₦airaland Forum

Judolisco:
exactly we have d same views...bt if power can be rotated each governor will be able to bring some changes to it area..bt i still believe d state should be divided

creating more states increases over head cost and more dependent on niger delta oil. I see no reason why ekiti and ondo state should be a different state or how bayelsa and rivers are different states or how so many tiny states in the east are no matched to be and so many northern states marge up.

Development is a product of careful utilization of materials available including natural occurring one like minerals, arable land for farming, human capital and trade. what do you make of a state like kogi that get less than 6billion naira from the federation account to do after the salaries and allowance of the corrupt and ineffective civil service. how many road can they build, how many water work can they build, how many school and height care centers can they equipped etc...

Nigeria should be a country with six states and true federalism

sexyjennik:
I wonder why it's not on the list or is the Op from kogi?

That big for nothing state

L L
Who knows, maybe OP na Kogite abi wetin dem dey cal am sef?

That Big for nothing na some pple paradise ooo

S

Ihedioha2015:
Bornu State: This is a North-Eastern state, ravaged by the activities of Boko Haram terrorist. It is believed that some elements in the region are responsible for this wicked acts of terrorism.

When will people learn spell and pronounce the word Borno properly? Imagine yourself calling/ writing Ondo state as Ondu state and Imo state as Imu and Oyo as Oyu.

Ihedioha2015:
OSUN state: This is a South west state.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Wednesday opened up on his inability to pay the salaries of workers in the state for five months, blaming it on “declining federal allocation.”
The governor made the open confession at the 7th Bola Tinubu Colloquium organised to mark Tinubu’s 63rd birthday in Lagos.
He said he was deeply pained and unhappy that he had not been able to pay workers salaries.
“I have found it hard to pay the wage bills owing to the declining federal allocation to the state.
“Federal allocation to the state has reduced by 40 per cent since 2013, making it difficult for government to meet up its responsibilities,” he said.

Aregbesola said the situation became so bad at a time that he resorted to the state’s reserves and exhausted it on payment of salaries.
The governor added that the government went ahead to accumulate debt of N12 billion in its bid to ensure that salaries were paid.
He said that he would not mind to borrow more “just to ensure that workers were paid but the “banks would not grant more loans.”
He said: “Osun is next to Lagos in the sheer size of its civil service.
“In fact, the state inherited 50 per cent of all the workers in the old western state and more than 75 per cent in the old Oyo State.
“I was meeting my wage bill of over N3.6 billion with N4.6 billion federal allocation until July, 2013 when the Federal Government announced a decline of about 40 per cent allocation to states.

“This reduced the state’s allocation from N4.6 billion with which I was meeting my bills to N2.6 billion.
“Since then, Osun has had to augment salaries by sometimes N1 billion, sometimes N1.6 billion.
“Before the last time I paid salaries in November, 2014, I have had to either spent the state’s reserves on salaries or borrow money.
“Today, I have a loan of N12 billion that we spent on salaries and I could not go to the banks anymore.”
The governor said that his administration remained pro-workers in spite of the tight corner it had found itself, pledging to pay the salary arrears as soon as the means was available.

He reiterated the commitment of his administration to the welfare of the people, adding that he had demonstrated the commitment with the implementation of a number of programmes.

He described Tinubu as “an icon through whom many great leaders had risen”


http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/03/25/why-i-owe-osun-workers-5-months-salary-aregbesola/

http://www.informationng.com/2015/03/why-i-owe-osun-workers-5-months-salary-aregbesola.html

Oloriburuku eda

Borno should be replaced with Benue state, cos the issues and state of Borno is a deliberate act to halt the developmental plans of the state govt.

stinggy:
L L
Who knows, maybe OP na Kogite abi wetin dem dey cal am sef?

That Big for nothing na some pple paradise ooo

Lol na true u talk

Humblesam:
Who can still remember Ebonyi,is it a state or local government area?

Forget about Ebonyi. The state may be poor, but based on what o saw during my previous trip there, it's OK.

@ OP, you forgot Yobe aka Almajiri Central (Home of Islamic Fanatism).

OP. What of Bayelsa State? Abi u never Travel to Bayelsa before?

Kogi should be on this list. ..

Rep Anambra State.
Light of the nation.

VhatAmazingDude:
I have not been to Osun State, but I am serving in Delta State.
There are 1950s-looking places in Delta State that would keep your mouth open in wonder.

I've visited both Osun Nd Delta and I can assure you that Delta is way ahead. During my last visit to Osun, I think I came down with a running belly. Extremely dirty.

