Governor Orji’s legacy projects


Abia State was carved out 22 years ago from former Imo State. The state inherited immovable infrastructures within her territory on creation, majority of which were legacies of late icons such as Michael Okpara, Sam Mbakwe, among other resourceful political forebears.

Before the emergence of Gov. T. A. Orji in 2007, five military administrators and two democratically elected governors had ruled Abia. The longest to have served was the immediate past governor who ruled for eight uninterrupted years. Brief insight into the state of things as they were will expose the terrible backwardness of Abia in almost all facets of development. However, for want of space, Umuahia will be the focal point here.

Umuahia, the state capital, the image and identity of Abia, passed off badly as a glorified council headquarters. There were no meaningful modern infrastructures befitting a city of such importance. Most of the buildings housing government ministries, departments and agencies, including some sections of the present Government House, were remnants of colonial heritage. The ugly sight of the present main market greeted visitors on entering Umuahia and government offices scattered throughout various unplanned distant locations in town. There were no identifiable functional government-owned health centres anywhere in the state.

The description of Umuahia capital was limited from Uwalaka Street to World Bank Housing Estate, which took less than 10 minutes to circumnavigate. Umuahia was so compressed that the popular Isigate was the only epicentre of all commercial activities, inclusive of motorists and tricycle operators. Development of the city taxis until recently was an illusion. Administration of justice was done in anachronistic office complexes. There was no standard conference centre. In this modern age of ICT, the state library remained the one used by Cyprian Ekwensi, Chinua Achebe and their contemporaries. Education infrastructures were anything but good. Of course, it takes an educated leader to know the importance of educational facilities.

Until recently, and except for a few wealthy, majority of Abians did not know how to access a comprehensive diagnostic service. The above state of affairs in Abia before 2007 generated a compulsive need for a multi-dimensional development approach in the state.

What is legacy? It simply means heritage, gift, inheritance, bequest or heirloom. By this description and the obvious lack of the facilities enumerated above, it is therefore instructive to note that Abia State, as it were, was short of requisite foundation that would have guaranteed necessary growth. For instance, there wouldn’t be need for a new Government House, High Court complexes, diagnostic centres, state-of-the-art conference centres, e-library, 260 new health centres in all the nook and cranny of Abia, new main market, new legislative office complex, new industrial and motor spare parts market, new workers’ secretariat, new residences for deputy governor and speaker, etc if Abia had them in the past. The funds spent on these would have been channelled to other areas. Can any of the jaded critics of this administration deflect any of these claims as non-existent? Or can any of these projects be related to any one of the past administrations?

One therefore wonders why the unreasonableness of choosing lies as a commanding strategy in a bid to discredit the iconic Ochendo, albeit unsuccessfully, just to incite public opprobrium against his mandate and re-establish contact to power to further the course of rapacious personalisation of Abia’s commonwealth.

The fact is that Abia lacked these projects in the past and Governor Orji, since assumption of office, conceptualised and embarked on aggressive, verifiable, tangible and cogent landmark infrastructural development of the state in line with the path expected of a frontline city in Aba and Umuahia. The undeniable fact about these projects is that not only will they outlive generations, they are also very pivotal to the sustainable development of the state.

As is the case in other major cities where location of major projects, such as universities and markets, attracts rapid urbanisation, the relocation of Umuahia main market, industrial market and spare parts market will be accompanied by speedy development of these areas. The new main market is a world class. The areas of land traversing parts of Ohuhu, Ubani Ibeku to Uzuakoli, which hitherto were not collaterable, have geometrically risen in value. The on-going housing estate situated beside the market adds a masterful glamour. The same is the case with other areas and that’s how it should be as expansion of the capital city follows the legacy projects.

Governor Orji has architecturally created a section in Umuahia city that is suitable to be called the NEW UMUAHIA. That is the cutting-edge of his development efforts as the new Government House, workers’ secretariat, conference centres, commissioners’ quarters, ASEPA building, BCA complex, JAAC office, House of Assembly, the e-library, the ultra-modern skill acquisition centre and other monumental institutions of government are all situated in this area.

It is expedient to note that the development efforts of Governor T. A. Orji cannot be exhaustively enumerated here. However, from every conceivable perspective, Ochendo is an honest leader who runs a transparent stewardship. He takes issues in a forthright manner and radiates confidence and objectivity. There is absolutely no justifiable basis for a comparative survey between Ochendo’s administration and the past, especially the immediate past. Here is a man who has not borrowed a dime and yet Abia is witnessing remarkable improvement in all sectors of the state economy.

I dare say that T. A. Orji is indeed operating on the same wavelength operated by Sam Mbakwe and M. I. Okpara. He has set a comfortable foundation for whoever is going to succeed him. His successor only needs to step up efforts on the prosperous pedestals put in place by Ochendo Global. The person needs to subscribe to the culture of tolerance, accommodation and populist ideological disposition to excel. The person should imbibe a mindset devoid of over-preponderance of personal interest. These are the qualities that mark Ochendo out.

Governor Orji’s humility, competence and forcefulness are not in doubt as he has shown uncommon dexterity in the management of human and material resources. He has the breadth of character, requisite finesse, wit and sharpness of mind, high moral integrity and sense of judgment characteristic of a true transformer. He has given Abians reasons to approach the future with great optimism. The legacies have just begun.

Woe unto the hypocrites of 21st Century.

The only governor that lacks vision, passion and the will to repositioned his State.

Orji Kalu should be hanged for imposing a failure that belongs to the prison to my beloved Abia State.

Governor Orji’s humility, competence and forcefulness are not in doubt as he has shown uncommon dexterity in the management of human and material resources. He has the breadth of character, requisite finesse, wit and sharpness of mind, high moral integrity and sense of judgment characteristic of a true transformer. He has given Abians reasons to approach the future with great optimism. The legacies have just begun.

Orji for president.
#teamorji2015

I was in the state last month,very bad state. The government is sleeping big. I pity my Abia inlaws.