The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said that his government has already keyed into President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” as his administration is on the same pedestal and driving towards the same purpose as the President.
Otti was elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) while Tinubu is piloting the leadership of Nigeria on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking while receiving the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Ibrahim and her team who were in Abia State on an advocacy visit Tuesday, Governor Otti affirmed his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the Nigerian government in quality healthcare delivery for the people of the state.
Otti, who highlighted the shared objectives between Abia and the Nigerian government, particularly in the area of health, stressed that there is a mutual drive towards a common purpose between his government and Tinubu-led government despite differences in political affiliation.
“Given all the things you reeled out about the President’s renewed hope agenda with specific reference to health, I didn’t think I would be exaggerating if I say that even if we’re not in the same party, we are on the same pedestal. We are driving towards the same purpose.
“We already keyed in on this renewed hope agenda of the Federal government. Because listening to you, all the areas that the Federal government is interested in, are also the areas we are interested in,” Daily Post quoted Otti as saying.
He listed his achievements in the health sector in the state to include a robust budget for the healthcare delivery system, restoration of accreditation for the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, clearing of health workers’ salaries, tackling of maternal and child mortality rates, among others.
Earlier, Ibrahim in her speech called for partnership between the Abia State government and the Nigerian government to accelerate health sector transformation initiatives outlined in the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu.
Ibrahim also called for sustained efforts in the reduction of maternal and child mortality in the country, assuring that the Nigerian government would support Abia State in achieving various health policies, even as she commended Otti for increasing budgetary allocation to healthcare by 15 percent.