It is very embarrassing when the Abia State Government sees the donation of Keke NAPEP to our hoodwinked brothers and sisters as a genuine means of empowering them to eke out a living. Gov. T.A Orji sees this as providing self-reliant job and wealth creation for them.

The government is so intolerant in this stead to say that it does this so that our people do not wait for the government to provide ‘limited’ white collar jobs. And you wonder why the white collar jobs are ‘limited’. Is it not an unprogressive government such as the Gov. T.A Orji that could be making comments in this direction? Showing of its height of ineptitude?

The government sees this thoughtless idea to mean that it has engaged our people economically when there are ecstasies in the North that the governor of Kano State and sundry are training their people as pilots, engineers, doctors, lawyers and so on and providing with them the white job opportunities, which Abia State Government sees as ‘limited’. Ours’ is only bent to saying, “There are limited white collar jobs”. This is the height of betrayal, when a government can’t give hope to its people, except retrogressive agenda, which exhibits the in-depth of the government’s shambled and lackadaisical policies.

This government has reduced our people to the level of one legendary Stevie Wonder and former US President, Alexandra Roosevelt who had deformities. The government now equates our people with these persons. The government forgot that while these persons had talents, their government harnessed them and made them come to the limelight. Their government didn’t buy them cabs to drive and mouthed of giving them hope on the pages of the newspapers as has been the incessant occupation of the Gov. Orji government in Abia State.

No people and government makes any progress with a foundation built on lies and deceit. Such foundation is like a market that its foundation was laid with the liver of tortoise. The traders in such a market would be treacherous. Despite the huge allocation that comes into our state on monthly basis and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), like no other government in our state had enjoyed, Gov. Orji’s government is still showing off its man-made physical handicap, without making any impact in this world of possibilities and potentialities, except diving from one excuse to another and spending billions of the taxpayers money in the media to protect its shallowness from the public knowledge, yet, the people know that they can’t be helped liked the Stevie Wonders of America.

The American government did not make Stevie Wonder to feel like he was a less human being. The government didn’t send him to the school of the blind and called it empowerment, like the Gov. Orji government would show us distributed wheel chairs, artificial limbs, foodstuff and other items, built and furnished bungalows to some indigent men, women and widows, and call this empowerment. Who was even sure that the government did these things to our impoverished people? If this government did, it should be to the wards and cronies of the Orjis.

Buying wheelchair to our people has become “policy thrust” of Gov T. A. Orji’s care, support and empowerment of the downtrodden and the vulnerable groups in the state in his delivery of dividends of democracy. Imagine! And, the Lady Odochi Orji’s foundation’s mission and the much touted philanthropic work were tailored towards this line. Did you blink that this government is visionless?

When we say that Lady Orji should tell us the source of her income for the Foundation she is running in the state which she is using to appear in the media always like a political aspirant, many did not know that the wife of the governor was always thanking her “Sir T. A. Orji” for his contributions and assistance to the Foundation in carrying out her “numerous humanitarian services”. Is this not the bane of our state? Abia State has become a place where the Foundation of the wife of the governor has also become a part and parcel of the government.

But very surprising that some gangsters with the government see the Foundation as “Lady Orji’s compassion and care giving virtues”, which they have said has been a pedigree within the Gov Orji’s family. So, government no longer empowers its people except a Non Governmental Organisation run by the governor’s wife? No government survives this way, when it no longer assures its people of reducing poverty and fends for the people. This is selfish and would not charge our people to work together as brothers and sisters in order to build a state devoid of clannish divides. The Gov. Orji government had already set the pace for division in Abia State where it has become a public knowledge that his wife’s NGO handles most of the so-called philanthropic works, which the wife has always commended him for his unflinching support.

But they are not ordering to increase enrolment of our people into primary, secondary and university levels in the state, but to buy and increase the number of Keke NAPEP that they would buy for our people for their signature known as “Ochendo Global” to continue to be in the air. Twaddle! When would this government see us as the greatest asset of the Abia State and that as a people, we must be effectively treated well? When would Gov. T.A Orji ensure that we enjoy good healthcare, quality education, enabling environmental and adequate food security in Abia State?

It is the obligation of the government to empower all the people of our state through adequate governance and not a select few for cheap and untoward publicity. Let there be good programmes for our people by the government and not the programmes of the governor’s wife’s NGOs. Adequate security should not mean the enormous security pressure our people are suffering in the hands of the fierce-looking soldiers that dot the streets of Aba. No. Adequate security should mean and be that our people are free from hunger, poor healthcare, poor education, poor road networks, government of brickbats, blackmailers and other ugly sundry issues.