Sentiment apart...Governor Aregbesola did very well did very well in his first term and performed faaaaaaar better than his predecessor.But his inability to pay civil servant in the state for the past seven months ridicule his administration....Due to his care-free attitude to develop the state into agro-based economy which the state is known for, which can make the state generate huge IGR and less dependent on dwindling cum epileptic federal allocation.......I still love him more ,but unpaid civil servants loathe him most.

should I be glad my state isn't on the list?
Used to think Kwara is backward till I see Ajia (in pix).
One eyed man is still doing king in do kingdom of do blind.
BTW..
Abia could borrow some of Fashola 's Lagos manual

come to kogi state and you will have a change of mind...at least there is still development in osun except d salary ish....nothin good is happening in kogi state

May God help this country o.

sexyjennik:
God bless u. U just spoke my mind. I served in kogi state and there's nothing to write home about that state.

That state mehn it's still in the 60's

Kogi State isn't dirty. The only problem is that the state is underdeveloped. There are more mud houses than block houses in Kogi state, the roads are nothing to write home about. There is no government in Kogi State.

komek:
With the huge allocation in Delta state, Osun state seems to be better developed than the state under the Uduaghan led administration.

Wtf did you smoke? This is one of the biggest insult on the face of the planet. To even suggest that underdeveloped, backwards, starvation Osun is more developed than Delta state is nothing but pure insult to delta. The same Osun whose main capital looks like a village, the same Osun? If I can reach through and slap, I will. L

Abia local government aria

engrhorla:
Op, judging by d topic, I think u missed it.

Benue state should be first!

Benue state is d true food basket of naija, it has got several big guys both now and present holding top positions.

Yet, Benue is still number one with HIV victims!

Education there is poor!

Public enlightenment is low that is why a man has been representin his constituency despite non-performance!

With d amount of yams Benue churn out, there shld be several Yam flour making industries there!

And lastly, in Lagos and other states, d average househelp is from Benue state! That itself is an indication of d backwardness of d state.

I rest my case!

You are a bastaqd for writing these lies about a state you know next to nothing about. I am not from Benue but please always talk with facts. Stop being an idi0t. The average Benue woman would prefer to fry akara in the street of Lagos or be a clearner in a big company, schools or hospitals. They are nobody's house maids. The HIV claim is somehow true though.

@ ogbeni rauf gbese sola u be marroon,@ thedore orji you are a wicked herod,for setima abi na pumping action you be confirm boko-around in your north.Bastards.

Osun state should not be classified as backward, that state should be replaced with either Benue or Kogi

Dat criminal called OUK, orji uzor kalu n his mother draind abia, anoda thief came in frm umuahia by name orji a perpetual criminal n swore neva 2 make any meaningful input 2 Aba because its an Ngwaland. Bt God will shame put dem 2 ruin as dey kept abia state.

babs01:
Niger state should be there

mumu, tell me he is Niger state backward

Maybe not the most backward but the most poorly governed. At least I know Abia and Osun very well. Osun is probably the most urbanised State in the Southwest and hosts OAU which is probably one of the best Universities in Nigeria. Abia equally hosts the 3rd highest number of manufacturing outfits after Lagos and Ogun. Ariaria is probably the largest market in Nigeria.

My take is that Abia especialy has been poorly governed for a while but never a backward State. Osun is neither poorly governed nor backward.

babs01:
Niger state should be there

mumu, tell me hw is Niger state backward

WIZGUY69:
Guy, I wanted to insult you before, but after seeing Abia I mellow.

To be sincere, osun isn't suppose to be there, forget about all the comment you use to read on naira land. I guess you haven't been to osun state. osun is not backward. if not because of salary payment. after all 18 states are owing salary. replace it with : ZAMFARA, KOGI, BENUE OR EBONYI. NOW!!

Mumu you can as well put Lagos island there or Abuja. Foolish fool

Ihedioha2015:
Abia State: This is a South-Eastern state and believed to be the worst state in Nigeria and its history. The state is also owing the civil servants over 6months salaries. It is even painful that this is an oil producing state that has been benefitting for the past 16yrs. And since this report till now nothing has changed in terms of its status as the worst Nigerian state.



Inside Abia: Nigeria’s dirtiest state


■ Epidemic looms, residents lament

On Wednesday penultimate week, Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, witnessed its first rain in 2015. Although the rain was not heavy, it left a heavy burden on the residents, as the en­tire city was flooded.

The situation was such that moving from one part of the city to another was a diffi­cult task. People were compelled to remove their shoes and fold their trousers to wade through the flood even as vehicles were trapped in the craters dotting the roads. Many of the residential buildings and busi­ness premises were not spared as the flood ravaged personal effects and commercial goods. In some cases, people fell into gut­ters and sustained injuries. Those who were coming into the town that day had a hectic time as Osisioma area and parts of Aba – Owerri road were flooded, particularly the Abia Poly gate and St Paul’s junction. This resulted in a traffic snarl that forced people to trek long distances. In fact, Aba was liter­ally floating that day.

