₦airaland Forum

What effort has been made to provide amenities and security in the state?
Governor Theodore Orji has been trying to transform the state since he assumed office. As you all know, his first term was spent at various courts trying to validate his mandate and address other external forces. However, in his second term, he has embarked on many projects in the last 10 months. The state government has tackled insecurity amongst others. If you will recall, there was a time no one could sleep with his two eyes closed. I am sure it was a period we will not want to remember when we are assessing the history of the state.

I want to use this medium to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for coming to the aid of the state governor to battle the ugly trend. We have been sustaining the security measures put in place by the Federal Government because when you build a house or buy a car and refuse to maintain it, it will go bad. This is why the governor is doing everything possible to sustain the efforts by supporting the security agencies in the state. This he is doing through the provision of patrol vehicles with communication gadgets and other logistics to help them perform effectively.
Sometimes, there are comments people make and you are constrained to respond. When you say the governor has done well but there is room for improvement, people will know that you are criticising constructively. If you do not see any good aspect of him, then it will show that you are not objective in your criticism. Aba is known as the commercial centre for the people of both the Southsouth and Southeast which the governor is trying to turn into a mega-city. Aba was in decay and it was like it defied the solution from previous administrations.

I want to say that governor Orji took the bull by the horn by putting things right in the commercial city. I want to use this medium to commend the eminent paramount ruler Eze Isaac Ikonne, the Enyi I of Aba who has lauded the governor for his good works despite being at logger head with the state helmsman. The traditional ruler recently said that he had gone round the project sites in Aba and other parts of the state, despite the fact that he is not in good terms with the governor; he commended the governor’s efforts in uplifting the status of Aba. He called on the people to support him. If such a personality could commend the the governor, which means he has given him a pass mark. We don’t even expect the oppositions to condemn the actions of the governor; rather they are expected to point out areas they think he needs to adjust for the free flow and reaping of the fruits of democracy.

So, I want to tell you that Aba is at the process of re-branding to save it from the terrible conditions. So far, 38 roads have been constructed in Aba alone and four housing estates are being developed in the city. Other projects are equally going on in the commercial city. You could also recall that recently, we commissioned some projects like the Ukwu-Mango Road, the Old Express/Samek Road and the Dan-Fodio Road which have been tarred.Also the first phase of Aba-Owerri Road is completed; the pedestrian bridge at the Abia State Polytechnic has ended the death of students and the residents. The Osisioma Motor Park has been tarred and will soon be inaugurated; we are building a modern theatre hall for the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), drainages in the commercial city including construction of drainages to take care of flooding in Aba. In addition to that, the state government has spent well over N5 billion on Aba to complete on-going projects in order to make the mega city dream a reality. All these projects are in phases and the governor wish to make impact in all the departments before the end of his tenure. Aba is not the only city in the state but it is being given attention because of its importance as the commercial centre of the region.

What is government position on workers welfare?

The governor has done well in the area of remuneration of the workers. It is still one of the states that pay N20,100 which is even more than the normal minimum wage. He has been paying it in the past three months. So, how will somebody now say that he has not been doing great in the welfare of the workers? And when we talk about the issue of youth empowerment, the governor had empowered 4,500 youths and they are well remunerated. Governor Orji also uses his son, Mr. Chinedu Orji as the driving force for the youth empowerment programmes in the state. He had to go out and mobilise the youths to ensure that youths are engaged.

Government will clock one year in office soon, what should the people expect?

They should expect completion of on-going projects and other developmental activities to boost the growth of the state. The governor has promised to build more health centres and have them equipped, as well as get the other sectors working. So, I will urge them to be patience with the government and trust the governor. He will deliver on his promises, because he knows that government is about service to the people.

http://abiastatenews..co.uk/2012/05/orji-is-transforming-abia.html

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/politics/47253-%E2%80%98orji-is-transforming-abia%E2%80%99.html
But opposition has said government had not done anything…

Abia State was created in 1991 by the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida's military regime. ..

Successive administrations both military and civilian have come and gone without making any impact at infrastructural development. At the outset of democracy in 1999, many Abians looked forward to a better society that would witness a remarkable improvement in its level of development. But that hope dimed because after eight years nothing appears to have changed. Today, Abia has been able to rediscover itself and is marching towards achieving greater heights courtesy of the administration of His Excellency, Chief T.A Orji. Just within the first year of his second term in office, Governor Orji has pursued the implementation of his programmes with greater vigour and has demonstrated his love for the people of Abia in so many ways. For instance, in Umuahia alone, he is building a multi-million Naira workers secretariat, an International Conference Centre and a new Government House. The two new ultra modern markets have reached completion stage, while three new housing estates have been constructed. The same feat is being replicated at Aba and other areas. In this interview with a select Journalists in Umuahia, Chief Orji promises not to leave behind uncompleted projects. He also gave reasons why his government has refused to borrow money from the Capital Market, saying that he does not want to mortgage or burden the next administration with debts because of his sad experience when he inherited a N29 billion debt. Speaking on the status of Aba, Chief Orji disclosed that he has created the right environment for business to thrive. CHIKA NWABUEZE was there for Business Hallmark. Excerpts

Although Abia State has been on the claws of vulture political godfathers who, for so many years, drained God’s own state of the much-needed resources to build critical infrastructure for accelerated development.
But by pulling the State out, the incumbent governor, Theordore Orji, has laid the desired foundation for Abia to grow again and take its place as the business hub for the entire South east and indeed, Nigeria.

His Excellency some of us have toured round Abia State on fact finding mission, particularly Umuahia and Aba to see some of the completed and ongoing projects initiated by your administration, some of us are impressed. Is the revenue that accrues to the state coffers enough to sustain the current development?
This things have to do with our allocation profile which is there for you to use to assess our performance. The Accountant General told me this morning that he went for FAC allocation, any month we get N3.5 billion we thank God; before the N18000 minimum wage was approved our wage bill was N1.6 billion. After the new minimum wage came into effect in Abia we are paying N20100 to every civil servant which pushed up our wage bill to N2.9 billion and we have to service the government and carry out all the statutory functions required of us. Aba-Owerri road contract is N1.8 billion; Port Harcourt-Aba road-the contract is N1.7 billion and I am only talking of Aba alone. I have not talked about our internally generated revenue because before now people collect the revenue and divert it. Now that we hired consultants who manage it we strive to reach N500 million every month, whereas in the past it was N250 million maximum. When I came on board it was N150 million before I took it to N200 million. So I want you to assess us from that background in view of the fact that the revenue profile has not changed.
Now since I started my second tenure I have not accessed any facility from the bank or gone to Bond Market to issue bond. The only loan I have collected is the N1 billion agric loan which the federal government received from the Central Bank and the CBN has conditions attached to the loan in respect to how to spend it. So, even that one is deducted from the state's allocation at source. Now compare this with what we are in Abia State, the numerous projects we are executing and tell me if we don't deserve commendation. I'm sure the Journalists went only to Aba and Umuahia. Did you visit Arochukwu, Ndiochi, Ndiokereke, Ozuabam; you have not gone to Nunya, Isikwuato where I am constructing about 4 roads at the same time. Then you should think about it and how we were able to confront the security challenges we faced initially. You have to equip the security operatives very well for them to be able to combat kidnapping and other forms of criminality in the state, all that we did and mind you information is not free.
I know sometimes people will visit Akwa Ibom or Rivers State and they will start to compare us with such states. Go and cross check it, all the governors both military and civilian that governed Lagos State all did well, none of them is a write-off. This is so because they have the funds, Dr. Peter Odili did well in Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi is doing well. So I will like people to assess us based on the peculiar situation we found ourselves into, by what we get as allocation and IGR. If you don't have money will you perform?. I want to tell you that why we are able to do what we are doing is due to prudence in the management of our resources. Go and verify it, before I came to office there is no public building in the entire state capital. I challenge anybody to come and show me any structure that was erected in the capital before my administration was inaugurated. Today, I can count on my fingers the big projects we are doing in Umuahia. We are building a state secretariat, the international conference centre, we are building a new Government House; we are adding more structures to the Commissioners quarters that we have here. The new Diagnostics hospital and Dialysis centre in Umuahia has come on stream; then you visit the Amarachara Specialist Hospital, the House of Assembly Complex; the office block under construction at the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia(BCA). Then we have built the Amaokwe housing estate, Amoba, Ishieke housing estates; the two markets that are being constructed simultaneously in Umuahia within this my second tenure because these things I could not do them in my first tenure due to circumstances which most of you are familiar with.
What I am doing now within the first year of my second term if I had the liberty, if I was allowed during my first tenure you would see the wonders I would perform in Abia state. I met no foundation here, I am starting to build Abia State from the scratch. If I have a Government House I won't be talking of building one. All my colleagues surrounding me have foundations laid for them, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo State have a Secretariat etc. So that is the problem, our revenue profile can be obtained online for you to understand what is happening.
What about the Golden Guinea Brewery Umuahia, what is the government doing to resuscitate it?
Then on the brewery, there was a time the place exploded which brought production to a stop. The company was about being liquidated because of a loan they took from First Bank. When I came on board I asked questions and was told that the place has been mortgaged sort of thing. There was a business tycoon that brought money and invested and wanted his money back. I brought investors and any investor you bring they will make inquiries after which they will leave. They were afraid of litigations. So we assembled major stakeholders to discuss the way out. There are investors who are showing interest, but the last team that came and assessed the place said that all the equipments are obsolete, they can't work again. That to revive Golden Guinea Brewery the investor must bring in new equipments. So as a government we will prefer to use that money to build structures for my people who elected me than sink it in the revival of GGBL.
Your Excellency you said that you are able to carry out these projects because of prudence management of meagre resources. Can you tell us how you did it?
This question about the magic I did in plugging holes and ensuring that we utilize the meagre income very well is our secret. If you think it is easy go and try it, so I know what we did. It is like during the period we faced serious security challenges in Abia we knew what we did.
You did say that your government has not borrowed any money to fund development projects, but other states are issuing bonds. Is there any particular reason why you are against leveraging?
The first thing we must realise before anything is that you must cut your coat according to your cloth. It doesn't mean I am not going to borrow money to complete the projects that we started because I do not want to leave behind uncompleted projects. I will leverage, but let us manage what we have judiciously since I don't want to put the state into debts because we have suffered a lot. I inherited a debt of N29 billion, while my predecessor told the world that he left behind money in the state's coffers until I went to the ministry of finance to produce the documents including N26 million which we owed Sun Newspaper, he never replied again. The Transition Committee Chairman that left with my predecessor left behind a bill of N2.9 billion as unpaid salaries for me. It was only debt that I inherited and I am paying all of them. So I don't want to burden the person coming after me, even if I leave behind any debt it is going to be a manageable one. We are in debt, if I did not inherit N29 billion debt that amount can solve a lot of problems for us. I am not only a manager of human beings, I can also manage resources and that is what I have done, it is there for everybody to see. Even stakeholders of Abia State are urging me to go and access funds to raise the level of development in the state. I will take a loan that I can be able to liquidate before I leave office, and it would be used to complete projects that we have started and initiate new ones for the man who is going to take over from me may continue with. So, I will issue a bond or raise money from the banks at the right time.
We appreciate your efforts with regards to the infrastructural development of Abia State, however, there are other sectors that equally need attention, especially youth empowerment. What other programmes do you have for Abians?
I will tell you the ones we have done and also those we will do, while we are concentrating on roads is because the average Nigerian is so passionate about roads. To them it is the standard measurement for performance of any chief executive officer of a state. They seem to forget other sectors which are also essential. Like here we give priority to health, like I always say it is a person who is healthy that will be excited about good roads to enjoy life. So, health is important to us. As at today we have constructed about 250 health centres, we did it under partnership with the MDG's of the federal government through counterpart funding. There is no local government in Abia that you will not find about two or three functional health centres, to take care of the health needs of our people at the grassroots. Apart from that you have seen the Diagnostic Centre which we are expanding, the Amachara hospital, the Abia State University Teaching hospital etc. If you talk of education, we have the Abia State University, the College of education Technical and the Abia state Polytechnic. And we are funding them adequately, paying their salaries. Today we have rehabilitated more than 400 schools. We have equipped them through ASOPADEC, that is part of the money we get from derivation. Our students are among the best winning laurels for the state. In fact the UBE award fetched us N70 million. We also give scholarships to our students to study at home and abroad.
In the area of agriculture, everybody knows that we produce high quality cocoa and we have a school for manpower training in the production of cocoa. Oil palm, we are now trying to revitalise the farm settlements that late Dr. M.I Okpara built. We have the oil palm in Ohambele which we are doing in partnership with an Italian company to produce enough oil. We are also trying to boost our rice production and we are in partnership with ADP to achieve that. So we are doing very well in that area and I told you that we have gotten agric loan which we will disburse soon to genuine farmers. Then in youth empowerment, we also realised that one of the things that make people to go into kidnapping and armed robbery was lack of jobs. We have youth programmes where we buy vehicles and give out, before now it was wheel barrow and shovel that was been given to youths as empowerment. I stopped the use of Okada in this state, and we moved on to Keke NAPEP. We have given out thousands of it to our people. We recently employed 4500 youths the highest in the country. I am touching all sectors, but the one that makes our people happy is the roads.
What effort is your government making to transform Aba to a sort of African-China and make it the pride of Nigeria?
What dragged us behind was the kidnapping, we had made tremendous efforts before the incident of kidnapping crept in. And because of it all the small enterprises we have in Aba folded up. And for that period that kidnapping was on businesses were slow, nothing was working. It really took us back, but now it is no more so these entrepreneurs have returned. We have started again, the market we are building in Umuahia, we have asked the Aba shoe manufacturers to extend to Umuahia if the place is tight. We have a common facility in Aba which we built in partnership with the federal government where these skills are impacted to our people. Leather works, shoe works, etc so we are doing everything possible to make the environment friendly for businesses to flourish. We have created the enabling environment for business to thrive, so businessmen are welcome. That is the most important thing that we have achieved. We also help them to obtain facilities from banks and other things.
You actually said that the projects you are executing now are what your predecessor could have done. Considering the fact that you played a very active role in that administration, at what point did you see things go wrong in Abia and what did you do?
This is a question that should be asked to all Abians, at what point did you see things go wrong and what did you do. Every person saw it at his own time, there are people who saw these things very early. I wasn't governor then because as chief of staff I was only taking directive, but now that I am governor I am accountable to anything that happens under my watch. We believe in loyalty but when it is misused and misinterpreted and people want to mess you up, you have to show that you are a man. For 8 years that I served him if I didn't do well he could have sacked me as chief of staff. That relationship was there and it continued but then at a stage I don't know what happened to him so that he wanted to disgrace me. I don't know if there is any governor in this Nigeria that can be issued a query. That was the height of insult, if I had done anything wrong you could have invited me for a discussion. It got to a level where I was brought to public ridicule that was when it dawned on me that it was time for me to change the course of Abia State, to separate with my predecessor. What I endured I don't think anybody can do so. This is a free world and there is freedom of association, with many political parties. You are living witness that PDP came to this place to beg me to join PDP, I first went to APGA when I left PPA. But PDP in their wisdom saw something in me that made them to come to woo me. By then my predecessor had tried to return to PDP and they rejected him.
During the last election, PDP won all the seats in this state, three senatorial seats, 8 federal House of Representatives; presidency and governorship we won. The 24 house of Assembly members are PDP, so when these parties are making noise on what basis are they making it. He sponsored people to run against us and was bragging that if he sponsors a monkey it will win and the monkey eventually failed. So I had to choose between my people who voted me and the people who do not want the progress of the state.
http:///index.php/permalink/7009.html

