New Telegraph

Abia @31: Ruling party, opposition disagree on achievements

 

IGBEAKU ORJI reports on the verbal war between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State and opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over the level of development in the state 31 years after its creation

 

Last week Abia State rounded off events marking the 31st anniversary of its creation with the presentation of staff of office to newly chosen traditional rulers of some communities in the state. The state was among those created by the Ibrahim Babangida regime on August 27, 1991.

As expected, the occasion called for reflection among Abians on the journey so far. However, while the opposition lamented the absence of anything to celebrate, the government said it was proud of its modest achievements.

 

The opposition represented by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was particularly bitter with the present administration for what it described as total failure and misgovernance. The party backed its claims with facts and figures. But the position of the state government, which in all indications appear to be a reaction to the opposition’s stance, was encapsulated in the broadcast by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to the people.

The government said its 150 roads of varying lengths were worth celebrating because there were no roads in Aba before his efforts. His words: “It is with thanksgiving that I address you today on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the creation of Abia State. I note that this will be my last Abia Day Broadcast to you as your elected governor as by this time next year, you will be hearing from my successor whom God will select for you.

“We have been together on this journey for the last seven years and counting. We have weathered storms and celebrated triumphs. One thing I am not in doubt of is the fact that we have taken Abia State further than we met it seven years ago.

 

“Our works speak for us. We have delivered many pioneering and indelible landmark infrastructural projects across various sectors of Abia State. These projects will serve as monuments to the work we did during our time long after we have left the stage.

“We have over 150 roads which our administration has commenced and delivered in the course of our tenure. We are strongly advancing work on another 48 roads and we have a target to finish them before we hand over to the next administration by May 29, 2023.

“One aspect of these projects I am proud of is their strategic significance and economic importance. A project like the Osisioma Interchange has forever changed the traffic narrative at that junction. Users of that road in recent years will recall how they were often condemned to spend hours in traffic due to the lockdown on the road at peak periods.

Today, that episode is in the past as there is now guaranteed seamless flow of traffic along the axis in addition to the aesthetic uplift of the general environment. “The adjoining Aba Owerri road which also hitherto used to be a nightmare has been rebuilt and expanded with relevant road furnishings installed.

“Roads abutting the Aba Owerri road have also been opened up to ventilate the city of Aba. We have a solid Abayi Umueze-ABSUTH road built with our signature rigid pavement technology that is a beauty.

 

The perennial swamp along that axis leading to recurrent road failure has been decisively resolved. Kamal, MCC and Eziukwu roads are all our signature projects. Down Okpu Umuobo road, we are completing and bringing back the old road that leads to Mgboko Obingwa LGA Secretariat from where motorists can join the new Obikabia-Obikabia road and emerge at the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.

 

“Today, for the first time in over 30 years, our major markets in Aba are now accessible by road. The Eziukwu Cemetery road leading to the popular Cemetery Market which had long been forgotten is now fully rebuilt and back to life and it is easy now to connect that market from Aba-Owerri road seamlessly.

Same goes for the Ngwa Road Market and the Ariaria International Market. “Ukaegbu Estate and environs in Umuahia is wearing an entirely new look courtesy of the signature brand new roads we built within the estate while the Ossah-Amato-Umuda Isingwu road, Umuagu and environs associated erosion remediation works as well as Umuakwu Nsulu erosion remediation works, speaks to our resolve to safeguard our environment from the menace of erosion and watershed damage.

“Further down North, we have built the Abiriba-Nkporo Road which has opened up that axis to agrarian activities in addition to the Ugwuezi Road in Abiriba. The Okon-Aku Bridge we did at Ohafia still stands today as testament to our resolve to link rural communities. We will soon revisit the Eluama Otamkpa Road in Isuikwuato to deal with challenges associated with the road as well as Nkpa Road in Bende LGA. Our roads in Umunneochi LGA are also there to speak for us.

 

“In the Health sector, we recently commissioned the Anne-Marie Jackson Children’s Specialist Hospital in Umuahia which is a novel project in the South East region. The Hospital, fully equipped with modern medical equipment, is of international standard. I commend the Diaspora Team of patriotic Abians who oversaw the setting up of the hospital and recommend their efforts to other Abians resident abroad to also come and join hands to develop their state.

 

“Also in the health sector, an ultramodern 150-bed hospital with kidney and heart specialist center is being constructed at the old site of the Aba General Hospital even as we are set to commission an ultra-modern Diagnostic Laboratory for Abia North located at Isuikwuato General Hospital.

