EXCERPTS: Like Mbakwe did to Old Imo state, Orji has made Abia to become a tourist haven; with so many architectural masterpieces dotting its landscape. No wonder in less than two years many national and international organizations scrambled to hold their retreats, conferences and seminars in the state. From 2012 till now the Bishop conference of the Catholic Church has been held in Umuahia; so are the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board management meeting, the West African Examination Council seminar, Army Chief of Staff Conference, the retreat of the Senate Committee on Information, the Nigeria Union Of Journalists delegates conference, Radio and Theater Workers Union of Nigeria triennial meeting etc. If there is no good governance in Abia, how would this crop of eminent personalities and organizations decide to come to Abia state to unwind? Is it not because there is security of lives and property and that the place has been structurally transformed to a near Eldorado? If the roads are tarred, electricity and water are regular and there is uninterrupted and free movement of people, there will be the urge to be part of the success story of the place. And this is what the conferees did by their presence in Abia at one time or the other. Even the federal roads in Abia state have also enjoyed the kindness of Abia state government. They have been rehabilitated severally; it is on record that the state government led by Chief TA Orji has expended billions of state funds to rehabilitate the federal roads. The ongoing rehabilitation of Port Harcourt road, some potions of Ikot Ekpene road by Opopo junction, which is currently under rehabilitation courtesy of the state government, is a clear example. It should be noted that the perimeter fencing and construction of some pedestrian foot bridges to link the both lanes of the expressway at the Aba axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt road as well as the rehabilitation of that axis of the road is a clear example that the TA Orji’s administration extends its largess to the federal projects. The Arochukwu-Ohafia road which some of the ignorant critics of the state administration have bandied about as one of the failures of Gov Orji is a federal road. The governor himself was the one of the facilitators that attracted the federal government to resume work on its rehabilitation; the work of which is ongoing. Besides road reconstruction and rehabilitation, the administration is also building quality schools, and had completed a modern and internationally accepted diagnostic center in Umuahia, built several health centres and hospitals in all parts of the state, workers secretariat, and an international conference centre that can accommodate 5000 people at an event. It has also enhanced the quick dispensation of justice by the equipment of the state judiciary through the building of modern architectural structures for high court judges and magistrates. There is no sector that has not been touched in the orchestrated plan to put Abia in the world economic development. Therefore, the likes of Onwumere and Wabara should be bold enough to tell the people the truth. Like Georges Braque said, “Truth exists; only lies are invented”. Is it not tomfoolery, clownish and comical that men who should have known the performance index of every government of this country, considering their exposure are the ones leading a crusade of journalistic treachery and misinformation? For them, the truth can be buried so long as ones palm is continually greased. I don’t blame them; after all, the greedy paymaster is at work. But they are only enjoying the crumbs that fell from his golden table. They should visit Abia state and record achievements of this Governor of this God’s Own state without bias. Gov Orji should be ranked as Mbakwe or even higher. He has elevated Abia from the shackles economic downturn, poverty and want to a glorious empire of surplus: hence his reward as the chairman, South East Governors’ Forum. “Truth”, declared William Hamilton, “Like a torch, the more it’s shook it shines”
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 19:40:03 +0000