Adequate security in Abia State should mean and be when our people see the government’s ineptitude and report them, they are not harassed, labeled and called rapists, extortionists, kidnappers and other unprintable sundry names, like the media goons working with the government of this visionless Gov. Orji are wont to labeling critics as such with pseudonyms in the make-belief blogs and websites they create for their dastardly jobs. But Ndi-Abia now know better who the read robbers of good governance are. They are camped in the Government House, Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

It is our priority to the rights and privileges of Abia State, irrespective of what Gov. Orji is thinking. We must be protected from injuries and unnecessary attacks. It is our civic rights to cry out loud when this government is beating us, such as we are no longer enduring today. Like we are asked to report all suspicious activities around our neighbourhood to security agents, so also we have to report the Gov. Orji government that governance are not run like Non Governmental Organisations.

I feel like puking whenever i come across this guy's name. He's the worst thing to happen to Abia and Igboland and i can wait for his miserable administration to come to a halt.

You cant give what you dont have. Period! T A Orji is empty. Thats just it. Give him another 100 years, he cant do more than this. Even if his life depends on running Abia state well, TA cant pull it off. That bad.., It is not that he is patently evil. He is just empty.., bereft of the kind of ideas needed to run a state and put her on the map.. Is it totally right to blame him ? Blame those who for whatever reason made a cultured tout the governor of a state.

This man should be stonned honestly. Our youths are just e-worriors deep rooted with hate. They instigate one against another in other to further divert attention. Just saw a guy slumped in front of my office only to find quite number of C.V in his bag. I cudnt help crying. Its a pity.

Front page pls.If na to put trade way show hw many times Dbanj bleeped Gene,that one go enta front page on arrival.

Governor T.A.Orji is not averse to criticisms, especially when they are coming from the opposition. He is never perturbed by negative criticisms from the opposition in the state. The truth is that he remains focused and committed in delivering the dividends of democracy to Abians. In terms of the development of the state, the Governor has shown the zeal and commitment to take Abia State to the next level.

Governor T. A. Orji is presently building a new Abia State for the good of all. Though he was confronted at the inception by a monstrous breakdown in the machinery of governance,breakdown of all traditional values of hard work, integrity, honesty, communal and self help spirit,discipline, transparency and accountability in conducting community and government business etc. He has been able to arrest these ugly situations.

Like i always say, i've written off governance in that state for the foreseeable future; i'm not even sure the passive Abian electorate wouldn't adopt a siddon-dey-look approach come 2015 and allow another 'Orji' rig and take over from where this one stopped!

You see how states like Kano and Rivers are empowering their youth with education and training (both at home and abroad), and you get the sense that by the time this man is through with them, Abia would be in pole position for the prize of the worst run state in the country.....with an impoverished citizenry and a moribund economy. Is it too hard for them to get rid of him b/4 2015?

Aba, T.A Orji and the rest of us

“Aba residents themselves must be law abiding and disciplined.”

Aba! Our Aba. A town commercially and economically endowed that is likened as the Japan of Africa, whose residents could fabricate anything to mimic its originality.

Aba (the Enyimba City) is cosmopolitan, meaning that it harbours a mixture of ethnic groups; from Igbo the natives to Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Efik, Ibibio, Kalabari, Opobo, Beni, Tiv, Idoma, Sierra Leonean, Ghanaian, Togolese, Beninaou, Cameroonian nationales etc. Aba attracts people of diverse ethnic groups and interests because of the burgeoning of trade and commerce there.

A typical day in this Enyimba city starts by 5 a.m. and terminates by 11 p.m. when most of the traders would have satisfied themselves of having made a good day. Aba, indeed, is a business delight. And this is where the problem comes.

Aba-Ngwa as it is often referred to is a city in a hurry; a city where liquid cash accompanying the merchandizing of goods and services flows with unrestrained gush, thus pushing this commercially-oriented city to the edge of assuming the toga of a land where only money speaks. But that is not the way it was in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

Aba is one (if not the only) well designed city in West Africa. The colonial masters did a beautiful design on Aba; carving the roads and streets to suit a pattern of 10 houses compartment for a junction and constructed a well laid out sanitary lanes that separates one house from the other at both adjacent and at the rear.

Aba in the days of yore possessed some resemblance of cities in Europe as it was as organized as it was disciplined. Discipline was the core value then when hygiene was regarded as sacrosanct. Sanitary inspectors inspected not only the sanitary lanes but houses referred to as “Yards”. Indeed, the fear of sanitary inspectors then is the beginning of your escape from the wrath of law; and so every resident kept to the sanitation code of the then Aba County Council; cleaning the drainages and carting away wastes (refuse) to the designated points. No one dared to build structure on unauthorized place. Without a doubt, the giant drainage that runs through Old Court – School road to the Aba River was dreaded. No one dared to build structure on it. Then, Aba was sweet and habitable as its population density was low and manageable.