The Abia Commissioner for Health, Dr Okechukwu Ogah, said on Monday that the State Government had concluded plans to launch a health insurance scheme to provide an affordable health service to workers.
Ogah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba that the government was investing more funds in the health sector to boost healthcare delivery.
The commissioner said that the state House of Assembly would soon pass the health bill, now in its final reading, to make the scheme functional.
`We have keyed into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) established in 2003 by the Federal Government and the assembly will soon pass the bill into law.
Ogah added that the State Government would start with the formal sector to implement the programme.
The programme is in place, any moment from now we will launch it in the state,’’ the commissioner said.
He said that the State Government had been selected at the national level to participate in the Community-based Health Insurance scheme, adding that some communities had been identified for the programme.
Ogah named the communities as Isikwuato, Ohafia, Ukwa West and Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state.
So we have identified them, they have this local contributory programme and they can assist in running it,’’Ogah said.
NAN reports that the community based health insurance scheme is a non-profit type of insurance that has been used by poor people to protect themselves against the high costs of seeking medical care.
The insurance scheme requires members to regularly pay small premiums into a collective fund, used to pay for health services they require.
It is also designed for people who live and work in rural areas and who are unable to get adequate public, private or employer-sponsored health insurance. (NAN)
http://pointblanknews.com/new/news/4384-abia-plans-health-insurance-scheme-for-workers.html

Recently, they gathered at the Anglican Church at Owerrinta under the auspices of NGWA YOUTHS, deceived Bishop Nwoaobia into believing they were for real. They converted the church into a dangerous plot arena. An unsuspecting banker who they invited was shocked to notice they were discussing how they would OCCUPY the collective wealth of NDI OHUHU. He was brave enough to confess what these youngmen have been planning. His confession was what alarmed the Bishop that he had been deceived. This is a group of half baked graduates whose only occupation is politics, whose only source of income is blackmail, kidnapping and mudslinging. We ask: Why would a people meet to thwart the lifelong efforts of others? This is another attempt to reactivate the criminal business of ABANDONED PROPERTY. By the way, a lot of people abandoned their property for NDI NGWA as aftermath of the kidnap saga. Now, they want more.
They masquerade as The Abia Awakening, Abia Post and Abia Tower. They have been promoting blackmail, thuggery and hate against the person of the governor and institution of the State. T.A Orji busted their kidnapping camps, closed their flourishing business of ransom and chased them into oblivion. Those of them who lost elections had approached the Governor for settlement. Let Reagan Ufomba swear by anything he holds scared that he did not beg to be settled?
TA Orji has proven to be a hard nut to crack. He refused to settle them and to make matters worse; he has refused to be a part of their criminal conspiracy to make Abia unsafe. The Governor’s worst offence is to close the business of kidnapping.

Look at their identities
Patrick Onwuka, former Chairman of Isiala Ngwa South using his hit man SMART is spearheading the group who lives permanently in BINEZ HOTELS. They are mostly half – baked graduates whose only business is politics of settlement. They are selfish and criminally minded. No one person in that group has ever done anything outside hanging around in the corridors of power. While Onwuka was Chairman, (he was later impeached on proven cases of financial impropriety, incompetence and ineptitude) he criminally acquired a twin duplex and a printing press while owing contractors and LG staff months of salaries. TAO quickly distanced himself from him. Hungry and frustrated, he has been sponsoring this rash, wicked and unwarranted politics of acrimony against the Governor. We ask: If NGWA PEOPLE are not selfish, why have they not reprimanded ONWUKA and his group of disgruntled elements? This is further proof that NGWA are merely crying wolf.
Okey Ahaiwe, the insensitive President of NGWA PEOPLE is a corporate beggar. His stock in trade is to negotiate for settlement. We ask: Does not having the government approve contracts inflated criminally for an individual mean that the government is not performing? Okey Ahaiwe should tell us what favor he asked the governor for and why the governor’s refusal infuriated him?
Maxwel Nwadike lived in Cotonou Benin Republic but quickly returned to his NGWA domain in 2007 to take over a kidnap camp. He did not see anything bad about TAO until 2009 when he was chased out of the bush. Check his profile and see if there is any meaningful thing he does to earn a living. Abusing the governor and encouraging youths in his OBINGWA area to go back to kidnapping are his current love. Maxwell is STONE’s first cousin. We ask: If he truly stands for justice, why did he not help to turn STONE in when, he kidnapped; raped, maimed and killed innocent people?
Susan N.Uzoma approached the government in 2010 for funds to run her phantom NGO. When she failed in her bid to swindle government, she took to mudslinging. We ask: What is Susan’s real business? What if the government had given her the Ten Million naira she asked for in 2010? What concrete evidence can she give as somebody who advocated for people in the past apart from organizing NGWA people who lost out to cast aspersions on the person of the Governor? Why did Susan approach SUUSU (the once dreaded kidnap kingpin in OBINGWA area) for financial help? Why did Susan return to the village at the wake of kidnapping? How come her entire village experienced the most gruesome murder of innocent citizens and not a single day did she report any of her kinsmen to the police? We are waiting for Susan Uzoma’s reply.
Patrick Emeka Amalaha, Lawrence Ehilegbu, Chinedu Nwogu (the UNN graduate who writes and speaks two a penny grammar) and Ubani Charles thrived while ABALA supplied arms to kidnappers. Why did they relocate to ABALA during the kidnapping saga? Why is ROWMAY HOTEL their home now? How many criminal elements in their villages did they report at the heat of the spate of insecurities in Abia?
Enyinnaya Abaribe is jittery that with the death of Osisikankwu, he would not rig himself again in any elections in Abia. Was it not Abaribe who used Osisikankwu to smuggle arms into Aba Stadium during the Senate elections primaries in 2007? Who paid Osisikankwu to conceal arms in a sack supposedly Mr. Biggs packs of rice? Abaribe! Why then would he love TA Orj? TAO killed Osiskankwu meaning NGWA and especially Abaribe has no chance of rigging to win again
OCHENDO should face the business of governance in the most prudent manner like he has been doing. He should ignore these nincompoops. They are hungry and want to eat deep into the government purse. If we have lied, let them publish their businesses and sources of income. No amount of blackmail should cause OCHENDO to join the group of Governors who are engaged in Razzmatazz. History will vindicate the just. Soon, we will know those who governed and those who mortgaged the future of their unborn children. OCHENDO! Do only what the resources available to you can permit. Please, do not box Abians into a tight corner.
Independent and genuine observers attest to the fact that you have executed novel projects in Abia and that gradually; you are fixing the rot of the past twenty years. These criminal elements cannot be more creative, intelligent and honest than the eighteen journalists who recently toured projects in Abia and returned a verdict of excellent work.
Any person from OLD BENDE who is the Awakening group is simply blind to reality. Do not let them use you to exhume kidnapping and insecurity in Abia

Facts are beginning to emerge on those behind the Abia Awakening and its members. In the past few months this news online, has been investigating members of this group which has been masquerading on the internet as advocate of so called good governance in Abia state. Our careful investigation revealed that the former governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu is the sponsor of these boys whose identities showed are kidnappers from the Ngwa axis of Abia state.

