Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, is
repositioning the state for sustainabledevelopment through multi-sectoral andcomprehensive strategy that will not only enhance the human capital development, but also touch all facets of the state’s economy.
In line with his transformation agenda, the governor last week inaugurated some completed projects in Aba and Umuahia with fanfare.

Ezenwa ugochukwu writes
Apparently spurred by recent allegations from the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) that nothing is happening in Aba and by extension the entire state in terms of infrastructural development, Governor Theodore Orji, last week, moved in like a wounded lion to expose the lies in APGA’s attack against his government.

Though the governor had in the past inaugurated various projects, he used theinauguration of the new projects in Aba and Umuahia last week, to test his government’s
popularity and acceptability. With the warm reception accorded the governor and his entourage from communities where projects were unveiled, an elated Orji proudly declared at the end of the day that “I am in charge.”
Orji administration’s success no doubt has been
made possible through the level of supports he enjoyed from the 11 members of the National Assembly, 24 members of the State House of Assembly, 17 transition chairmen of local governments, the commissioners, the political leaders and the ordinary people in the state. In Aba, the governor unveiled the newly completed
Ukwu-Mango-Ariaria Road, Dan Fodio/East Roads, Old Express/Samek Road and a pedestrian bridge at Abia State Polytechnic.
While in Umuahia, the governor inaugurated the newly
completed Nkata-Alaike-Umukabia Road and the Iyienyi-Okwoyi Road, all in Umuahia North Local Government Area.
During the inauguration of the two projects in Aba and Umuahia last week, all the prominent Abia sons and daughters, school children,traders and the youths lined up the major roads singing praises of Orji for the good work he is doing in the state. Those present at the two
inauguration include the governors wife, Mrs.Mercy Odochi Orji, Abia State Deputy Governor,Chief Emeka Ananaba and his wife, Mrs. Nene Ananaba, Speaker Abia State House of Assembly,Rt. Hon. Ude Oko-Chukwu, former deputy governor of Abia State, Chief Acho Nwakama, Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu,
Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Ikechi Ogbuagu, Chief Bob Ogbuagu and Chief Tony Ukasanya.Others are former chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Orji’s closet rival in the 2007 governorship election,Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, South-east National
Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Col. Austin Akobundu, Chief Henry Ikoh, Chairman of Abia State PDP, Senator Emma Nwaka, Chief Uzodinma Okpara, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, Prince Sonny Aku, President General of Ohuhu Welfare Union, Mr. Ejikeme Ikwunze and many others.
After thanking the Aba residents for the warm reception they gave him, Orji said the Ukwu-Mango Ariaria Road was impassable for more than 20 years due to neglect by past governments in the state thereby leaving the major road linking Ariaria International Market to be left with only mountains of refuse and deep water where people even carried out fishing activities.

The governor who said he did the road because of
the love he has for the people of Aba, noted that his government is not a government of deceit. “All the work we are doing in Aba, we will finish and the people are solidly behind us. We are not here to deceive you; we have come to work. When kidnappers came people ran away from Aba.
Having restored order in the commercial city,people who ran away because of kidnappers have all returned to Aba to continue with their businesses.”
During the inauguration of the pedestrian bridge
at Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Orji said the news of students being killed by fast moving vehicles on the road that crosses the institution forced his government to build the pedestrian crossing. The governor, who said that four students of the institution lost their lives on the road last year,noted that with the new pedestrian bridge, all the students of the Abia Student Polytechnic are well protected and secured. He said instead of increasing school fees, he decided to reduce
school fees, noting that the reduction is for every student irrespective of state of origin. He therefore
implored the students to take their studies seriously.
The management and students of the Abia State Polytechnic, poured encomiums Orji for his sensitivity to the needs of the institution and prayed God to guide and protect him and members of his family including members of his cabinet. As a mark of appreciation, the students of the polytechnic gave a chieftaincy title to the governor to show love to him. While unveiling the
Dan Fodio/East roads and Old Express/Samek Road in Aba, Governor Orji said: “We will continue to do everything that it takes to ensure the development of this city, and its full restoration to the glory of all Abians and all men of good will.”At the inauguration of Iyienyi-Okwoyi road in Umuahia North Local Government Area,
Governor said that he was particularly excited to
commission the road, which he noted had remained impassable especially during rainy season. He said the roadwork when completed would link up major communities such as Ozu Item, Uzuakoli and Igbere that are under AbiaState.
Orji who asked the people of Iyienyi-Okwoyi to continue to live in peace, said that God helped him to do the road warning that nobody should dump refuse into the drainage system.
“What we are doing today is a thing of joy.
Ochendo is responsible for today’s joy in the land.
We will continue to do good works for the state.
The people complained to me severally and God provided the money to do the work. The people should live in peace. Abia State is now free from Pharaoh and we will never go back to Egypt again,” Orji noted. At the inauguration of the Nkata Alaike-Umukabia road, which took place at the playground of Umukabia Okpuala Central School, the community in the thousands trooped to welcome Orji and large entourage. Orji who
thanked the contractor, A Vision, for constructing
a stoned-based road said that his government would stop at nothing in doing good thing.
“We are here to do good thing. We want to make
impact on the lives of the people, give them a permanent thing they will forever remember my administration for. If there is peace, there will be
progress and when we dialogue things move forward,” Orji said. The Labour and Productivity Minister, Emeka Wogu, during a banquet organised at the Government House implored Abians to continue to support Orji’s government,noting that he is a blessing to the state. “Your support will bring more love, joy and. development to Abia State,” he said, adding that “for me the day is the day God has made and we must be
happy and be joyful. What we have today is very spiritual; we have come to repossess our
possession because of our bad experience.

