ABIA @ 28: THE SEARCH FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE CONTINUES – By. Ferdinand Ekeoma

A few hours ago, the governor of Abia state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu addressed Abians to mark the 28th anniversary of the creation of Abia state. Below are some of the important points made by the governor concerning his achievements, which I republished here, and then made my observatory responses to the claims of the governor.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE  BROADCAST BY THE GOVENOR OF ABIA STATE, DR. OKEZIE VICTOR IKPEAZU ON THE OCCASION OF THE 28TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF ABIA STATE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019 AND MY OBSERVATIONS.

Gov. Ikpeazu: As you all are aware, to the glory of God, we have come through an intense electioneering season where we were able to prove once again that we are indeed, God’s Own State. Attempts were made to stoke embers of division and strife among us but we collectively agreed that the bonds that unite us are stronger than those who seek to divide us and we came out even stronger and more united.

My Observations: First, who made the attempts to stoke the embers of division and strife, and how? Some Illustrious Abians merely took part in a legitimate political contest, how does that amount to stoking the embers of division and strife? If there was any group that tried to stoke the embers of hate and sectional division, it was the one led by Dr. Ikpeazu and his allies, who went to the extent of pouring fetish and ungodly libations, and carrying out physical attacks at campaign grounds against those perceived to be opposed to his ambition.

Gov. Ikpeazu On Street Lights: 

We set up a Committee to rehabilitate non-functional ones and install new street lights in Aba and Umuahia and I am glad that many of our major streets in both our major cities are brilliantly lit at night at the moment. I am glad with the feedback I am getting on the impact of the streetlights on extended business hours, security and general aesthetics in our cities and we are determined to ensure that the initiative is sustained and expanded. For the record, about 1,000 streetlights have been installed in Aba and Umuahia in the first phase and a similar number will soon be deployed to cover all dark spots within the major cities in our state.

My Observation.

You may have set up a committee recently, and few streetlights installed, with the unnecessary media hype, but it’s fallacious and unfounded to say that our major streets in both Aba and Umuhia are “brilliantly lit in the night” as the governor claimed. I just hope that the governor is not beclouded by the light and gilt of luxury around him, and thus disconnected from the realities on ground.

Gov. Ikpeazu on Road Construction: I trust that we are all witnesses to the work we are currently doing at Aba-Owerri Road in Aba. The 12 Inches thickness of the concrete underlay we are piling on the perennially bad portion of the road before the final asphalt overlay bears testimony to the kind of roads our administration is desirous of bequeathing to Abians, even as we pledge that the ongoing Osusu road will bear our signature Cement Rigid Pavement Technology.

We are currently concentrating on building new drains and the desilting of blocked ones to allow for free flow of storm water to the natural collection points and as soon as the rains abate, contractors, who have already been mobilized, will resume work on most of our over 95 ongoing road projects across the state.

Beloved Abians, I am not unaware of the complaints that have been made in certain quarters that our projects are slow and delayed. My response to that is that we are more interested in the quality of projects we undertake than the quantity and the speed of completion. 

We have no interest in speedily completing projects for accolades and applause only for the projects to fail shortly after. Our administration is building to last. Within the bounds of the resources available to us, we will spread them equitably across sectors while ensuring that we get optimal value for every money we spend. I have said it before and I will like to reiterate it that no road built under our administration will collapse in the lifetime of our administration contrary to what was hitherto obtainable. We do not have the money to be returning to the same project every year. We will rather take time to painstakingly do a project once and for all than rush to finish a project within a year and it will fail by the next year. 

My Observation: The above claims hold no water, because the Ikpeazu led government made similar claims about Faulks road which is the biggest road project handled by the government so far, sadly, in spite of the obvious inflation of the contract which is a 4.6 Kilometre road executed at a crazy world record of 6.8 Billion Naira, the road has since developed potholes which is a pointer to its substandard nature.

Also, the road remains flooded whenever it rains, which is an indication that the so called flood control at Ifeobara River was adisaster.