These boys we learnt are Osisikankwu’s boys who are not happy over the killing of their master. They have vowed not to give up fighting Abia governor for flushing out kidnappers in the state, especially the killing of Osisikankwu.

In days ahead we will profile the identities of these blood thirsty boys and their relationship with late kidnap king pins. Its shocking!
http://thejuristlaws..co.uk/2012/05/ex-kidnappers-behind-abia-awakening.html

This is not the best of times for the ex-governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu. Kalu is broke and he is not hiding it any longer.

Investigation by this online news revealed that Kalu's posh house in Gambia is now on sale . The house whch was built four years ago it was learnt was put at a ridiculous price as Kalu is in dire need of money as his trial by EFCC begins. Kalu is also facing serious problem in Gambia where he cited his businesses following his face off with Obasanjo. The Igbere born politicians Slok Airline has been grounded for months having failed to pay airline charges running into millions.

His bank is also collapsing as workers are being owed 10 months salary. The SUN newspaper is not spared as staff are owed salaries. No bank in Nigeria is willing to assist him. His house in Maryland USA which has been on sale for one year has witnessed no buyer. He is in a big financial mess, it’s factual

http://thejuristlaws..co.uk/2012/05/orji-uzor-kalu-many-woes-putting-up.html

Abia State government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Chief T. A. Orji (OCHENDO) has made tremendous achievements since the inception of his second tenure which commenced on May 29th, 2011, in the area of Water and Electricity through the Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources/ an arm of the government saddled with the responsibility of provision of portable water to the citizenry and ensuring the availability of Electricity in the State.

In the area of Water, a comprehensive consultancy services has been carried out on how to rehabilitate the Umuahia Regional Water Scheme that has been old and integrate the surrounding schemes. The state through the Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources had liaised with the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta for the Regional Water Schemes in the State to be captured in Federal Government’s Subsidy Removal Reinvestment Programme (SURE).

This will involve the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and expansion of the Water Schemes. Also, rehabilitation and reactivation of Umuopara Water Scheme; Water Scheme at Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat, Nnono Oboro Water Scheme was also executed.

In the area of Electricity, the timely intervention by the State Government facilitated the inspection and pre-commissioning tests of the completed 132KV network from Alaoji – Umuahia and the 2 x 30MVA, 132/33KV injection sub-station at Ohiya by the relevant Federal Government Agencies. The 132KV lines network were subsequently connected to the National grid and the 2 x 30MVA, 132/33KV injection sub-station equally energized.

Consequently, the State Government in 2011 awarded contract for the construction of 5 No 33KV High Tension Feeder lines for the evacuation of power from the Ohiya 2 x 30MVA, 132/33KV injection sub-station.

The 5 No 33KV High Tension Feeder lines radiates from Ohiya injection sub-station to the following locations:

Afara

Ubakala

Nkwoegwu

Ntigha

Umungwa

Construction work along Afara/Ubakala, Nkwoegwu, and Umungwa has been completed while work on the Ntigha axis is in progress. Meanwhile, PHCN has inspected, tested and connected the completed 33kv Feeder lines from Ohiya – Afara, Ohiya – Ubakala, Ohiya – Nkwoegwu, Ohiya – Umungwa to the energized Ohiya sub-station and with the progress made so far in the construction works/ the electricity supply situation in Umuahia metropolis and its environs has greatly improved.

In addition, government initiated and completed the installation of Solar Energy streetlights in the following areas of Umuahia metropolis:

(i) House of Assembly Junction to Bende Road

(ii) Ndume Otuka Road

(iii) Road 3, Low Cost Housing Estate

(iv) Health Centre Road, World Bank

(v) Adelebu street

(vi) Bende Road which is about 80% completion.

The Ministry is committed not only in ensuring that more projects will be realized but that the realized ones will be sustained for the benefit of Abians, To this end, sustenance and maintenance of streetlight powered by generator that covers from Federal Medical Centre (FMC) round about, Ibiam Road – library Avenue – branches to Government House at 1st Bank Junction – back to Okpara Square – Club Road – Uzuakoli Road – Uwalaka – Owerri Road backUwalaka Road – Ugwunchara – Amafor Junction – Tower at the Express way was also realized.
http://www.abiastate.gov.ng/2012/05/achievements-made-in-water-and-electricity-from-may-29th-2011-to-date-by-governor-t-a-orji/

Once, I challenged them to dare add me to their group if they really believe in freedom of expression. Maxwell Nwadike out of cowardice, blocked me. If he were the governor of Abia State, he would virtually block the air we breathe.

Meanwhile, these are people who talk long grammar on how innovative they could be if handed... the mantle of leadership. They are wolves in sheep clothing.

They have never commended any good work. They are the same people who lost out in the power equation out of greed, selfishness and avarice. Wolves in sheep clothing!

One member HRM, challenged them on the possibility of putting on their thinking caps, think deeply how GARRI NGWA could be revived to help create jobs and generate revenue instead of grumbling. The page went dead. Our Technocrat friends, the Nwogu, Odike’s and their likes started stammering. They only subject they know how to discuss is HATE AND ABUSE. They are wolves in sheep clothing.

Comparatively, TAO is the best Abia has had since creation. Ogbonnaya Onu left Abia Tower for them and Orji left billions of debt. TAO for the first time is opening up feeder roads in rural communities, offering implementable incentives to rural farmers while doing his best to revive Aba long forgotten by successive governments. Umuahia looks more like a State Capital now. The ultra modern International Conference Center, Secretariat and New Govt Lodge are laudable legacies. These nincompoops and never do wells who style themselves as awakening while they are asleeping will never appreciate that. They are wolves in sheep clothing.

Majority of them are angry that TAO had the effrontery to dismantle their various kidnap camps where even their sick and dying mothers made money from. The same TAO they are castigating returned Abia to amazing serenity. These wolves in sheep clothing will never appreciate anything good.

In the coming days, we will expose the real identities of the members of the disgruntled group tagged Awakening.

THE ABIA AWAKENING: WOLVES IN SHEEP CLOTHING

Once, I challenged them to dare add me to their group if they really believe in freedom of expression. Maxwell Nwadike out of cowardice, blocked me. If he were the governor of Abia State, he would virtually block the air we breathe.

Meanwhile, these are people who talk long grammar on how innovative they could be if handed the mantle of leadership. They are wolves in sheep clothing.

They have never commended any good work. They are the same people who lost out in the power equation out of greed, selfishness and avarice. Wolves in sheep clothing!

One member HRM, challenged them on the possibility of putting on their thinking caps, think deeply how GARRI NGWA could be revived to help create jobs and generate revenue instead of grumbling. The page went dead. Our Technocrat friends, the Nwogu, Odike’s and their likes started stammering. They only subject they know how to discuss is HATE AND ABUSE. They are wolves in sheep clothing.

Comparatively, TAO is the best Abia has had since creation. Ogbonnaya Onu left Abia Tower for them and Orji left billions of debt. TAO for the first time is opening up feeder roads in rural communities, offering implementable incentives to rural farmers while doing his best to revive Aba long forgotten by successive governments. Umuahia looks more like a State Capital now. The ultra modern International Conference Center, Secretariat and New Govt Lodge are laudable legacies. These nincompoops and never do wells who style themselves as awakening while they are asleeping will never appreciate that. They are wolves in sheep clothing.

Majority of them are angry that TAO had the effrontery to dismantle their various kidnap camps where even their sick and dying mothers made money from. The same TAO they are castigating returned Abia to amazing serenity. These wolves in sheep clothing will never appreciate anything good.

In the coming days, we will expose the real identities of the members of the disgruntled group tagged Awakening.

Raising Abia from bended knees
THERE comes a time in the history of a people when God blesses them with a leader with a particular mandate. For the people of Abia, aptly called God’s Own State, there is every indication that the supplication of the people unto their Maker for a divine lifting of afflicted yoke caused by long period of political and economic slavery has attracted divine intervention.

The result today is a true reflection of the Biblical saying that when the righteous are on the throne, the people rejoice. For Governor Theodore Orji, under whose administration the state has seen the total paradigm shift in both governance and content of service delivery, the abundance of God’s mercy upon him and the mandate cannot be over-emphasised.

From a fluttering beginning due to known consequence of deceitful political alliance akin to the kind of marriage between the cow and the butcher, governance and service delivery in a democratic setting had a huge question mark. However, with determination and rare courage though not without pockets of adulterated opposition, the Governor was able to rescue the state from the chambers of dark forces. Then came his vow and promise to the people of the state to hold him accountable for all actions and inaction(s) of his administration. With just a year into his second term of office, Governor Orji has left no one in doubt that indeed some dark forces were the cogs on the wheels of the progress of the state.

Within the period under review, the proportion of infrastructural development in the state has witnessed a high commensurate yield which has also left few opposing scoundrels in the state with no other option than to merely haul sand to give the impression that it is fulfilling all righteousness. From the massive infrastructures being put up in the state capital city Umuahia, to the courageous tackling of the infrastructural challenges in Aba the commercial heart beat of the state and the entire East, the present administration has left no one in doubt of its mission.

Just recently, Governor Orji etched his regime’s name in gold when it took care of a perennial problem that had defied solution to previous administrations in the state in the last 20 years. The popular Ukwu-Mango leading into Ariaria which had before now turned into a forest due to its impregnable nature, has today become a beautiful thorough fare for commuters. Hate or like him, the impact of the actualised dream will for a very long time remain evergreen in the minds of the residents of the city. The glory, of course, knows its destination. The residents of Aba have never had it so good.

Under the same period, the Governor had rehabilitated the Ama-Ogbenna, Okigwe road, the Osusu- Omuma Road, which roads were in the year 2000 “politically” commissioned by the then Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. From Osusu, the story moved to Danfodio by East, to Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Old Express by Samek. The government in response to the welfare of students and staff of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, constructed an over-head bridge to reduce the rate of vehicular accidents in front of the campus.

Coming to the state capital, the story has truly changed. People of Amaeke where burials are held only during dry seasons have heaved a sigh of great relief. The non-existing Amaeke road that could better pass as a slave-trade route has been fully rehabilitated and commissioned. It is even an unbelievable story for people of Ukome and Mbom where Nwa-bekee (local reference to development) has eventually visited. For the years that they had existed, Mbom has never seen a tarred road since creation. Same story is now told in Emede who for many decades have survived through “jump and pass” infrastructural development. Still counting, it is positive turn-around for the World-Bank-Agbama Road, Umuafai-Lodu-Ahiaeke road, Okwuta-Isieke, Okwoyi-Iyienyi as well as the Nkata-Alike Umukabia-Ohuhu road.

In the Southern Senatorial Zone, the century-old adage that there is no short route to Aro (an acronym for Arochukwu) is no longer obtainable. Under Ochendo, the long stretch Arochukwu road from Ndi-Uduma Awoke in OhafiA Local Government is now being constructed.

This is in addition to the Amaekpu-Okagwe road in same Ohafia. It is equally a historic account from Ndi Okorie Abam down to Ndi- Itu. One striking feature in Abia is that the road constructions are carried out by contractors who upon the award of the jobs get instant mobilisation. This is a sharp contrast from the reigning college manual labour roads in some neighbouring states.

