Being the Text of an Address Presented by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, at the Commissioning of the Second Set of 20 New Electric Buses for Abia Green Shuttle Services on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at the Nnenna Otti Bus Terminal, Umuahia.
Protocol
Transportation is the oil that lubricates the wheels of prosperity. Bicycles, motor vehicles, trains, ships and airplanes not only move people and goods across different points, they expand the frontlines of possibilities for everyone. The progress of our civilisation is ultimately hinged on how quickly the transport system evolves in response to the environmental, economic and social realities of the times. The threats of climate change, uncertainties about the place of fossil fuel in the new economic order and the explosion of technological breakthroughs present new opportunities that would ultimately shape how we move in the years ahead.
In Nigeria, new economic reforms have created series of disruptions as well as opportunities for new order thinking in the pattern and volume of investments required to keep people and goods in constant motion around the country. In Abia State, we appreciate the difficulties ordinary people face in their daily commutes and as a responsive administration, the decision to think outside the box became inevitable as we searched for transport solutions that are cost effective and more friendly to the environment. The choice to go with electric vehicles represents a forward-looking approach in the light of the threats and opportunities already identified. The first consideration was cost at both ends, to the State and the end users; the next was the protection of the environment and the third was an alignment with the economic philosophy of the administration to make the first move before inviting private sector participants.
In December 2025, we were privileged to have our wife and mother Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the DG of World Trade Organisation, commission the first set of 20 electric buses. At that event, we made a promise that more was coming. This afternoon, we have gathered to formally put another set of 20 buses on the Abia Green Shuttle fleet and to further announce that we are still not done. In the meantime, the addition of new buses with larger cargo spaces will improve service delivery and extend the new Abia footprints to more destinations within and outside the State. We also have automated access for PLWD. We are profoundly grateful to everyone who has joined us to witness this ceremony and for the enthusiastic reception. Thank you for your active partnership as we work collectively to build a State that truly works for all. May I reiterate that the only mission of the administration is to serve the people, improve our social and economic experiences and create opportunities for everyone to thrive. The future, I can say with clarity of mind, is promising. The message of today’s event is that we shall not be mere passengers in the vehicle of progress because we have the advantage to steer the wheels.
The public transport system in Abia has changed dramatically in the last 7 months following strings of strategic investments in the sector. As I had already pointed, we put the first set of 20 electric buses on the road in December last year. In May, the Nnenna Oti Bus Terminal, where we are presently gathered, was commissioned and today, another score of new electric buses would go into operations to serve thousands of passengers across multiple routes every day. It is fulfilling to note that gradually, decency is returning to the public transport system; the things we see in other climes, especially orderly queues at bus stops, technology-powered payment solutions and reliability of services, are becoming the standard here. The progress recorded so far lends credence to my conviction that fair treatment need not be the exclusive preserve of the affluent and influential; the regular, everyday people are as deserving of dignity as everyone else. We are also not unmindful of the few instances where certain dishonest staff and unscrupulous passengers made efforts to sabotage the system. There is no tolerance for wilfully violating the law and accordingly, those who attempted to test our resolve have gotten the appropriate response. May I also take this opportunity to announce that no one has the right to violate traffic regulations; beating traffic lights, driving against traffic, overloading, irregular parking and all such behaviours that threaten the safety of other road users will, going forward, attract severe sanctions.
The Abia State Road Traffic and Safety Management Agency (ARTSMA) and the Harmonised Taskforce are hereby directed to extend their operational hours to 10pm, daily, including weekends, deploy more men and resources along all major routes in the State and ensure that traffic offenders are appropriately dealt with as stipulated. I will set up an independent team to monitor how strictly this directive is enforced with a view to determining the next line of action. May I say it one more time that nobody has any right to endanger the lives and property of others through acts of recklessness, impatience or poor judgment. As we work to close the gap between where we are and where we want to be, let it be made abundantly clear that whoever attempts to take us back to the darkness of the past shall have a very difficult time.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, permit me to conclude by appreciating the Inter-Agency Transport team for their hard work and dedication. You are encouraged to remain focused and keep pushing until our vision for the transport sector is wholly realised. Proper management of our transport sector assets, especially the buses, this terminal, the bus shelters, and the welfare of the staff, should be prioritised. Suspected acts of sabotage, vandalism or other expressions of criminality should be investigated thoroughly and whoever is found culpable must be made to face the music for they are enemies of the state. On a final note, I would like to encourage all of us to take our tax obligations very seriously; pay the State what is due it and together, we shall share in the boundless prosperity of the New Abia.
Thank you for listening and may God bless you.
(The Whistler)