Gov. Ikpeazu on Agriculture 

We intend to pursue a robust agricultural policy in our second term in line with our 5 Pillars of Development. This drive will see us support the creation of agro-allied industries across various value chains in the agricultural sector. From Livestock to Poultry, Rice to Oil Palm, Cassava to Yams and other cash crops, we are doing big things in agriculture in our 2nd term. As a mark of our seriousness in this regard, we are set to complete the Acha Rice Mill in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State which will serve as a Milling hub for Rice farmers in that axis. Other similar Mills are already established while others are ongoing in other Rice-producing communities in Abia North Senatorial Zone.

My Observation : The Ikpeazu led government has revolutionised agriculture a lot in the media, but it’s time to remind them that hard work is in the result. After hearing about Abia poultry, we are still waiting to see proceeds from there flood our markets. We are also waiting to see the most touted Abia Rice, Abia Mushrooms etc.

Maybe  the greatest harm against agriculture in Abia is the squandering of our LGA allocations that could have been deployed to developing our rural areas which would have in turn impacted on our rural farmers very positively.

Gov. Ikpeazu on Housing

I have paid a visit to the New Government House Complex in Umuahia and have opened discussions with the contractors handling the project to see how our administration can complete the project and bequeath it to the people of Abia State. In the meantime, I am glad to announce that we have completed a brand new Headquarters Complex for the Zone 9 Command of the Nigeria Police Force. They will shortly be moving out of their rented temporary offices at Ehimiri Housing Estate in Umuahia into the purpose-built headquarters our administration has provided for them at the Government Station Layout.

We are also constructing a new road to Ubani Market and adjoining Housing Estates through Amuzukwu, Umuahia that will take commuters 5 minutes to get from Isi gate to the Ubani area. 

We are building a new market for groceries in Umuahia and it will be ready before the end of the year. We will subsequently decongest Isi-gate and commence beautification and round about works around that axis.

In addition, the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) and the Abia State Internal Revenue Services have moved into their permanent Headquarters Complexes while other Agencies and key Government Offices operating out of inadequate facilities will be supported to erect befitting permanent headquarters. 

We will soon retool our Housing Corporation to reclaim and revive all abandoned Housing Estates around the State and ensure their speedy developments. These are deliberate strategies to give our State Capital, Umuahia and other key cities the modern outlook befitting their status while opening them up for rapid development.

My Observation:

What the Ikpeazu led government penned down above sounds very ridiculous and laughable, and clearly shows that the government doesn’t have something worthwhile to showcase. House does building an office for the police impact on Abians in the area of housing?

Abia is one of the most backward states in the area of Housing, and some of the reasons are;

1. Bad road- Investors hardly build housing estates where there are no access roads 

2. Insecurity -By deliberately saturating the state with touts working as thugs and revenue agents, you consciously or unconsciously turn the state into a migration destination and dumping ground for hoodlums

3. Illegal Levies and Extortion by government revenue agents. There’s hardly any state in the South East that can compete with Abia in the area of extortion and molestation of business men and women. This is anti investment.

4. Poor Economic policies that hamper financial prosperity of citicizens, and affect their spending power, like non payment of salaries. 

4.Finally, the governor said he has visited the site of the New Government House in Umuhia , and opened discussion with the contractor, but why hasn’t the governor bothered to set up a committee that would investigate his predecessor and find out why he took a loan of 3Billion in the name of Abia state government for the construction of the new government house, repaid the said loan using Abia funds, and yet abandoned the project? Is the governor lacking the courage or the sincerity to do this?

Gov. Ikpeazu on Education:

Ndi Abia Ndi Nwem, I am proud to announce to you that once again, Abia State students were exceptional in the just concluded May/June 2019 WAEC Examination. We are proud to have sustained this feat which we started upon assumption of office and with the work we are doing in the educational sector, I have no doubt that we will remain on top for the forseable future in that sector.

