The ABA Landlords Protection and Development Association ALPADA have commended the Abia state government for the recent massive reconstruction and rehabilitation of most infrastructural facilities especially roads in the state mostly in the commercial city, even as it enjoined the Governor Dr Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, to closely monitor the contractors handling the exercise so as to ensure the delivery of quality and enduring jobs. Its call is coming on the heels of the recent tour of some Projects sites by the Governor to ascertain progress of jobs.

The umbrella body of ABA landed property owners made the commendation at the occasion of the formal presentation to the Association of the 2021 ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER Award for the most Humanitarian LANDLORDS Association of the year. Speaking through its PRESIDENT General Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo who also meritoriously bagged the ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER Award of Abia Leadership Icon for the year 2021, the Association noted that experience has shown over the past years that poor quality jobs has been one of the major reasons for the poor state of infrastructural facilities in the state.

According them, most of the road reconstructed in the past almost collapsed immediately due to poor quality job. “What we are saying is that most of the roads reconstructed even two, three years have been washed away due to poor quality. Most of the roads constructed by Azikiwe many years ago are still there. The roads constructed by Ngige in Anambra state 16 years ago are still intact. This is because of the high quality of the roads. So we are urging the Governor to ensure that the contractors deliver good and quality roads that will stand the test of time.” Chief Udeigbo advised.

The Association further called on the state Governor to as a matter of urgency prevail on the state Board of internal Revenue to streamline, and realign its operations in line with global best practices, adding that its current arrangement at best promotes a regime of multiple taxation, lack of transparency, and undue harassment of innocent people, while at the same time shielding and celebrating tax/rent defaulters. “Look what we are having in place now as far as the operation of the Board of internal Revenue is concerned, is a situation where our members who are up to date in the payment of their property rates are daily being harassed, while those who I personally know that have not paid their taxes/rates in the last few years are working the street free. This kind of system is not only unjust, but highly discouraging. So, we are appealing to the Governor to help us out. Our members are presently being maltreated and harassed by the Board of internal Revenue. There are many instances where our members who are up to date in the payment of their rates and taxes are having their property sealed, Chief Udeigbo lamented.

Earlier, while presenting the Awards to the Association and it’s PRESIDENT-General the Editor in Chief Of the ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER Chucks Onuoha noted that the humanitarian gestures of the ABA LANDLORDS over the years especially during the challenging period of the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic when members in a rare humanitarian move granted their tenants one month accommodation rent holiday to cushion the harsh effects of the Coronavirus pandemic informed its selection for the Award.

Similarly, he said, the Newspaper decided to honour the President General owing to the quality leadership he has provided for the Association in the last few years, noting that whatever achievements recorded by the umbrella body of the ABA LANDLORDS would not have been possible without a purposeful leadership. Mr Onuoha promised that ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER will not Weaver on its mission of recognising and celebrating all those who through their various callings have impacted positively on the people and the society at large.

Anyalewechi Suleiman ABA.