As we read this, the state government is very responsive of the need to ensure that all arms of government are functioning optimally, hence the need for human and capacity building. The state workforce is patiently waiting for the completion and commissioning of the State Secretariat with a complete over-haul of the old one. This is just as the two cities of Aba and Umuahia are seeing the eloquent presence of the judiciary made manifest with the dual construction of two gigantic High Court complexes.

The health sector record is a positive statement already made, hence it would be trite to begin fresh enumeration.

It is nothing to the residents of the State that despite all the efforts of the State government, the government is still under the attack and bad press of a few. It is also quite amusing that some whiff of criticism comes from some ignorant sections outside the state. This is essentially from those who felt they should join the fray because there is a bandwagon rush.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/raising-abia-from-bended-knees/

THERE comes a time in the history of a people when God blesses them with a leader with a particular mandate. For the people of Abia, aptly called God’s Own State, there is every indication that the supplication of the people unto their Maker for a divine lifting of afflicted yoke caused by long period of political and economic slavery has attracted divine intervention.
The result today is a true reflection of the Biblical saying that when the righteous are on the throne, the people rejoice. For Governor Theodore Orji, under whose administration the state has seen the total paradigm shift in both governance and content of service delivery, the abundance of God’s mercy upon him and the mandate cannot be over-emphasised.
From a fluttering beginning due to known consequence of deceitful political alliance akin to the kind of marriage between the cow and the butcher, governance and service delivery in a democratic setting had a huge question mark. However, with determination and rare courage though not without pockets of adulterated opposition, the Governor was able to rescue the state from the chambers of dark forces. Then came his vow and promise to the people of the state to hold him accountable for all actions and inaction(s) of his administration. With just a year into his second term of office, Governor Orji has left no one in doubt that indeed some dark forces were the cogs on the wheels of the progress of the state.
Within the period under review, the proportion of infrastructural development in the state has witnessed a high commensurate yield which has also left few opposing scoundrels in the state with no other option than to merely haul sand to give the impression that it is fulfilling all righteousness. From the massive infrastructures being put up in the state capital city Umuahia, to the courageous tackling of the infrastructural challenges in Aba the commercial heart beat of the state and the entire East, the present administration has left no one in doubt of its mission.

Just recently, Governor Orji etched his regime’s name in gold when it took care of a perennial problem that had defied solution to previous administrations in the state in the last 20 years. The popular Ukwu-Mango leading into Ariaria which had before now turned into a forest due to its impregnable nature, has today become a beautiful thorough fare for commuters. Hate or like him, the impact of the actualised dream will for a very long time remain evergreen in the minds of the residents of the city. The glory, of course, knows its destination. The residents of Aba have never had it so good.
Under the same period, the Governor had rehabilitated the Ama-Ogbenna, Okigwe road, the Osusu- Omuma Road, which roads were in the year 2000 “politically” commissioned by the then Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. From Osusu, the story moved to Danfodio by East, to Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Old Express by Samek. The government in response to the welfare of students and staff of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, constructed an over-head bridge to reduce the rate of vehicular accidents in front of the campus.
Coming to the state capital, the story has truly changed. People of Amaeke where burials are held only during dry seasons have heaved a sigh of great relief. The non-existing Amaeke road that could better pass as a slave-trade route has been fully rehabilitated and commissioned. It is even an unbelievable story for people of Ukome and Mbom where Nwa-bekee (local reference to development) has eventually visited. For the years that they had existed, Mbom has never seen a tarred road since creation. Same story is now told in Emede who for many decades have survived through “jump and pass” infrastructural development. Still counting, it is positive turn-around for the World-Bank-Agbama Road, Umuafai-Lodu-Ahiaeke road, Okwuta-Isieke, Okwoyi-Iyienyi as well as the Nkata-Alike Umukabia-Ohuhu road.
In the Southern Senatorial Zone, the century-old adage that there is no short route to Aro (an acronym for Arochukwu) is no longer obtainable. Under Ochendo, the long stretch Arochukwu road from Ndi-Uduma Awoke in OhafiA Local Government is now being constructed.

This is in addition to the Amaekpu-Okagwe road in same Ohafia. It is equally a historic account from Ndi Okorie Abam down to Ndi- Itu. One striking feature in Abia is that the road constructions are carried out by contractors who upon the award of the jobs get instant mobilisation. This is a sharp contrast from the reigning college manual labour roads in some neighbouring states.
As we read this, the state government is very responsive of the need to ensure that all arms of government are functioning optimally, hence the need for human and capacity building. The state workforce is patiently waiting for the completion and commissioning of the State Secretariat with a complete over-haul of the old one. This is just as the two cities of Aba and Umuahia are seeing the eloquent presence of the judiciary made manifest with the dual construction of two gigantic High Court complexes.
The health sector record is a positive statement already made, hence it would be trite to begin fresh enumeration.
It is nothing to the residents of the State that despite all the efforts of the State government, the government is still under the attack and bad press of a few. It is also quite amusing that some whiff of criticism comes from some ignorant sections outside the state. This is essentially from those who felt they should join the fray because there is a bandwagon rush.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/raising-abia-from-bended-knees/

SSS is now on the trail of Paul Ikonne of Abia ACN. IKonne who is a gay is behind the opening of a gay entertainment centre in his family house in Aba It will be recalled that this news site recently broke the news that Paul Ikonne is gay. Today we can report that he is sponsoring Okechukwu Kingsley Uba whose pictures appear on the net few days ago alongside others as gay.

Paul Ikonne a member of Olumba Olumba it was gathered has been recruiting young Abians,that his kinsmen are now worried over the establishment of gay club as it will affect the youths negatively. They are calling on security agencies to prosecute Ikonne for this shameful act. Members of the club are not even ashamed of their despicable trade as they display their pictures on the net.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/05/acn-man-in-abia-paul-ikonne-establishes.html

@ OLUBIA YOU SPEAK LIKE SOME ONE WHO IS NOT EDUCATED ,YOU LACK ORIENTATION HOW CAN YOU EVER IN THIS LIFE COMPARE LAGOS WITH ABIA STATE.
LAGOS STATE HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE BEFORE THE CREATION OF ABIA STATE
LAGOS IS ONE TIME THE CAPITAL OF NIGERIA
LAGOS IS AN INDUSTRIAL LAY OUT
LAGOS IS AMONG THE STATE IN NIGERIA WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POPULATION.
LAGOS STATE RECEIVE REVENUE ALLOCATION THAN ABIA STATE.
LAGOS STATE PAY HIGH TAX RATIO THAN ABIA STATE. .
THIS ARE SOME OF THE PICTURE OF THE PROJECT THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS WORKED ON

ABIA, God’s Own State is today witnessing a complete new vista in infrastructural development. If we are to paraphrase and borrow from the late Bob Marley’s hit track, then we can say that there is a natural happiness blowing through the air in Abia.
But unlike Marley’s natural mystic, you don’t need to listen carefully to feel what is happening in Abia. It is self-evident all over, and as constant as the Northern star.
This time, the good news is the euphoria of the highly improved power distribution to parts of the state which has given residents the opportunity of enjoying uninterrupted power. So stable is the power distribution in Abia since the past two months that residents suffering from the prolonged inertia of epileptic power in the past keep wondering if what they enjoy today is real.
This latest feat which is one of the numerous pluses by the governor, Chief T.A. Orji, is as a result of the energizing of the long awaited 132 KVA Ohiya sub-station built by the State Government. Drawing from the Alaoji Main Power Station which was stepped down at Ohiya as an injection station, the Abia State Government embarked on the evacuation of power from the sub-station to all the feeders in the state.
It is to the credit of the present administration that it pursued with vigour and determination the rehabilitation and expansion of the nearly moribund energy feeders in the following locations- Afara, Nkwoegwu, Ubakala, Obowu and Ntigha to enable this evacuation.
To the layman, the evacuation term simply means moving the energy from the sub-station source to the final consumers through the rehabilitated feeders. And the state government is believed to have spent close to N2 billion to actualise the project.
With its test-run during which the power company was able to detect and rectify some teething problems seen mainly in extreme fluctuations of voltage, the project is perfectly serving over 60 percent of the state, namely: Umuahia North and South, Ohafia, Abiriba, Item Bende, parts of Abam and Uzuakoli. Others are Isuikwuato, Ikwuano, Isiala-Ngwa North and South and parts of Obingwa.
On the fear being entertained over the sustainability of the current distribution, Chairman of Mechanical Systems Limited, MSL, Chief Tony Ukasanya, whose company executed the contract, allayed such fears which he noted were not unfounded given what the average Nigerian fears about energy distribution in the country.
According to him, this project is structured to last even eternity as long as power is being generated from the sub-stations. “Whenever power drops, this state will continue to enjoy near uninterrupted supply as PHCN still has excess energy to evacuate.
Chief Ukasanya further traced the past problems with energy generation and distribution to neglect and lack of will on the part of policy makers, while attributing the current gains to real dividends of democracy.
“Past problems were generation and evacuation. Under the military the two areas were completely neglected, and as they lacked attention, the consumption rate rose by the day, and PHCN then NEPA could not do any magic. They just had few plants, namely: Kanji, Shiroro, Delta 1, 2 and 3 as well as Egbin”.
He revealed that with the opening of the democratic space, more states and corporate entities have veered into power distribution and the result is the improved distribution to meet the demands of the consumers. “In Rivers today, there is Afam 1, 2, 3 and 4, in addition to Omoku Eleme and Trans-Amadi sub-stations. While in the South East, we have Geometrics.
“You will agree that this can only be possible in a democracy where every leader is desirous of making positive impacts on the lives of his people. This is why the people of Abia will and should remain eternally grateful to a leader like the Governor who has identified the core projects that are of relevance to his people and has doggedly embarked on them. This power evacuation is one of his success stories among the numerous others,” he added.
On the cause of the direct high voltage surge which many residents claimed destroyed their appliances during the test-run, it was discovered that the problem emanated from the transformers most of which can no longer stabilise energy before distribution to homes mainly due to old age.
The state governor in prompt response ordered through the State Ministry of Public Utilities, the immediate replacement of all moribund transformers in the affected areas so that the people’s joy will know no bounds.
In the Abia story, the new era has witnessed ripple effects in other sectors. For instance, the prices of petroleum products which had been determined at the pleasure of marketers automatically crashed with the sustained evacuation.
Most filling stations that called the bluff of government to sell subsidized products at hiked prices were forced to revert to approved pump prices. The reason being that residents and the business community no longer have need for the use of generators all the time.
Mr. COLLINS UGWUNNA, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Umuahia, Abia State
http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/05/abia-basking-under-stable-energy.html

Background for those who do not know Prince Pau
• Stopped school at primary four
• Submitted fake waec results to be made commissioner
• Tried obtaining a certificate at Abia State Polytechnic with fake o’ level results
• Worst works commissioner Abia State ever produced
• Acquired fickle and substandard brand new buses that lasted for just two months
• Cannot make one single correct sentence in English
• Known to have slept with his step mother and subsequently disowned by his father
• The only road he built as a commissioner for works was the one that leads to his hotel

I've encountered a lot of people who sound like critics but very few who have substantive criticisms. There is a lot of skepticism, but it seems to be more a matter of inertia than it is of people having some real reason for thinking something else. K. Eric Drexler was indeed addressing Prince Paul Ikonne. Now that talk has become so cheap, he is grandstanding like an elder statesman, trading in false information and seeking for an undeserved notice.