Let me add that we are concluding arrangements with various international partners for massively-discounted Scholarship packages for Abia State students wishing to pursue Graduate and Post-Graduate Studies abroad. We have reconstituted the Abia State Scholarship Board and they will make the necessary announcements but suffice it to state that we are planning for the future of our students in Abia State and I promise to ensure that about 500 candidates will be leaving the shores of Abia for further education within the next 6 months.

We are set to deliver 250 new classroom blocks across Primary and Secondary Schools in Abia State, deploy Community Security Officials to protect school infrastructure and students and sustain the training and retraining of our teachers both locally and internationally.

My Observation.

First, let me respectfully give it to our pupils and students for their talents, ingenuity and giant strides in pursuit of academic excellence, but it must be stated that, WAEC is presently not, and should never be the basis for the ranking of a state as one doing well in education.

First, because most of the results emanate from Private Schools, where the state government has almost zero contributions.

Two, some of the results are products of special centres 

Again, even if some emerge from public schools, it would be disrespectful and insensitivity for the government to take glory for a success that it didn’t contribute to. You can’t refuse to invest in infrastructures and refuse to pay teachers, and yet want to take the glory for the success of the students.

Gov. Ikpeazu on Salary:

Dear Abians, it will not be fair of me to finish this broadcast without providing accurate update on the salary status in Abia State. I make bold to say that all Ministries and Departments in Abia State have received their July 2019 Salaries and are on track to receive their August 2019 Salaries by the end of this month. The workers being owed salaries are mostly staff of Agencies who receive monthly subventions from Government and who were expected to manage their affairs including payment of staff salaries. As the father to all, I will not leave the staff of these Agencies to suffer. I have set up a Committee headed by the Head of Service of Abia State, Sir Onyii Wamah to work out modalities for the liquidation of these arrears so that they can be up to date like their MDAs counterparts. We are also reviewing the operations of all revenue-generating Agencies in Abia State to ensure their financial discipline. 

Let me use this opportunity to also plead with Pensioners for their patience as steps are being taken to ensure a more efficient pension-administration regime in Abia State.

I make bold to state that every funds we have received till date, released for the purposes of payment of salary arrears, were judiciously utilized according to their stated purpose of release. It is still a matter of public record that the ICPC commended the Abia State Government for effective management of its bailout funds at a time other states were being investigated for mismanaging same.

Beloved Abians, I state unequivocally that the welfare of every Abian is of paramount importance to me. I am your Governor. You elected me to serve you. I understand your challenges. I feel your pain. I assure you that your welfare and wellbeing will always be my topmost priority. 

My Observation:

By upholding this unknown and unethical dichotomy between Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Governor Ikpeazu continues to hurt the basic foundations of our state institutions, and appears poised to doing more harm to them.

You can’t be receiving allocations and inheriting the resources of a state as agovernor, and yet turn back to starve institutions in such a state of funds because of narrow understanding of what such institutions represent.

By setting up yet another committee for the payment of salaries, you simply show your desire to continue to play on the intelligence of the people, compound the burden of the state, while your tenure runs.

The governor said ” I make bold to state that every funds we have received till date, released for the purposes of payment of salary arrears, were judiciously utilized according to their stated purpose of release. It is still a matter of public record that the ICPC commended the Abia State Government for effective management of its bailout funds at a time other states were being investigated for mismanaging same.”

If this claim was true, at maximum, the two tranches of the Paris Club Refund would have taken care of these salaries, and ended the salary crisis that has been rocking the state since Ikpeazu came on board.

Any unbiased person who critically assesses the Ikpeazu led government, especially with the knowledge of the enormous resources it has received so far, would easily find out that the government has failed the people woefully, sadly, the government and her supporters have anchored their self assessment of success on the performances of their two immediate predecessors, whose tenures, to say the least, represented monumental tragedies.

The search for good governance continues in Abia, even as the state ages!

Note: This is the view and opinion of the writer, it does not represent the views or opinion of Abia Facts Newspaper.