Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has described women as the foundation of the family and urged them to remain vigilant and focused on the proper upbringing of their children.
The Governor made the call on Friday in Umuahia during the Abia Women August Delegate Conference 2026.
Speaking at the event, Governor Otti congratulated the participants for attending and thanked God for preserving their lives, noting that not everyone who participated in the previous year’s conference was present this year.
“Women are the bedrock of the family. In this new Abia, we take women very seriously,” he said.
“I challenge our women to keep their eyes on the ball, because the upbringing of children starts with the woman in the home.”
Governor Otti also commended his wife, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, for her sustained interventions through various women-focused programmes. He disclosed that 35 vulnerable women had so far benefited from the First Lady’s housing project, with plans underway to expand the initiative.
He further highlighted the success of the Thrive Business Challenge organised under the Safe to Care Initiative, which produced 10 women as major beneficiaries, while other participants received consolation prizes.
Earlier, Mrs. Priscilla Otti called on Abia women to move beyond mere survival and embrace growth, structure, and enterprise. She noted that the 2026 August Meeting was themed “Abia Women: Empowered to Thrive,” with programmes across the 17 Local Government Areas deliberately designed to be practical and targeted at addressing the root causes of vulnerability.
Governor Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prioritising the welfare and empowerment of women as a central pillar of the “New Abia” agenda.