In an interview Prince Paul Ikonne granted Vanguard (Friday, May 4, 2012 P.45) he sounded like a later day saint, casting aspersions on the integrity of the Executive Governor and by extension deriding the collective senses of Abians. Ordinarily, it is foolhardy to offer Paul Ikonne the opportunity for attention which he is seeking; but in a bid to contribute to the body of knowledge; some truths must be told.

In the said interview, Paul painted the picture of an Abia crippled by misrule, white elephant projects and indeed cosmetic approach to public needs. Now that unfounded criticism is the easiest way to gain popularity, let us patronize Ikonne by letting him go eith the impression that we have heard him. It is also pertinent to place side by side the personality of the man crying, to enable us establish the real reason for thinking something else. But, we will not celebrate a nobody. Let us examine the issues he raised and the role he has played in affecting the lives of Abians.

Ukwu Mango, that seeming intractable residents’ nightmare according to Paul Ikonne is less than 200 meters and cannot pass for what a serious government could celebrate as road project. Agreed! Did Paul Ikonne know that successive administrations in Abia had denied residents the grace of refurbishing that road that had lkong crippled activities within the Ariaria area of Aba? Did he know that because of the verified quantity of work that could be done on that ‘200 meter road’, governments before Gov. T.A. Orji shied away from helping residents? Did Paul know the so called 200 meter road swallowed the fortunes of over three thousand business men with spiral effect on their dependants, twenty thousand households and ensured that accessing Aba from Portharcourt Express through Ariaria was impossible for well over twenty years? What could form verifiable indices of development more than meeting the common needs of a people? If repairing Ukwu Mango is a non – achievement, then development as a holistic concept does not make sense.

His co – critics in Chief first derided the Governor for celebrating the construction of a Pedestrian bridge. At that point, they insisted that it was irrelevant to construct a bridge when the majority of Aba residents were in dire need of access roads. Now, he is giving a different perspective to the bellyaching attitude of his brothers who will never see any good on what a honest administration does. Paul Ikonne says the bridge was “built by an Aba – based business mogul whose office is situated around the school”. Thank God the tune of the music has changed. He may do us a great favor to name the good spirited business mogul who did that multi – million naira project. Abians need to appreciate his magnanimity. Otherwise, he needs to take a deep breath and wait for mention in the gallery of antiquities. That is where people who misinform the public belong.

Paul also lampooned his father, a first class traditional ruler for publicly commending the governor. According to Paul, it was ‘foolishness’ for the Governor to have published the private letter HRM, Eze Isaac Ikonne wrote to T.A.Orji. May be, Paul suggests that the governor may have forged the Traditional Ruler’s signature, otherwise the Royal Father simply exercised his right to appreciate what is good. Paul may have forgotten in a hurry that once he had opportunity of uplifting the living standard of his immediate Osusu Community and by extension those of Abians. As Commissioner for Works with full encouragement and support of the government, bearing in mind the deplorable condition of roads in Aba as at then especially within his Osusu environ; the best he could do was to build the road that leads to the hotel he bought with tax – payers money. He mentioned Orji Stret, and Omumua. Applause! Did he also know that Orji and Omuma Roads were more fundamental and crucial to the economic development of Aba nay Abia State when he selfishly wasted money just to construct a road that leads to that dirty, dilapidated and economically unviable hotel? Why did he not cause a massive construction of roads as Commissioner other than concentrating on corrupt and personal enrichment.

Paul Ikonne did not remember to tell his readers that his immediate constituency also had another nightmare called “Ama Ogbonna” that for years swallowed the life and times of his kinsmen until the timely intervention of the smooth and silent achiever Gov. T.A Orji. Is it not grandstanding that one who is threatened by a long in his eyes is bothered by the pick in his neighbor’s eyes? Who is Paul trying to impress by publishing trash for the public to consume.

His tenure in Abia Line was (and still is) a story of gross ineptitude. If he knew so much about what others could do in other States to make it work, why did he cause the government to import half – baked, fake and fickle buses in the name of a transport scheme? Is he not ashamed that his disingenuous and selfish attitude meant that the buses he dubiously bought for millions became regular guests to mechanic workshops after few weeks? He ought to also be reminded that pragmatic leaders, those who care, those who mean well and appreciate the intricacies of community development do better than he did as the General Manager of the State Transport Company. If wants to know what Ochendo is doing to rectify the very anomalies he created as General Manager of the Transport Corporation, let him visit the Company now and tell us what is on ground.

One would not be surprised to hear him make comments regarding school fees. If he appreciates education, Paul would have gone to school

Ochendo does not believe in razzmatazz. He is a fundamental leader who knows too well that leadership is not a popularity contest. Even if it were, Paul Ikonne does not come in the shade of persons who would command the influence of the people. After garnering ten votes during the last gubernatorial elections, Paul Ikonne ought to realize that even his kinsmen consider him a huge mistake

Abia state Governor, Theodore Orji has said that security is paramount and without adequate funds to the police and security agencies, sustainability of peace will not be achieved.
Orji said this during a courtesy call of the Acting Inspector General (IGP) of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to the government house, Umuahia.
According to the governor, security is capital intensive and he appealed to the federal government to invest more money in security to enable the police and other security agencies to effectively tackle security challenges facing the country.In his speech, the Ag IGP Mohammed Abubakar said the vision of the new police management is to build a friendly police that has the capacity to discharge its constitutional responsibilities creditably pointing out that he wants to turn the police force to one that Nigerians will be proud of.He promised to improve on the security management in the country to ensure that that the killings of Nigerians do not continue explaining that visibility policing rather than road blocks is the new order in the police.
Governor Orji, also stated that, the federal government as well as the state governments need to invest heavily into the security sector of the nation in order to achieve a lasting solution to the seeming unending terrorist attacks in the country,as well as maintain peace and have sustainable development,.
Orji said no amount of money invested in securing the lives and property of citizens would be too much, using the situation in Abia where the state government invested heavily in order to achieve peace and stated that government has donated the highest number of vehicles to the police to do their job and is also preparing to donate more incentives to the police to ensure that the security situation in the state is sustained.He thanked the police boss for the innovation he is bringing to the police and expressed the hope that it will improve the battered image of the police.The governor also expressed gratitude to the police for the effort they put into combatting kidnapping in Abia state and encouraged the Ag inspector General of Police not to be deterred by the present security challenges in the country.Earlier in his speech, the Mr Mohammed who is in the state on a familiarization tour of the command in the state, said his visit is to re-evaluate the security situation as well as to see the preparedness of his men in the state, the challenges, problems and how to confront them.
The Acting IGP said the president had already promised to procure more gadgets to assist the police in crime fighting and that the police in particular and other security agencies in general need more sophisticated equipment to be able tackle the present challenge of terrorism in the country.He believes that intelligence gathering will assist the force to definitely surmount the activities of the terrorist group in the country.On the removal of road blocks, the acting IGP further maintained that it became necessary as it did not in any way helped the image of the country, explaining that visibility policing rather than road blocks is the new order in the police.He stated that serious attention is being paid to eradicate bribery and corruption as well as to redirect policemen to serious crime fighting and promised to improve on the security management in the country to ensure that the killings of Nigerians is nipped in the bud
http://pointblanknews.com/new/news/4247-gov-orji-wants-adequate-funding-for-security.html

Abia governor chief Theodore Orji has stressed the need for journalists in the country to report events objectively and in a balanced manner so as not to create doubts in the minds of people.Governor TA Orji made the plea while speaking at the south East media summit organized by the Nigerian union of journalists south East zone in conjunction with the Gregory university , Uturu , Abia state.
He also decried the idea of media owners using their medium to attack perceived enemies.
The governor stressed the need for peace and security in the country, pointing out that it was only in an atmosphere of peace that development can take place.
He used the forum to commend Greg Ibe, in establishing the Gregory SUniversity noting that he is the first Abia son to successfully establish a private university in the state and promised to assist him make the university stand.
The chairman of the occasion, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe said the theme of the media summit “challenges of media ownership, development and good governance: South East Experience is apt as Igbos have benefitted most in a more enduring manner with Zik,s philosophy of a united Nigeria, noting that no amount of distraction can destroy the Nigerian spirit or the doggedness of the Igbos.He appealed to Nigerians tp rally round PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan to put an end to what he termed the era of terror in the country ,adding that any attack on the media is an attack on the people.
In his speech, the National vice president of the NUJ, zone C sir Ambrose Nwachukwu recalled that many media outfits especially newspapers were established in the south East including the government owned ones but could not survive.
On his own, the state chairman of the NUJ , comrade Hyacinth Okoli called on governors and prominent Igbo sons and daughters to establish media houses that will stand in the zone including private newspapers as is the case in other zones of the country.
http://www.abiastate.gov.ng/2012/05/gov-ta-orji-urges-journalists-to-report-events-objectively/