Opposition will always talk but we should face our
business and work for the people. From the mobilisation of women we saw today, God should
give you the resources to complete the landmark
projects in Abia State,” Wogu said The minister said that it took Governor Orji’s courage, determination to right the wrongs of the past as pensioners are no longer dying on queues in Abia State noting that the First Family of Abia State needs the prayers of everybody. “We are now liberated, we are now having peace in Abia The problem is not what happened in Aba, but we what we failed to do. Ohanku road was
impassable but now I can go to my house,” Wogu
said.
The minister who recalled how he abandoned one of his properties at Ukwu-Mango, said with the new road now, he has been able to access the property. “Ochendo is leaving a legacy in Abia State, he is of good humility and it’s our duty to tell the world what his government is doing. We have a good work and we have to celebrate him,” Wogu declared.

Orji who said that “Governance is not easy”announced that since he came on board he has never taken any loan and bonds from the capital market to execute the massive projects littered all over the state. He said that prudent management of resources from the monthly N3.5 billion allocation, which the new minimum wage alone takes N2.5 billion remaining N1 billion, and from
N222 million Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),he is able to execute projects in the state.

According to him, the counterpart funding from the Federal Government also helps in the execution of projects in Abia State.
“Since I came on board I have never taken any
loan from the bank neither have I taken any bond
from the capital market. Before our salary wage bill was N1.4, N1.5 billion before the N18, 000 minimum wage and today I am paying N20, 100. I am yet to see if there is any other state that pays higher than Abia. This has brought our salary wage bill to N2.5 billion out of an allocation of maybe N3.5. When you remove N2.5 billion from N3.5
what remains for me is N1 billion. My Internally Generated Revenue is N222 million that is what I get from my consultants.
“So when you add and compare it with what we are doing you will now assess whether Abia is doing well or not. You can never compare Abia State with Akwa Ibom State neither can you compare us with Rivers State, Bayelsa State or Delta State. Never! There is no basis for
comparison because if you see their allocation chart you know why some of them are able to build airports. Unfortunately, when our people see some of these things they will come back and say nothing is happening here. You cut your coat according to your size.

I cannot bring Julius Berger here because I cannot pay them. But I can pay our own indigenous contractors who are doing very well and they are the people we are using and they are happy about it
God bless Abia state and the Governor and the S A to the governor on e_governance.

Thunder fire anybody that says Abia has a face lift. For your information I was at home last week and saw nothing new in the state. I will continue to say it loud and clear, T.A Orji still hav a lot of time to repent that is if he so desired. Only a slight thing from FG interms of road I.e from Umuekia junction to Aba.

@chilover U are blind, don't u see that the state has been transformed, pls check well

The TA Orji has done well

Some Road project in Aba

I swear, the phrase 'massive projects' or 'massive constructions' has to be banned from the lexicon of all politicians and their paid hacks on the internet.....not until they're first cleared to use it by a 'truth panel' of neutrals that verify their claims.

I'm sick and tired of seeing it used for every other local job going!

mecedonia: The TA Orji has done well

^^^Well this road is ok for where it's situated. Could you tell the contractor to apply road markings to complete it?

Nice one.

mecedonia: Some Road project in Aba

^^^This looks like a good job as well.....though yet to be finished.

IGBO-SON:
I swear, the phrase 'massive projects' or 'massive constructions' has to be banned from the lexicon of all politicians and their paid hacks on the internet.....not until they're first cleared to use it by a 'truth panel' of neutrals that verify their claims.

I'm sick and tired of seeing it used for every other local job going!

I DEY YA BACK

This is very encouraging.In the first picture without proper drainage, i fear those red sand at the side of the road is going to be washed onto the road when it starts to rain. A welcome improvement.

Let's give me our support