chie, who said he had lived in Aba since 2017, urged the government to sustain its infrastructure development efforts, particularly road improvements.
The visit featured the presentation of gift items to the Deputy Governor by the association as a token of appreciation and a symbol of the Tiv people’s agricultural heritage as indigenes of Benue State, widely known as the Food Basket of the Nation.
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