In this two separate interviews with Mr. Jenson Okereke, the Senior Special Assistant, Public Relations to Governor T.A. Orji, and Prince Paul Ikonne, ACN governorship candidate in Abia in the 2011 election and former aide of incumbent governor, disagreed on the performance of the State governor. Excerpts:
We find him interesting – Jenson
What is going on in your state now?
I will simply say: massive development; and it is going to be non-stop till 2015. Why I say this is that the blue-print is there already and the Governor is sequential about it. No distractions and Abians are ready to lynch anybody that would attempt to draw back the hand of the clock
This means that you are trying to say that all the bad stories are unfounded?
This is politics for you and it is a game people try to achieve their aim by all means, including mud-slinging and subterfuge. And this style is not going to change because it has been structured like that intentionally. So, all you need is to be on guard, before evil people truncate your people-oriented plan. Abia State is not an exception in this pitiable political play. But we are contending with the bad people.
You recently met with Abia indigenes living in Abuja, what informed such a move?
The idea is that His Excellency, Governor T.A. Orji is pursuing the policy of inclusion and corporation; so this means that in his view, every Abian is significant in the realization of the big dream he has for Abia State. In fact, he has often said that he believes in the intelligence of an average Abia man or woman and is desirous of tapping into such resource no matter where he/she might be. Therefore with this understanding, the Governor said we need to reach out to our people.
Of course, because of the strategic nature of Abuja in the polity, it made sense that we start with that area. Therefore, I was sent to execute the project.Who and who were there and was it a successful meeting?
Those invited at least for the first time were presidents and secretaries of various town unions of Abia people in Abuja. We did not want to make it a crowded meeting to allow us become effective. The idea is that they would carry the message along to their people and bring reactions back to us accordingly. Basically, we started with what you can call the “metropolitan grassroots.” We will soon reach the Abia elite and politicians in Abuja.
The success recorded was mind-blowing. Nearly every union invited attended and were very corporative during the meeting. In fact they surprised me with the ideas they were espousing and I got to see that indeed, Abians are very intelligent.
Is this not just a political move?
We indeed resolved that it is important to meet often, especially when there is any new development in the state. Really they wanted a standardized regular forum. I promised to relay their expectation to His Excellency and that I must do. Indeed I will do everything possible to support whatever good decision reached during that meeting.
Would you say that the attendees were convinced with the explanations you gave?
Definitely they were. What I did was communication of sense making and that is what I call issue-based public relations. You try to bring some technicalities out in every issue, which people never envisaged out of myopic thinking. So, those mischief makers had fed them with wrong information all this while and I tried to disabuse their minds telling them the true story. For instance, let me tell you one thing which people do not know: Governor Orji is a very meticulous person.
He believes in careful planning before execution and that is what system management prescribes. You find out when you have done good planning, execution is easy and non-stop. The beauty is that at the end of the day you see sustainable results. People did not know what was happening until the Governor commissioned so many projects in one week during the last week of March.
I brought some copies of the Execute Informant (a magazine) and when they scanned through, it was like, “how come we have been receiving bad news all along?” But that is politics for you. The meeting ended up turning into a party of sort.
Now is your Governor receiving the needed support from your people?
Let me correct an impression I get from your question. My Governor has always received support I must tell you. So there is no issue about that. In that meeting we had at Abuja, some people actually said that the Governor is a man that leaves up to his promise and cited cases of that far reaching statement.
No he’s not impressing us – Ikonne
that is your take on the state of affairs in Abia?
What projects is he commissioning and what are their sizes and costs? I heard he went to Ukwumango and said that he commissioned a project that is not up to 200 meters. In other states, such projects are what a local government chairman commissions.
But in Abia, the reverse is the case. What the governor did at Ukwumango in Ariaria Aba was to raise the area that was being flooded and the water shifted to another location nearby. What has he done in places like Omuma, Ohanku, Obuohia, Ihie Orji , Ohafia, Obingwa, Isikwuato, just to mention but a few? Most of the places he claimed to have commissioned collapsed the following day immediately the rains came.
It is very important to let the world know that the pedestrian crossing at Abia State Polytechnic, which he also commissioned was built by an Aba-based business mogul whose office is situated around the school. Today, traders in Ariaria market Aba, on their own contributed money and are fixing collapsed A-Line road inside the market.
By the time they complete it, he will come and commission it, and tell the world that he did it again. Other Governors are commissioning 17-20 kilometre roads, hospitals, modern schools, new cities.
How do you view the sack of non-indigenes working in the state civil service late last year?
That is one policy that made mockery of his administration and reduced him to nothing before the entire Igbo race. Thinking along that line alone, makes him a patron of disunity. If other states start sending back Abians, how would he provide jobs for them? That action was one of his most unpopular policies. He was said to have taken the action so that he would be able to pay the minimum wage. Now, that he has done it, has he been able to pay the minimum wage?
If you visit states like Imo, you don’t need to be told that the governor, in his first term, is doing well with what you can see on ground. But in Abia, what a second term governor is doing is cosmetics. Does he not believe that one day he would leave that position and give an account of what he has done with the destiny and wealth of Abians?
Contrary to your view, your father, Eze Isaac Ikonne, recently sponsored an advert, saying the governor is doing well…
(Cuts in) I am happy that one of his media aides told people that they sponsored the said advertorial. The said advertorial was a private letter my father wrote to him. If my father wrote a letter to Chief T. A. Orji, and he, Orji, published the letter in a newspaper, is that not foolishness? Is that what Abians want to see? A commendation letter? Is the letter the road Abians want him to do for them? Has the publication of that letter been able to tar one kilometer of road? In fact, that publication did two major things.
One: he recognizes that my father is a first class traditional ruler in Igboland, whose view is respected. Two: it exposes Orji’s ineptitude and hungry for cheap publicity. If he is working, like his other colleagues, he does not need a letter from any individual to tell the world that he is working. I advise him to get to work, because his good works will speak for him, the same way his incapability is currently speaking for him. We have 17 local government areas in the state; let him tell us what he has done in each LGA. I challenge him to come and give account of his stewardship.
Let him tell Abians how much he has received as allocation and what projects he did with it. How can a Governor use the military to be intimidating students? Go to the Abia State University, ABSU, and see what is going on there. He increased school fees to unbearable height and the students wanted to go on peaceful demonstration, and he occupied the campus with the military and armoured tanks.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/t-a-orji-in-abia-abians-disagree-on-his-performance/

The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly , Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu has stated that the increase in the budget estimate was prompted by the need to adequately provide for the payment of the new minimum wage, transformation of Aba City, revival of ailing industries, creation of enabling environment in the oil and gas industry.

Oko Chukwu disclosed this during the signing of the budget by the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji at the Government House ,Umuahia

The Speaker added that the budget will turn boost all sectors of the state economy.

Recall that Gov. Orji had on December 19, 2011, presented before the House of Assembly a budget of N122, 390, 433, 920.00.

However, after the various ministries had defended their budget estimates under the auspices of the Appropriation Committee led by Hon. Martin Okechukwu Azubuike, the House of Assembly increased it to N129, 959, 325, 170. 00.

Signing the 2012 Appropriation Bill into law, Gov. Orji promised to effectively implement the budget

Once, I challenged them to dare add me to their group if they really believe in freedom of expression. Maxwell Nwadike out of cowardice, blocked me. If he were the governor of Abia State, he would virtually block the air we breathe.
Meanwhile, these are people who talk long grammar on how innovative they could be if handed the mantle of leadership. They are wolves in sheep clothing.
They have never commended any good work. They are the same people who lost out in the power equation out of greed, selfishness and avarice. Wolves in sheep clothing!
One member HRM, challenged them on the possibility of putting on their thinking caps, think deeply how GARRI NGWA could be revived to help create jobs and generate revenue instead of grumbling. The page went dead. Our Technocrat friends, the Nwogu, Odike’s and their likes started stammering. They only subject they know how to discuss is HATE AND ABUSE. They are wolves in sheep clothing.
Comparatively, TAO is the best Abia has had since creation. Ogbonnaya Onu left Abia Tower for them and Orji left billions of debt. TAO for the first time is opening up feeder roads in rural communities, offering implementable incentives to rural farmers while doing his best to revive Aba long forgotten by successive governments. Umuahia looks more like a State Capital now. The ultra modern International Conference Center, Secretariat and New Govt Lodge are laudable legacies. These nincompoops and never do wells who style themselves as awakening while they are asleeping will never appreciate that. They are wolves in sheep clothing.
Majority of them are angry that TAO had the effrontery to dismantle their various kidnap camps where even their sick and dying mothers made money from. The same TAO they are castigating returned Abia to amazing serenity. These wolves in sheep clothing will never appreciate anything good.
In the coming days, we will expose the real identities of the members of the disgruntled group tagged Awakening.

those who the think that they are above the law and think they can run away with the money meant for the citizen forgeting that one day they must dance to the tone of EFCC . hahahahhahahahhhhhhhhaahahhahhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa that is good for him.

UMUAHIA—Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has called on traditional rulers in Abia State not to harbour criminals in their communities, charging them to fight crime by providing useful information to the police.
Abubakar, who had an interactive session with traditional rulers in the state at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, explained that the police were not spirit to know criminals among the residents of the community.
According to the IGP, traditional rulers live and know their subjects and would be in a better position to give information on the activities of their subjects.
Meanwhile, Governor Theodore Orji has called on the Federal Government to invest more money on security to enable the police and other security agencies effectively tackle security challenges facing the country.
Orji, who spoke when Acting Inspector General of Police visited him at Government House, Umuahia, noted that security was capital intensive.
According to him, security is paramount for any government, pointing out that without adequate funds to the police much would not be achieved.Orji said any leader who ignored security was toying with the lives of the people.
He said his government had donated the highest number of vehicles to the police to do their job while more will come soon.The governor commended the Inspector General of Police for the innovations he had so far brought to the police and expressed the hope that it would improve the battered image of the police.He also commended the police for the effort they put in to combat kidnapping in the state and urged the Acting Inspector General of police not to be deterred by the present security challenges in the country.Earlier, Abubakar had told the governor that he was on a familiarization tour of the command in the state, pointing out that his visit was to re-evaluate the security situation, preparedness of his men in the state, as well as the challenges, problems and how to tackle them.

Former governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu is not a happy man now. This is due to the recent court order that EFCC should try him for looting Abia money while in power. A close associate of Kalu told this online news site that his end has come as he is set to go to jail like Ibori . His association hinted that Kalu who cried like a baby said all hope is lost. It was gather that Kalu has ran to the Emirs and a former military head of state to intervene .

The former head of state we learnt did not allow him into his hill top mansion as he called Kalu a crook and a bastard who thinks he is smart. The Emirs our source said told Kalu in clear terms to carry his cross. Kalu as of now is trying hard to get money to pay staff of the SUN newspapers as money no longer come since he was laid off by some oil cabals and power brokers , Kalu’s mum who is down with HIV/AIDS is also in bed shape as the thought of his son going to jail is haunting her.
http://thejuristlaws..co.uk/2012/05/former-governor-of-abia-state-seek.html

a state by his excellency gov. t.a orji From now on, I have vowed that I will start to launch all the projects started and completed by my government. I am going to instruct my commissioners and aides to start publicising what is taking place in every sector in the state, because a lot is actually taking place.

Since I Came On Board, I Have Not Secured Any Loan Or Taken Any Bond’- Gov. T.A...
Abia State Governor Theodore Orji recently spoke to journalists on allegation of non-performance leveled against his government by the opposition, what his government is doing to uplift the state and other sundry issues. SAMSON EZEA was there and reports.

ABIA State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has accused you of not doing anything in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state. Is your silence not a confirmation of that allegation?

Ideally, I don’t like listening or responding to empty noise-making. I have decided that henceforth, if I do foundation of any project, I will launch it. If I patch anywhere on the road, I will launch it, because the opposition is now feeding the public with a lot of lies, just to score cheap political points, even when the things we are doing are visible and verifiable.

Prominent among the things we are doing are roads and structures that will stand the test of time. I pray that before I leave office, the new Government House we are building will be ready for use.

The new International Conference Centre, where we have a banquet hall, can take more people than the Okpara Auditorium. The underground has been completed and work is still ongoing.

Work is also nearing completion at the new secretariat we are building. One thing you must understand is that I can build a road today and in two year’s time, it will wear off and people will forget it.

So, what is your government doing in Aba?

Aba people, in the next one month, will forget Ukwumango Ariaria road, Dan Fodio/East roads, Old Express/Samek road, Nkata Ataike-Umukabia and Iyienyi-Okwoyi roads in Umuahia North Council, which I commissioned recently.

The late premier of the Eastern Nigeria, Dr. Michael Okpara, didn’t he build roads? Did people remember him today for the roads he built? Instead, they remember him for the Golden Guinea Breweries, the Umuahia Ceramics and the Farm Settlements, and that is the angle I am going, because some people attach a lot of importance to roads.

Umukabia road was non-existent before; there was no road there, it used to be a bush. They refused to remember the Okwuta road we commissioned over one year ago.

At the secretariat, we have two roads yet to be commissioned- Ochendo By-pass, which comes out at Ikot-Ekpene road and the Otuka By-passes through Benaris Hotel that goes straight to B.B. Apugo house through to Amaeke.

I have not commissioned them and other ones, but there are some people who after one single project will make so much noise.

I have told my aides not to lay claim to what I did not do, because what my government has done is clear and verifiable. It is not Abrakatabra; it is not Dubai road.

The Umukabia road is stone-based, with bridges, and right from Umukabia, Ugwu Mkpa through Umuagu villages to Uzuakoli community.

