THE opposition has criticised the administration of Governor Theodore Orji claiming he has performed below average. What is your take on this?
Governor T.A.Orji has surpassed all expectations. In the last 10 months, he has proved that his promise of leaving visible legacy for Abians at the end of his tenure is not just a mere promise but one that is backed with action. The major plank of his second term is the total transformation of Abia in the areas of infrastructure development, economy, politics, the way politics is being played, what I call the transformation of the political culture of Abia State and even in civic orientation of the people. So he has taken a holistic approach to the plank of transformation. It is not a one-sided approach.
I will give you some examples. In just 11 months, he has proved that Abia was truly under bondage for the period he endured a devilish despot. Between 1999 and 2007, Abia State was under siege. Especially between 1999 and 2008, while other governors in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and most of our neighbours, were busy seeing vision, putting up master plans, laying solid foundation, Abia State was unfortunate to have been saddled with a self-centred and insatiable governor, who did not work for the state but for himself and his family. This was the unfortunate scenario that T. A. Orji found himself.
Politically, he inherited a highly polarized and volatile state where there was a group of those who said they were home based politicians and tagged others Talibans or Abuja based politicians. Abia was hot politically, volatile, explosive. The best brains, the elites, the technocrats, all went into exile as a result of the very oppressive intolerant atmosphere that was created politically by the former governor.
How has the governor been able to address the issue of kidnapping in the state?
We had kidnappers, coming from the neigbbouring states where militancy had become a way of life. You had all sorts of brigands taking one name or the other. It was the kind of atmosphere that T. A. Orji inherited when the man in Rivers inherited power plant, the man in Akwa Ibom inherited a thorough master plan and one of the best drainage system in the world, the man in Cross River was inheriting Obudu Ranch and Tinapa, the man in Lagos inherited a well-thought-out new Lagos master plan and several other projects that were on-going. Our governor inherited crisis in all ramification, crisis at all fronts, he inherited political enemies.
So with this type of environment, little or nothing will happen in terms of development. Beyond these issues of insecurity of lives and property was a more pernicious and vicious cankerworm called mamacracy, which was the desire of the former governor and his mother to turn Abia State into a fiefdom, a dynasty, a personal property, as against the principles of democracy.
Immediately, the security problem was tackled, Governor Orji moved to the next level with the provision of infrastructure. In Abia today, Governor T. A. Orji is leaving a legacy of over 100 outstanding edifices, structures, covering every arm of government and all sectors.
This includes two world class new secretariats going on at the same time. This is the fastest project in the history of Abia State if not in Nigeria. In less than seven months, this twin secretariat, brand new, first of its kind, is now at the roofing stage and will soon be commissioned.
The former did not leave in the landscape of Umuahia any two-storey building. And I can now show you more than 50 solid edifices that have changed the silhouette of the landscape of Umuahia.
Source: Vanguardnews
MY OPINION ON HOW TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF POTABLE WATER IN ABIA STATE
ReplyDeleteMy irreducible agenda and plan of action in the area of provision of pipe borne water to all communities in the 17 LGAs of Abia State is simple, easy and cost effective.
Before I delve into this, kindly permit me to state that one of the reasons that the 3rd tier of government in Nigeria performs below average is their frozen-gripped dependence on the State Governors to do virtually everything for them.
Most of the LG Chairmen are clueless and bereft of ideas on how to drive that level of government administration, thereby 100% dependent on the pittance that trickles from the table of the Governors.
More than 90% of the LG Chairmen know next to nothing about internally generated revenue, IGR, hence unable to deliver on campaign promises.
However, in the area of providing potable water to the rural dwellers, the following concept may be adopted.
In each ward, the local govt chair should endeavor to sink a borehole, buy a generator to power it, buy 2-3 nos, 1000 liters water tanks for storage.
Thereafter, this project will be handed over to any eminently qualified indigene of such ward to manage. Members of the ward will pay between N30-50 for a 50 liters of water to cater for the maintenance of the project as well as buying petrol to power the generators.
The manager of the project will also be expected to pay back to government an agreed amount over an agreed time frame.
The manager of the project will also be handed strict rules and conditions of engagement and I am very hopeful and optimistic that it will go a long way in addressing the water problem at the rural communities level.
Some may want to ask about the funding and my response is that the local government administration will partner with some banks and act as guarantors to obtain loans from banks at an agreed reduced rates. This will be in addition to their counterpart funding.
Uche Onuh Lucas
Lagos, Nigeria
Email: drlucasuche@gmail.com