But things got out of hand when after the civil war; people of all hues displaced in their formal abodes as a result of the war made the town their new residence. Population increased geometrically and deterioration of the city started. Aba began to witness despicable defacing as structures were built on unauthorized places. The sanitary lanes were converted to shops, stalls and rooms to let, thus jettisoning the gradual developmental process the colonial masters had introduced.

By 1990s, Aba had deteriorated in physical outlay that it had become a huge jungle so to speak. Current of water that usually flowed freely in the drainages and terminated in the Aba River found their way on the roads and streets which helped in damaging them. The giant Aba drainage (the Aba big gutter) was converted to shops and stalls by rapacious individuals while the purpose it was supposed to serve was defeated. Aba became a flooded town and Ndiegoro emerged out of the process.

In this confusion, government after government abandoned their civic responsibility of restoring the city’s lost glory. In 2007, shortly after his swearing in, T.A Orji (Ochendo) carried out a major intervention in Aba that resulted in rehabilitating the Aba-Owerri road, Port Harcourt road and Ikot Ekpene road; the three major roads in this commercial city. Bent on putting Aba in the economic map of the world, T.A Orji began the rehabilitation of markets, pipe-borne water abandoned in the 1970s, and other roads in this city.

The roads that received his attention and got his Midas touch are Park, Pound, Azikiwe, Danfodio, Ulasi, Ngwa, Ama Ogbonna, Brass, York, Ube etc. But the floods have their toll on these roads.

It will be noted that no government since Abia was created in 1991 took it as a priority to embark on any damage control in the city. In fact, some of the regimes presiding Chief Orji’s administration, particularly the immediate past, encouraged the construction of market stalls in unauthorized places. It is appalling that the greatest critic of Ochendo’s administration is the very man that presided over a regime that saw to the monumental dilapidation of Aba.

Now, after the first attempt to recover the city through the reconstruction of some major roads, the Abia state governor has begun another massive programme on that. During his first tenure, Orji invited Aba City Fathers and landlords in his project of recovering Aba. This bilateral synergy became popular and led to the remodeling of some sections of the town.

But the indiscipline in the town became the bane of the developmental process in the city. Despite the several warnings that the drainages and sanitary lanes so blocked were the reasons of the continued flooding, the residents saw no sense in this well researched counsel as they continually build on the drainages with reckless abandon.

However, unlike other administration that ruled the state with deceit, lack of cognate planning and corruption, cheap propaganda, uncoordinated approach to administering of Abia etc, the T.A Orji’s administration began a sustained second phase of the recovering of Aba in his second term. This second phase has led to the rebuilding of 10 roads and later 16 roads as well as the clearing of the colossal refuse/heaps of rubbish in the commercial city. These roads include Azikiwe, Faulks, Osisioma, NIPP – Osisioma depot roads etc.

Such roads include the East Street, Old Express – Samec road, Ukwu Mango which connects the Ariaria axis of the Enugu – Port Harcourt expressway, Cemetery roads etc. Even as the reconstruction of the roads was going on, the administration saw it as a point of duty to build a pedestrian bridge at the Abia Polytechnic, Aba. It is worrisome that those sponsoring mischief and undue criticisms against the Orji administration were the very people that caused Aba’s decay which Ochendo is trying to clear. If they had lain the foundation for the recovering of Aba as Ochendo is doing now, Aba would have been a lot better.

But the T.A Orji administration is taking the recovery of this commercial town in strides; first the roads, the waste disposal and then the water provision. No administration, no matter how magical and richly endowed financially, would embark on any reconstruction of a city that is in ruins in one fell swoop. Even if the Abia administration would have loved to do so, the insufficient allocation from the federation account as well as the deficient internally generated revenue (IGR) would not allow it.

Consequently, it will be wrong for anyone to single out a particular road or roads as basis of judging the Ochendo’s administration in Abia state. If such roads, the enemies of government are banding about as dilapidated, have not been reconstructed, it is simply because the rehabilitation process is yet to get to them. Ngwa, Ohanku, Obohia et al roads are some of the roads that will soon benefit from subsequent phases.

As the government is rebuilding the roads and cleaning up Aba from wastes and rubbish heaps, so also the administration is embarking on the provision of portable water not only in Aba but the entire state. All these projects will materialize before the expiration of the tenure of the government. What is required is patience and cooperation of the people.