 

“We also have an industrial policy which we worked with UNIDO to produce for our state. These policy documents were not there before now. Undoubtedly, these will impact positively on our system of governance. When we add these to the massive investment we have made in the area of capacity building for young Abians develop-ment of shoe and garment factories training of our shoemakers in China, scholarship for our students enabling them to study abroad, promotion of our locally-made products and many other interventions, it becomes evident that our state is ready for the challenges of tomorrow leveraging our innate qualities and God-given attributes.

 

“In the area of basic education, we have built over 600 new classroom blocks across the state with four model schools and 3 federal colleges. Our primary school enrolment-figures have moved from an initial 150,000 in 2015 to about 700,000 today. We have remained on the list of top performance in WAEC exams in the country and we are currently number two on the list of states with the least number of out-of-school children in the country.

“While mentioning some of the modest achievements we have recorded in the course of our administration, I must not fail to acknowledge some of the challenges we have faced especially in the area of security and management of our payroll, wage-bill, pensions and other emoluments. I would like to assure Ndi Abia and all those affected by these challenges that we are working with all concerned to resolve the associated issues expeditiously. I continue to implore the support and corporation of all stakeholders involved going forward.”

“Let me at this juncture pay special tribute to all our founding fathers both departed and still with us. I pay special homage to the Abia State Advisory Council for their tireless efforts in guiding us on the path of sustainable development and reminding us of the ethos upon which our state was founded.

“This is the last anniversary celebration before we head into general elec-tions and a lot is at stake. I call on Abians to come out en-masse and participate in the electioneering process next year at all levels. The citizen still remains the strongest link in the chain of leadership enthronement and I urge you to judiciously exercise your civic responsibilities.”

However, the opposition thinks otherwise. The state chairman of APGA, Rev Augustine Ehiemere, presented the opposition vista of the state. The party, in an address, titled: Abia @31: Celebration of failure and misgovernance by the PDP-led administration, stated: “The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) wishes to register our deep regrets that at the age of 31, Abia has nothing but failure and retrogression to celebrate.

 

When on August 27, 1991, Abia was created after painstaking efforts of our founding fathers, people thronged to the streets to celebrate the birth of a new state with much expectations.

“Little did we know that 31 years after, Abia State will still be a crawling baby. This is more annoying with the realization that even younger states created many years after have since started running. Wrong drivers and opportunists who have driven the state craft and leadership wheel of the God’s Own State, have rather taken us back instead of moving forward.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)- led administration which has remained in power since 1999 eight years after the creation of Abia State, has rather supervised the dilapidation, economic strangulation and near collapse of Abia State. Unfortunately, the current PDP-led administration of Okezie Ikpeazu is the worst of all governments so far witnessed in Abia. We wonder what this government will be celebrating as its achievements at Abia @ 31.

“It is disheartening that @ 31 years, Abia is celebrating 25 months of salary arrears of doctors; de-accreditation of Abia Polytechnic Aba following 30 months of unpaid wages of staff; de-accreditation of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital and 10 months of salary arrears of ABSU Staff.

“At 31, Abia pensioners are still being owed four years of gratuities and 28 months of pension arrears; primary and secondary school teachers are being owed five months salary arrears and promotion allowances; many workers are being paid incomplete salaries. “At 31, Abia is celebrating leadership failure and increase in debt burden. At 31, we are celebrating god-fatherism and imposition.

At 31, Abia roads are still impassable. Ukwa land, the only oil-producing area in Abia State is completely disconnected from the rest of the state due to bad roads. At 31, Arochukwu ancient kingdom is still being accessed through Akwa Ibom State. What a shame!

“It is sad and embarrassing that at 31, Abia has no permanent Government House but still operates from donated take-off apartments. Despite billions of naira the PDP-led administration claimed to have sunk into the new government house project, the site has been abandoned for the past eight years.

“At 31, the much-advertised Enyimba Economic City has remained a mirage. At 31, Abia airport project is yet to take off three years after the Ikpeazu-led government borrowed N10 billion for it. At 31, Abia is celebrating near collapse of our education and health sectors, infrastructural decay and misgovernance.

“At 31, Abians cannot freely move from one community to another due to insecurity. Noted that insecurity has become a national phenomenon, some state Governments like Benue and Ondo, have since taken some practical steps towards protecting their people. Instead of reviving our once indefatigable Local vigilante group, our Governor is busy juncketing around the world with a fellow Governor like Personal Assistant.

“We therefore, wish to urge Abians to unite and join in the on-going efforts to liberate the state from oppressors and political hijackers. It is time to jettison political sentiments and place the interest of Abia above party politics.

 

APGA has provided the platform to lead Abia out of Egypt to the Promised Land. We solicit the support of all progressives and the entire Abia voters as APGA is prepared to usher in the right leadership that will transform Abia into a referral and pacesetter state.”

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