How do you fund the projects, since you claim to receive paltry allocation?

Since I came on board, I have not secured any loan from any bank, neither have I taken any bond from the capital market.

Previously, our salary wage bill was between N1.4 and N1.5 billion, before the N18, 000 minimum wage was introduced. But today, I am paying N20.100 as minimum wage. I am yet to see any other state that pays higher than Abia.

This has brought our salary wage bill to N2.5 billion, out of an allocation of about N3.5billion at the highest. When you remove N2.5 billion from N3.5billion, what remains for me is just N1billion.

The Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is N222 million, which is what I get from my consultants. Add it and compare with what we are doing and you can now assess whether Abia is doing well or not, compared to some other states?

There is no basis for comparison, because if you see their allocation chart, you can understand 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. But you cut your coat according to your cloth.

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.

The three contractors I have kept permanently in Abia are all indigenous. The owners of Grand Star and New Idea are from Ana bra. The owner of Kudock is from Imo and there is nobody from Abia that is working on roads now, except GOT, which built Iyienyi-Okwoyi road.

You have seen the number of roads that we are doing, but people will still castigate me by saying nothing is happening in Abia, when things are actually happening.

But why has your government come under stringent criticisms?

Every day, if you open the newspapers, you see all kinds of stories. Edo is (Adams) Oshiomhole’s state, isn’t it? You will read that people were kidnapped and the story will be put inside the newspaper. But here, if a lizard gets missing, my predecessor’s newspaper will make it front-page news. There is somewhere I read that they raped a 26 year-old girl and she died during the crime and there is also a place I read that they have taken one traditional ruler to court for alleged rape related case.

But in Abia State, an allegation that has not been proven till today was made a national and international news story. No person has come out to prove that there was rape in Abia State University. I challenge anyone to come and prove it that there was raped in Abia State University.

Yet, some vested interests went ahead to sponsor bad stories against my government. This is what we are suffering here and we are misrepresented. There is no kidnapping here in Abia. In Imo State, kidnapping is taking place there but who talks about it? I also read in newspapers that some journalists escaped from the hands of kidnappers. It wasn’t made such a big deal but in our own case, an incident happened in the border between Akwa Ibom and Abia states, they shifted it to Abia- that journalists were kidnapped in Abia. You see, when they are maligning me, they are also maligning the good people of Abia State.

How are you then taking this?

I can say confidently that something good is happening in Abia State. You cannot compare what obtains now with what used to be.

I gave you some instances. My predecessor called me and told me to sell the Abia State Guest House in Victoria Island, Lagos to him, but I refused. I asked why he didn’t buy it when he was in office.

He also told me to lease Umuneato General Hospital to him for 50 years for use as part of the university he is building, but I also refused and told him that it was Abia property, if I cannot develop it or don’t do anything with it, it will be like that so that any other person coming after me can do anything about it. But for me to sell any Abia property, I told him I wouldn’t do that.

What held us back for many years is greed. The same old school that messed up the state wants to come back and continue, but we are saying no, that Abia people have suffered enough.

Apart from a forum like this, what other ways are you employing to project the achievements of your administration?

From now on, I have vowed that I will start to launch all the projects started and completed by my government. I am going to instruct my commissioners and aides to start publicising what is taking place in every sector in the state, because a lot is actually taking place.

Since I came on board, Abia has always come out tops in the education sector. Check out the best students in the Law School, you will see an Abia State University graduate. In medicine, Abia is also doing well, all these because we don’t play with subventions.

We are running a free education from the primary to secondary school level and have renovated about 250 schools.

In SUBEB, we have come second twice and came first once and they gave us a cash prize of N70 million.

I am not the commissioner for Information, but if people refuse to market me, I will market myself.

We have a reservoir of funds in the United States (US), which was recovered and kept there, out of which we have been giving our boys and girls overseas scholarships.

We gave unemployed youths jobs to do in business, agricultural sector, commerce and industry and sanitation.

After the Easter celebrations, we started another empowerment of unemployed youths and there is no sector you go that you will not see what we are doing.

We are doing so much in the health sector, especially in the area of counterpart funding. About 250 health centres are scattered all over Abia State, because we bring our own counterpart funding of N1billion and merge it with federal allocation and work goes on.

This time around, we want to face purchase of ambulances and hospital equipment, and we are sourcing for our own funds.
TAO

From Our Correspondents
Nigerian workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade union Congress (TUC) Tuesday joined their counterparts across the world to celebrate this year’s May Day.

Abia:
Workers in Abia State celebrated this year’s May Day in high spirits praising Governor Theodore Orji, for implementing the new minimum wage for workers without a fight and even exceeding the benchmark of N18,000 by paying N20,100 to workers.

Chairman of the state chapter of the NLC, Mr. Chuks Ebeniro, expressed the workers feelings in his address, noting that Abia and Imo States were the only states in the South-east where workers were enjoying the new minimum wage with Abia paying the highest.

He however called on the state government to extend the payment of the new minimum wage to the parastatals that are yet to enjoy the implementation.

ADAMAWA:
The fear of the unknown, occasioned by the insecurity in the North-east, region took its toll on the workers’ day celebrations in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, as about 200 workers turned up for the traditional May Day march past, at the Ribadu Square, Yola.
In spite of the heavy police presence at the venue, which was attended by the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. James Bala Ngillari, few workers turned up for the march past due to fears that there might be some security breach at the venue.

Addressing the workers, Governor Murtala Nyako, represented by Ngillari said: “Our progress is being retarded by insecurity, poverty, and disunity.”

AKWA IBOM:
Labour leaders in Akwa Ibom State yesterday tendered a public apology to the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, for the three weeks strike embarked upon by workers in the state in January over the non-implementation of the minimum wage by the state government.

The state’s chairperson of the NLC, Unyime Usoro, and the chairman of TUC, Akamba Awa, tendered the apology at the official signing of the revised or consolidated salary scale for the workers with the state government.

The signing of the agreement brought to an end the frosty relationship that existed in the past one years between the state government and workers over none implementation of the N18,000 minimum wages in full.

BAYELSA:
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, has attributed the delay in the payment of civil servants’ salaries in the last few months to the on-going staff verification exercise. Dickson stated this while addressing workers at this year’s May Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Describing the delay as “regrettable but inevitable”, the governor said the measure was geared towards sanitising the civil service. Dickson, who thanked the workers for their support and understanding, pointed out that once the exercise was concluded, workers would no longer experience any delay and inconvenience over salary payment.

BORNO:
Chairman of the NLC in Borno State, Mr. Ali Abana, has appealed to the state government to as a matter of urgency, pay all the 10 months salary arrears of staff of primary schools in the state. Abana who claimed that the state government was owing arrears from 2011 to 2012, as well as the settlement of two months salary arrears of the newly recruited secondary school teachers across the state, urged the government to bring smile on the faces of the teachers by paying up.

CROSS RIVER:
The Organised Labour in Cross River State yesterday accused the state government of spending N5 billion annually on printing of official documents instead of using the money to revamp the state printing press and Nigerian Chronicle newspaper to serve the same purpose. The state chairman of the NLC, Mr. Njom Nyambi, made this allegation in his address on the occasion of this year's Workers’ Day at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

“Government spends over N5 billion yearly on printed jobs outside government owned printing press but cannot spend less than N1billion to revamp the government press and state newspaper corporation. What an irony?

An establishment that is supposed to be in charge of all government official jobs (classified documents) is completely abandoned. We cannot understand what is wrong,” he said.

ENUGU:
Enugu State workers Tuesday called on the state government to work out a defined salary structure for workers in the state.

This position came yesterday as the workers in the state under the umbrella of the TUC and the NLC joined their counterparts across the globe to commemorate workers day.

In an address at the colourful ceremony held at the Michael Okpara Square in Enugu, the state Chairman of TUC, Mr. Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe, said:“Given that minimum wage negotiation in Enugu state is inconclusive and owing to the controversy surrounding its implementation, the congress urges your Excellency to direct the state Joint Negotiating team to review the present salary of Enugu public servants and come up with an acceptable salary chart.”

FCT:
The House of Representative yesterday assured organised labour of reforms in legislations that would make labour safer and more secure.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, who gave the pledge, said the National Assembly would continue to enact laws that would ensure security of employment, health and welfare of all workers in the country.

In a goodwill message to commemorate the day, Tambuwal said as partners in progress, the lawmakers and labour unions have shared goals and responsibilities whose ultimate aim is to see to the development of the country.

Also, Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, appealed to members of labour unions in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to commit to the swift resolution of outstanding issues in its negotiation with the Federal Government over planned reforms in the power sector.

Nnaji in his May Day message to the unions in Abuja, called for total dedication in reforming the power sector; he asked the unions to seize the opportunity of the 2012 ‘Workers Day’ to work towards the resolution of labour-related issues in the ongoing negotiations between it and the government.

Similarly, the organised labour also said it was kicking against the plan by the Federal Government to invest billions of Naira on gas to power plants, saying it was unacceptable given the quantum of resources claimed to have already been spent in the sector.
President General of TUC, Mr. Peter Esele, who made labour’s position know in his May Day message yesterday in Abuja, said: “Last Thursday, we woke up with the news that this government wants to spend some billions of Naira on gas to power the power plants. What we see here is the continuous mistake of our government to throw money at challenges instead of creatively confronting them. We need milestones here that are achievable and commitment on the part of government to see them attained,” he said.

KOGI:
The Federal Government of Nigeria has been urged to urgently embark on genuine activation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC) in the interest of Nigerian workers. Kogi State Chairman of the NLC, Mr. James Odaudu, who made the call during the 2012 May Day celebration, said if completed and made to work to full capacity, the company would greatly reduce the problem of unemployment in the nation.

While noting that workers seek government intervention in the completion of ASC and the National Iron Ore Mining at Itakpe, he posited that no nation could ever be industrialised without steel.

Meanwhile, the state government has been tasked to facilitate the prompt payment of pension and gratuity, domestication of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and payment of N18,000 minimum wage for workers in the state.

KWARA:
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, yesterday called on Nigerian workers to pray for the nation in view of the unusual insecurity challenges in the country. Ahmed, who stated this in Ilorin, on his May Day message to the workers in the state, said: “Even though the current administration in the country has made appreciable progress on the economy, the nation needs our collective will and wisdom to successfully meander through the uncommon security challenges.”

OYO:
Indications emerged yesterday that the organised labour may have perfected plans to mobilise Nigerians on another street protest if the Federal Government treated the report of the Farouk Lawan-led House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy with kid gloves. Aside from the fuel subsidy probe, the President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, in his goodwill message delivered by the congress head in Oyo State, Comrade Bashiru Olannrewaju, during the May Day celebration in Ibadan, reminded Nigerians of attempt by the Federal Government to muzzle labour by outlawing strikes. The May Day rally was devoid of the usual government presence as the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, stayed out of the rally and did not send any representative either.

OGUN:
Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday congratulated the state chapter of the NLC and the TUC, saying no government could succeed without the cooperation of its workforce. Speaking in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during the celebration of Workers’ Day at the M.K.O Abiola Stadium, he said: “We ensure they are paid promptly, and in full. Despite delays in the receipt of the federal allocation, we honour our commitment to Ogun workers. We equally remit all deductions like pension contributions to the appropriate institutions in accordance with the law.”