However, whatever the government of T.A Orji does in Aba could still be glossing the problem of the city because the poor financial status of the state will not allow it to carry out a marshal plan that will comprehensively suit such a mega city. In this instance, the federal government should take over or at least ensure the total recovery of Aba from social and economic decay which could lead to its collapse.

Aba is a major commercial town, like Onitsha, Kano and Lagos. If Aba is allowed to die because of neglect, a major component of the entity called Nigeria has died. It is in the public domain that Abia administration currently does not have the financial capacity and capability to rehabilitate the city. The government has done well in trying to recover Aba and also in arresting the ugly incident of kidnapping that made the residents to flee the city some time ago.

Certainly, the federal government’s involvement (or in collaboration with international agencies) would lead to a major redesigning of the town, dismantling and removal of obstructions like the stalls and shops built on drainages and in sanitary lanes. This approach should also involve experts that should drive the process. If possible, a marshal plan for Aba should be produced in this intervention process. This is what the fifth columnists and the armchair critics of T.A Orji should be advocating and not to misinform the public on the state of Aba with dubious and skewed pictures of different scenario of the town.

Aba residents themselves must be law abiding and disciplined. Lawlessness introduces anarchy which brings under development. No tangible recovering process can be achieved if the people continue to disobey the environmental and urban laws. In every organized city, it is said, the discipline of the system and of the people creates room for enhanced services, service delivery, security and progress. Indeed, there is no alternative to this maxim. For the Enyimba city to be recovered as the government of T.A Orji is proposing, people must work in liaison with the government.

Give orji more time, I think he'll deliver. Was it not some months ago he was given the award of the most security conscious governor in W/Africa.
He's a silent technocrat.

zonaking: Front page pls.If na to put trade way show hw many times Dbanj bleeped Gene,that one go enta front page on arrival.

. Should I call u a thoroughly bred idiotic psycophant? No. I will not because imbecility and foolishnes runs in your genes to have the shameful courage to defend that Ekwensu that is destroying Abia State. You see why Alaigbo will never develop with pple like you who celebrate a confirmed and branded failure like T.A. Orji only to pull down performing gov'nors in AlaIgbo. Nkita ri fo kwara gi nri ebe ahu! NB: PLEASE THIS POST IS directed at MACEDONIA. Forgive my misfiring Zonaking as the post is not meant for you. Thanks for ur understanding.

T.A Orji has examined the backwardness and build up rot which ensues from improper handling of issues that could obviously be traced from the inventive period when Abia state was created . He is a leader that does strive for a balance on its success and continuity,attract development in its justifiable act of genuinely democratic-polity and systematic approach forming basis of a democratic reality.it is true that is widely believed that Abia state can be said to have had a dysfunctional domain of history of downsize performance coming way back as from the time of creation of Abia state. people cast aspersion ,its is an every day norm, and it is always said that Abia leaders, governors, present and past lack transparently most reliable structures, certain operative context and diplomats hinging on knowledge in all their varieties as their ultimate resources and have fallen below the immediate goal of democratization of the electoral process which contradicts what is been expected of them by their followers.

TA Orji remains the best Governor so far in the history of Abia,I am pained that people have to acknowledged the strides made by Ochendo without bias,he has made the state move in various ways ..and all these gestures you criticize are actions that have put smiles on the faces of fellow Avians for which I am a witness! have those you who come to talk about Abia asked how Abia was beforehand OCHENDO came? are we sure we know Abia? do we remember that sometime in Abia people got wheelbarrows and Okada. as empowerment But Ochendo came in banned Okada and introduced keke and which has saved many lives today and made emergency wards in hospitals less busy, this act was quickly copied by other states...today CHIEF TA ORJI OCHENDO IS GIVING OUT CARS FREE TO ABIA YOUTHS, putting vehicles in homes were people like you never thought it should be, Well you have your interest you can say what you want, you only succeed in your ignorance of happenings in present Abia..please go get more updates ...

criticism & scandals is not the way out of this scourge. All of us should identify with the Governor, knowing that the Governor is working the modality to better the deplorable conditions of Aba roads . There are many rural places in Abia state that has no road to bring out their farm produce, the Governor has constructed their roads, some still on going . Aba will wear a new look with no distance time. However, we all should support the government to achieve infrastructural development in the state. The Governor is trying, specifically in the area of security we have to give it to him. Every body knows when all kind of insurgent kidnapping, robberies, rape, etc was rampant in Abia state, especially in Aba metropolis. People deserted Aba cos of untold hardships submerged people in Aba. It took the Governor # millions & time to calm insecurity in Abia state. Lets thanks the Governor.

