Wednesday, 3 October 2012

ORJI UZOR KALU'S ERA WAS A NIGHTMARE IN ABIA STATE




ORJI UZOR KALU'S ERA WAS A NIGHTMARE IN ABIA STATE

Ben Onyechere is Special Adviser on Public Communications to Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji. In this interview with Amby Uneze, he gives an update on the state of the state Excerpts:

What connection has the infrastructure development in the state to the people?
I want to start by letting you know that governor T.A. Orji commenced to build a new state because there was no infrastructure that befits the status of a state capital. There was nothing to write home about in Abia State. That is a very fundamental issue. People have to consider that this man is building a new state from the scratch because before him there was nothing on the ground. The governor has taken up the challenge to have a new city called Abia State with Aba as the commercial centre in the South-east region. He cares about his name and I know that some people don’t care about posterity.
But this man wants to bequeath an enduring legacy for the people of the state so that they can remember him for good in future. As a result of this, he is transforming the state without looking behind, irrespective of all the distractions. You know Abia State is a peculiar terrain politically and in terms of infrastructure. The soil nature of the state is erosive and that is why you hear about erosion here and there in different parts of the state. But in spite of all these, he has overcome all the challenges and he is deeply involved in the construction of roads even as the state is now a huge construction site.
 
What do you think will be the reaction of the people on the proposed demolition of some infrastructure to pave the way for drainage?
The issue is that demolition would come in a very short time because if you want to make an omelet, you must break egg. So, the governor, irrespective of his humane nature, would go ahead to demolish some illegal structures on the water ways. He has also appealed to those that would be affected to assist government because they are the ones that stopped water from passing through the water ways which is the reason Aba floods all the time. The most annoying part of it is that those people knew that they were building on water ways, so when government come to demolish those illegal buildings, they would eventually pay government for clearing those illegal structures that were hitherto blocking the water because of the embarrassment and other consequences to government. The demolition is something that must be done to get Aba back to its former status. 
 
In what other areas is the government performing?
This governor has taken time over the years to build an international market and an industrial market. We are talking about international market that is like the Tinapa in Cross River State and it is 75 percent completed, while the industrial market is 85 percent completed and he is not making noise about all these. One could ask: where he is getting money to build all these things that will stand the test of time in the state? In his prudent manner, he is able to manage the little resources that come to the state because he is a good manager of human and financial resources. And I tell you, there is no amount of distraction that would stop the governor from completing all his projects.

What is the relationship between your governor and his predecessor, Dr. Orji Uzor-Kalu?
I cannot tell you that the relation is favorable because what we need now is a favorable relationship. Because of his developmental strides, this governor has incurred the wrath of his detractors, particularly that of former governor, Dr. Orji Uzor-Kalu who did little or nothing to develop Abia State. Otherwise what can we point out as a tangible thing he did for the people of the state? He lived in government house for eight years without thinking that there is need to expand the place. How can you be a governor for eight years, you did not think of building roads or expanding the capital city? If you built roads in Aba why are people still crying about bad roads? Why where you not able to attract federal presence? We don’t want to recall the past, particularly the immediate past government. The administration of Governor Orji Uzor-Kalu was nightmarish.

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