ONDO:
Workers in the state under the aegis of NLC and the TUC yesterday commended the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, for his various workers friendly programmes. Specifically, the two labour congresses led by Comrade Bosede Daramola, of the NLC and Ekundayo of the TUC, lauded the governor for approving and paying N22,000 minimum wages to workers, when most states are yet to implement the minimum wage.
The two union leaders while reading their addresses, which were greeted with applauds for the governor by the workers gathered at the Gani Faewehinmi Freedom Arcade, expressed hope that workers would reciprocate the good gestures of the government by rededicating themselves for the efficient service delivery.

OSUN:
Aggrieved Osun State workers yesterday staged a protest against the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for allegedly saying his administration spent over 70 per cent of the state resources on public servants' salaries and emoluments yearly. Aregbesola’s entry to the Technical College, Osogbo venue of the rally had earlier set the place agog while he waved to workers as shouts of admiration rented the air when workers started singing different songs. Speaking at the occasion, Aregbesola said: “May Day is not just to commemorate workers’ struggle for emancipation, it is also to admonish and encourage us to take our work seriously and value our work regardless of our place in the work hierarchy.”

PLATEAU:
Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, yesterday said he had constituted a Committee on Collective Bargaining to improve relationship between government and the state workforce to serve as open and continuous channel for dialogue with Labour “without necessarily waiting for conflict to arise.” Addressing workers at the May Day rally held at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos, the governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Shedrack Best, said: “In government’s dealings with Labour, we have strive for transparency and openness while always appealing for understanding.”

SOKOTO:
Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, Tuesday said members of staff of local government councils and primary school teachers would soon benefit from the N18,000 minimum wage after the staff verification exercise. Speaking at the occasion of Workers’ Day celebration in Sokoto, Wamakko said: “In discipline, laxity and nonchalant attitude is the order of the day in the service. So, I urge workers to change their attitude because government can only produce results with a committed workforce.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/mixed-feelings-as-workers-mark-may-day/114950/

UMUAHIA— Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State said yesterday workers in three parastatals were not being paid the new minimum wage of N20,100 because of fictitious names on the payroll.
Addressing workers at this year’s May Day rally at Ibeku High School, Umuahia, Orji listed the affected parastatals to include Agricultural Development Programme, ADP, State Library Board and State Council for Arts and Culture.
The governor said he had directed the office of the Accountant General to look into it and resolve the problem.
According to him, Abia State workers are one of the highest paid in the country.
As we are paying them N20, 100 per month, against the N18,000 approved by the Federal Government, we are determined to ensure that they are well taken care of,” Orji said.
He said his government was not ready to toy with welfare of workers in the state, noting that if workers were not properly taken care of, they could destabilise the system.
Governor Orji maintained that his administration had never borrowed any money from either banks or bond market to develop the state.
When you recall that our monthly allocation from the federation account is N3.2 billion, while our wage bill is N2.5 billion with what we are doing you can see that the difference is clear,” he said.
In his speech, Acting State Chairman of NLC, C. C. Ebeniro, noted that Abia State was still the highest in the area of paying the new minimum wage in the country.
According to him, the gesture made the workers in the state not to embark on any strike in the state during the agitation for the new minimum wage.
He said: “Right from the onset our governor accepted to pay higher and set up a committee to look into it.Ebeniro urged the governor to look into the issue of employing more workers, saying there was shortage of workers as a result of the transfer of non-indigenes to their different states of origin.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/fictitious-names-on-abia-payroll-orji/

only those who have eyes can see. if truly you have eye and you are not blindfolded with the spirit of hatred and criticism you will be able to see what the governor is doing in the state.

The Rector of the Abia State Polytechnic, Elder Allwell Onukaogu has dismissed a news report that the management of the Aba based institution built the pedestrian bridge which was recently commissioned by the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji.

Briefing the press on the erroneous report carried by the Vanguard newspaper of Thursday, 19th April,2012, where the Rector was alleged to have supervised the construction of the pedestrian bridge, Onukaogu said such report is figment of the imagination of the writer whom he accused of having a sinister objective.

The Rector said, Abia State Polytechnic Management did not construct the pedestrian bridge. The bridge was constructed 100% by His Excellency, Chief Dr. Theodore Orji, the governor of Abia State. Abia State Polytechnic is only the consumer of this great gift to the Polytechnic community.

The Rector stated that the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mazi Donatus Okorie wrote on the 13th of September, 2011, informing him that the Executive Governor has approved the construction of a metal pedestrian crossing at the entrance of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, in favour of BOK Company Limited.
Almost immediately, work started on the project which has been completed and commissioned. On 20th September, i wrote to thank the governor. Soon after the commissioning, I wrote another letter to the governor titled, We are grateful.
I could therefore not have claimed to have done what i did not do. Whoever wrote the story must have worked from a mindset that is criminal and wicked, a mindset that lives on destroying innocent people, the Rector stated.
He further condemned the news report and insisted on a retraction.
“I want to state categorically that no such claim was ever made by the Rector any staff. I condemn the report and insist on a retraction failing which Abia State Polytechnic will be forced to take a legal action.“Abia State Polytechnic is and will be grateful to the governor whose investments in this institution since 2007 has surpassed whatever any previous government had done.
He continued:For the avoidance of doubt, the pedestrian bridge was not built by the management of the Polytechnic. The governor built it and nobody should take away the glory from him, the Rector posited.
http://pointblanknews.com/new/news/4207-abia-polytechnic-rector-denies-constructing-pedestrian-bridge.html

While Nigerians were recently celebrating Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the undisputed leader of the Yoruba, two things were running through my mind. One was that the well deserved pan-Nigerian acknowledgment of Tinubu and by extension the entire Yoruba collective, was coming at a time when a section of my people, the Igbo, had began a debate over who would replace the Late Chief Chukwuemaka Ojukwu, who had just been similarly celebrated by Nigerians a few weeks earlier. For me, the two developments, coming close to each other the way they did, was quite significant.
While the Igbo were worrying over who would emerge as their new rallying point, as many of us saw Ojukwu, the Yoruba were consolidating on the fact that not only had they found a new leader in Tinubu but also, indeed, one that they can proudly and present before the rest of Nigeria. To be sure, this uncommon flair among the Yoruba to effortlessly throw up a leader is not entirely new but it is reasonable to argue that Tinubu’s ascendancy to a pan Nigerian prominence is the first time Yoruba’s are presenting another widely acknowledged leader after the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The other thing that ran through my mind was that Tinubu became what he is today after serving only for eight years as Governor of Lagos State. Agreed, his stint as Senator during the days of diarchy, coupled with his involvement in pro-democracy activism gave him the initial exposure but by far what finally sold Tinubu to Nigerians was his gubernatorial outing. I am not reluctant, at all, to admit that while I am very happy for Senator Tinubu and his Yoruba kinsmen for what God has used him to accomplish for them, I have been agonizing over the fact that though Tinubu’s contemporaries of Igbo extraction where among the few that showed early signs of pan-Nigerian acceptance at the beginning of the current Republic, my people are today wallowing in another wild guess or search of a rallying point, let alone one to export to the rest of Nigeria.
Whereas the Yoruba are making another Tinubu in Babatunde Fashola by contrast my people, Ndi Igbo, are routing each other. The crab (Nshikor) mentality is growing by the day. The Igbo bungled theirs between 1999 and 2007 when they failed to exploit the innate qualities of a few of those that served as governors during that period, like Tinubu. Yet, the opportunity that offered itself again in 2007 is being mismanaged. That year, both Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo State and T. A. Orji, the incumbent governor of Abia State, were elected governors under circumstances that instantly made them the cynosure of keen watchers of the Nigerian political terrain.
But it wasn’t long when both their people and the rest of Nigeria discovered that the two gentlemen had qualities that were suggestive of some unseen hands that were out to inevitably ensure that the collective destiny of the Igbo remained in their hands and not subject to the caprices of outsiders whose only political expertise is on how to turn every Igbo politician into a “Yes” man.
Soon after, however, these Igbo traducers discovered in Ohakim the bad boy of this new consciousness. And he was marked out and shoved aside in a style that was methodically executed in active collaboration and connivance of Igbo elements themselves.
With Ohakim out, T. A. Orji is naturally the next target, what with the vibrancy and profound sense of purpose that he has manifested since 2007. And as usual, his own people, our own people, are the foot soldiers in yet another attempt to ensure that the Igbo remain the proverbial colony of crabs which remains in a basket from where none of them could ever climb out until their captor returns. This article is not about who is doing what among serving governors in the South East geo-political zone. But one would not shy away from acknowledging that Governor T. A Orji of Abia State has accomplished things that set him aside as a man of uncommon courage who is ready to do his best for his people even if it means standing entirely alone.
I was not opportune to comment on the non-indigene saga in Abia State some time ago but I was quite amazed at the choreographed condemnations that greeted that policy which, I make bold to say, was well thought out, given the circumstances the good people of Abia State found or find themselves. What amazed me most was that Abians allowed outsiders to dictate the tone of the ensuing debate on that issue that, in all intents and purposes, neither went against any democratic norm nor made other sister states a haven for their own indigenes who were being displaced from the Abia Civil Service by that policy. Here was a man who came to the stark reality that among what was needed to bring sanity to the state was to reduce a bloated civil service. And he took a simple, scientific rule of the thumb approach. Disengage non-indigenes. And some people were quarrelling with that? So, what would he have done? Sack Abians and leave non-indigenes in the state civil service?
Now, if T. A. Orji did the unthinkable, what of his colleague in Imo State who sacked 10 thousand civil servants, indigenes of the state, from the civil service the moment he took over as governor? Did Abians see that or not?
That was the same question many Nigerians asked the day some hired miscreants attempted to shout down the governor during the funeral of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at the Aba Stadium. The same Aba residents who once fled the city after kidnappers had made life hell on earth for them? The story is well known all over the country that Aba or indeed Abia state was at a point seen as the major headache of Nigeria, as it was trying to grapple with the problem of criminals. If nothing else, Abians should beat their chests to say that they were able to repudiate the characterization of their state as a den of criminals. That happened under T. A. Orji and it was not a tea party.
It is a well known fact that Governor Orji confronted the biggest challenge over insecurity so far in the current dispensation. It was in his domain that six journalists were kidnapped some time in 2009. That incident put him and Abia State at the center of world attention because of the caliber of the people involved. For over one week or so, Orji and Abia state were the only news in the land and beyond. But it is to his eternal credit that all the journalists were rescued without any of them having a scratch. Were that feat accomplished elsewhere, we would still be reading about it in the news papers today. That was an opportunity for the rest of the south east to rout kidnappers by borrowing the Orji formula. But that did not happen because of the crab mentality.
In my view, Abia citizens have a duty to take advantage of the uncommon qualities of their Governor to restore dignity unto themselves. There was a time when the mere mention of the fact that one comes from that part of the country conferred on one instant prestige and recognition. The reason was simply that Aba was then seen as the home of geniuses of sorts who perfected copy technology to make goods that were comparable to those made in any other part of the world. That was how and why Aba got the sobriquet, “Japan of Africa”. Such a characterization of a part of Igbo land was a pride for every Igbo but what else are we known for today, after the fall of Aba as a citadel of indigenous technology?
http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/05/ta-orji-and-igbo-dilemma.html