Aba is a city with immense opportunities and vast possibilities. It is our own Taiwan and Tokyo, the ingenuity of its people can make her compete with the two aforementioned cities. Aba’s potentials have been spoken of for too long, beyond the promises and endless rhetoric’s, is an absence of visionary ideas, sound leadership and conscientious action to transform these potentials into actuality. In spite of the broad challenges facing the Enyimba city, Aba can rise to fame and fortune if we collectively decide to do the right thing both as a government and as a people. We cannot crave for change and at the same time refuse to discard habits and mindsets that impede our march to greatness.

I believe in what Aba can become and I am confident that the hopes we hold in common can be realized, if we have the courage to choose our leaders wisely and the resolve to make the necessary sacrifice. I believe that Aba can be the centerpiece of commerce and industry in Africa. I dream of a time when “made in Aba products” will be adorned with pride by Nigerian both the rich and famous; a time when locally made Aba products will drive imported products off the shelf, just like Nigerian music did to foreign hip hop. For Aba to get there, we have to change the way our city look, our environment must be renewed and its infrastructure must be reworked. Let me share my dreams for Aba with you.

Waste to wealth Initiative
The quantum of waste produced by residents in Aba daily is enormous. While this challenge has made waste disposal an uphill task, it provides the State with an opportunity of wealth creation. Through a well coordinated waste management system, we can rid our streets of dirt, recycle some of the solid waste, make bio fertilizers to enrich our farmlands and even produce bio fuel to power new industrial clusters. This initiative which should be a public private partnership can turn our pains into gain and provide us with the opportunity for alternative source of revenue.

Waste to work Initiative
Job creation for teeming youths has been the worry of both State and Federal governments. The problem of waste disposal in our commercial city can solve the unemployment problem in our State. Hundreds of youths and even more can find jobs cleaning our streets, collecting the garbage, sorting out the waste and manning recycling plants. If this initiative is well implemented, the government may not even need to bear the cost of paying the workers as the private companies partnering with government will be in charge of the remuneration.

Clean and green Initiative
Think of an Aba with new city centers and green areas where wastes were formerly dumped. Street corners that once reeked with pungent smell can be cleaned and replaced with flowers, relaxation utilities and sports facilities to create a fresh ambience for outdoor relaxation. This initiative will create jobs for horticulturists, reduce health hazards associated with dirty environment while giving the City a new look of aesthetic beauty.

Aba Commodity Industrial City
A new industrial city can rise to end the choas and disorderliness in the crowded Ariara International market. This industrial clusters will be delineated according to commodities for easy access to producers. For instance, shoemakers will occupy a different area from clothiers. This industrial city will have full compliments of functional utilities such as steady power supply, water supply, car parks, special transport vehicles and haulage services to aid transportation of goods, banks and hotels for visiting customers. With this well organized industrial city, it becomes easy to control the quality of 'made in Aba products' and to attract foreign investments from business men willing to do business in Nigeria.

A leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become, to point them to the right direction that leads to a favorable destination and to release their energies so that they will try to get there. The ideas I’ve shared with you is possible if we have a leader who shares similar vision for a greater Aba. Amongst the aspirants vying for the governorship seat of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu’s passion and commitment to build a better and greater Aba is unquestionable. His ambition to lead Abia is not a fight for personal glory or narrow interest; it is movement for the realization of our collective ambition as a people. Your support for OKEZUO ABIA 2015 is an endorsement of the hope we share in common; that a new Abia is possible.

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is OK

OFFOR HONEST IS A PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR
You can reach him via offorhonest@gmail.com or 07065074524
Twitter handle: @honest4change.