The youth empowerment programme of the State government is a wonderful initiative of the state Governor. It has greatly enhanced the living standards of the Abia Youth. I'm a beneficiary of it and i'm grateful to the Governor for this good enhancement objective.

It's high time we renounce our great size of hatred ,jealousy,enmity,envy and other form of treachery against T.A Orji who is at a very large extent had reclaimed his stand with plausible achievement so far ,which every blind man could see and a deaf could testify of without a call for an amplifier.Everything in life has to be approached the usual way,that is,one thing at a time,every step at a time : there is a popular adage that says " the journey of million miles begins with a step". Therefore,if T.A has given facelift to many parts of commercial town of Aba,for instance, he can as well attend to other things.So ,what exactly do u need T.A to do ? well, i want you to know that T.A who has registered quite an enormous achievement in recent times and who also does not have a start-stop syndrome that could pose a threat to many other projects in the pipe line; T.A Orji can not be distracted and he has vouch to reach out to every part of Abia State by carrying out massive and myriads of projects that will affect the life of citizens of Abia State to a very greater extent.don't be too fast to lash out criticism ,T.A has got some time left in his tenure ,it is not over until it is over

It does not matter if the opponents and critics are making this point stoutly from partisan perspectives.To criticise the government is a not just a right but a duty of the opposition.T.A is firmly cultured with attentiveness that will ensure he never get distracted by the censure coming from all direction,as such is normal thing expected of people that are being governed....

Why is this thread so calm and empty on this issue.......Ohhh....They're all busy at threads Castigating Gov Fashola leaving issues that directly concern them behind.

mecedonia: Governor T.A.Orji is not averse to criticisms, especially when they are coming from the opposition. He is never perturbed by negative criticisms from the opposition in the state. The truth is that he remains focused aommitted in delivering of democracy to Abians. In terms of the development of the state, the Governor has shown the zeal and commitment to take Abia State to the next level.

I'm the person that liked your comments. just to prove to you that this is one of the reasons yoruba people will start deporting your people that are not contributing to our development.

Your people are complaining instead of you to inform your governor you are texting trash. You want us to use our own money to take care of your people. so that you can put the money into your personal ac, and start flying to abuja to cry. if you cant create basic amenities at least create jobs.

Instead of your governors creating industries and factories that would employ lots of people he is buying things that can perish in minutes.

Funny enough the igbo people will still vote for him again.

emindu: It does not matter if the opponents and critics are making this point stoutly from partisan perspectives.To criticise the government is a not just a right but a duty of the opposition.T.A is firmly cultured with attentiveness that will ensure he never get distracted by the censure coming from all direction,as such is normal thing expected of people that are being governed....

Distraction ke' this igbo governors are never distracted. Because their main objective is to loot. What else can distract you from looting nothing.

There is no idea of governance in their heads so using the word distraction is plain excuse.

Emindu...you see your life
May God treat and handle you and your family issues, the way TA Orji is treating and handling Abia State Issues. Ise!!!

The Gov. is a compound FOOL!

mecedonia: Governor T.A.Orji is not averse to criticisms, especially when they are coming from the opposition. He is never perturbed by negative criticisms from the opposition in the state. The truth is that he remains focused and committed in delivering the dividends of democracy to Abians. In terms of the development of the state, the Governor has shown the zeal and commitment to take Abia State to the next level.

Plshavmercyamen: . Should I call u a thoroughly bred idiotic psycophant? No. I will not because imbecility and foolishnes runs in your genes to have the shameful courage to defend that Ekwensu that is destroying Abia State. You see why Alaigbo will never develop with pple like you who celebrate a confirmed and branded failure like T.A. Orji only to pull down performing gov'nors in AlaIgbo. Nkita ri fo kwara gi nri ebe ahu! NB: PLEASE THIS POST IS directed at MACEDONIA. Forgive my misfiring Zonaking as the post is not meant for you. Thanks for ur understanding.

The guy gats chop man. All man for himself lol.

ba7man: Why is this thread so calm and empty on this issue.......Ohhh....They're all busy at threads Castigating Gov Fashola leaving issues that directly concern them behind.

Brov, this attitude remains a mystery.

mecedonia: Governor T.A.Orji is not averse to criticisms, especially when they are coming from the opposition. He is never perturbed by negative criticisms from the opposition in the state. The truth is that he remains focused and committed in delivering the dividends of democracy to Abians. In terms of the development of the state, the Governor has shown the zeal and commitment to take Abia State to the next level.

iam from ABIA STATe and i want tpo tel u dat if not for my beautiful self developed villa,i wont be there.stop dis trash u r saying pls