Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, has signed into law, the 2026 Budget of One Trillion, Sixteen Billion, Two Hundred and Twenty-Eight Million, Seventy-Two Thousand, Six Hundred- and Fifty-One-Naira, Ninety-Nine kobo (N1,016,228,072,651.99), projected to be raised and spent in the 2026 fiscal year.

Assenting to the appropriation bill, presented to him by the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly on Monday, December 29th, Governor Otti assured that his government would implement the budget to the letter.

Governor Otti thanked the members of the State House of Assembly for the swift passage of the appropriation bill and commended his team for pcompilingthe document before it was presented to the House.

“Today, we have gathered to sign the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, and that has just happened moments ago.

“I want to start by thanking the team who worked very hard to produce the Appropriation Bill, and dispatched it to the House.

“But more thanks go to the House for expeditiously attending to the Bill, crunching the numbers, spending sleepless nights to ensure quick passage of the Bill”, Gov. Otti stated.

The Governor thanked the House for their hard work, expressing joy that the State House of Assembly pays attention to details, and justifies their thoroughness in going through the budget.

“I want to thank you for the hard work. It’s interesting because I kept engaging, and I’m very glad that this House pays attention to details, not just a House that would pass a Bill without asking questions.

“I’m not unaware of the engagements going back and forth between the Executive Team and the Legislative Team, and that is what democracy should be about.

“Questions should be asked, and numbers should be scrutinised. Two good heads, they say, are better than one. So, that this Bill took a little bit of time to pass is also a plus.

“It shows that some work was being done. It also puts the executive on its toes to ensure that it continues to up its game, to produce numbers that can be vouched for.

“That is what we have just signed into law. And trust me, the numbers did not change, at least the major numbers. The total appropriation remains ₦1.016 trillion. That was the number we churned out here after several sleepless nights.

The State Chief Executive further informed the gathering that the allocations; capital versus recurrent, remain the same, which shows the direction of the government.

“This is a government that believes that we need to empower our people legitimately. Our definition of empowerment is creating the enabling environment for our people to do their business and do their stuff.

“And then, of course, also implementing and creating social infrastructure in terms of health, education, and environmental issues. Having our place clear, other than the roads, the bridges and the other hardcore infrastructure”, Gov. Otti maintained.

Presenting the appropriation bill earlier, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa who noted that the budget, titled “Budget of Acceleration and New Possibilities”
said that the achievements of Governor Otti are being acknowledged globally, adding that the legislative arm of the State is pleased to be part of the acceleration of projects in the 2026 fiscal year.

He said that Governor Otti has changed the narratives in the State within 30 months in office and assured the Governor of the support of the House of Assembly.

The Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Austin Nmeregini and other members of the State House of Assembly, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Commissioners, Special Advisers and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, among others, were present at the Budget Signing Ceremony.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
29- 12 – 2025.