A resident, Mrs Agnes Ajumbe, told our correspondent that her daughter broke her leg when she fell into a submerged gully on Jubilee road while returning from her business place that day. Her words: “When my daughter was returning after the rain on Wednesday (last week), she removed her shoes as everywhere was flooded. Unfor­tunately, she fell into a big hole on Jubilee road because it was covered with flood wa­ter and she didn’t know that the hole was there. As she fell, her handbag containing recharge cards and a sack containing bot­tles of groundnuts that we sell fell into the flood. Everything was damaged. The bottles of groundnuts broke and she broke her left leg. I am a widow and our source of liveli­hood is gone. I don’t even have money to give her proper treatment, so I took her to a native bonesetter. The affected leg is swol­len and the pain is unbearable for her. She is always crying, particularly in the night. I am confused.”

Another resident, Mr Simeon Ofoma told our correspondent that his Carmry car broke down inside a gully on Eziukwu road. “I didn’t know that the hole on the road was so big because the entire place was flood­ed. The bottom plate and exhaust pipe were affected. I bought the car in November last year and I spent a huge amount to fix it. We are really suffering in this state. When I was travelling to my home town, Arochuk­wu, last year for the Christmas festivities, the car also broke down because of the bad roads. Living in Abia is like living in hell,” he lamented.

Investigations revealed that in the last couple of years, Aba, the economic livewire of Abia State has deteriorated in every ma­terial particular. If nothing is done and fast too, Aba residents will experience more hardship this rainy season.

Most of the roads are in a deplorable state and impassable when it rains even slightly. If you go to a place like Obohia, for in­stance, your heart will melt at the level of decay and suffering residents of the area are going through. Ama Mmong, a densely populated suburb, is a patch of hell. Going there could be likened to a journey to Gol­gotha. It is a difficult task accessing there from any point. To go there, you must arm yourself with sachets of water with which to wash your legs because you will get to por­tions where vehicles cannot navigate and you will be compelled to wade through dirty smelly water. Residents disclosed that the ugly state of the road had made commercial bus drivers to increase the fare. Milverton Avenue, which is the loading bay of luxury bus operators, has broken into two. Driving through that axis is a risk many motorists are not willing to take because any vehicle that goes through it will hardly be the same again. Umu Ule road, Port Harcourt road, MCC roads, Port Harcourt road, Hospital road and Umuocham road are some of the major arteries where commuters gnash their teeth in agony.

Interestingly, you can hardly find the cam­paign posters of the ruling party in Obohia. This is because residents of the area do not want to hear anything about the ruling par­ty there. “We don’t want to see any of their nonsense posters here. In fact, they cannot come to campaign here because we are not happy with them and the youths of the area may give more than they bargained for,” Innocent, a tricycle rider, told the reporter.

Apart from the broken roads, the gut­ters are filled with dirt. It is the same sto­ry in virtually every part of the town. Also, mountains of refuse dot the town. One of the new ‘mountains’ is on Ochefu Street by Market road. Getting there, you are left wondering how human beings live in such environment right in the city centre. And the garbage bins, where they exist, spill on the road before being evacuated. The result is a stinking city.

Dirt is not peculiar to Aba. Going to Umuahia, the state capital, you easily notice why Abia could be regarded as the dirtiest state in the country. At Umuikaa junction, along the Aba – Enugu expressway, dirt is strewn all over the place. A massive refuse dump site emitting acrid odour and billow­ing smoke welcome you to the capital city. The ‘perfume’ stings in the nose. And in the middle of the expressway, shortly after Abia Tower in Umuahia, are unsightly heaps of garbage. And if you are going to Akwa Ibom from Abia, nobody will tell you the boundary of the two states because immedi­ately you cross into Akwa Ibom everything changes for the better. And if you are go­ing to Imo State, the environment becomes cleaner when you cross the border town of Owerrinta.

Indeed, epidemic looms in Abia because the residents have been exposed to dirt and offensive odour for years. The gutters have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents. Interestingly, the residents and business owners are compelled to pay sanitation levies yet dirt and rotten wastes litter everywhere. Worse still, the people have been conquered. Hence, many see no evil and speak no evil. It was learnt that fol­lowing a report on the decrepit state of Aba markets not long ago, some of their leaders were arrested and detained on the suspicion that they gave information to the reporter.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=108027



A former minister of finance and economic planning, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, has said that the state of infrastructure in Abia fell short of the aspirations of its founding fathers.

Kalu told the News Agency of Nigeria in his country home, Ohafia, that the euphoria that greeted the creation of the state 22 years ago seemed to have waned due to under-development.

The former minister also decried the lack of manpower development in the state.

He said the ingenious artisans in the state, particularly in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, were the worst hit.

“When Abia was created, I felt so proud not because I thought we should be split into so many states, but because I thought we had the potential to place Abia as one of the top states in the nation.

“As a commissioner then in the old Imo State, I remembered coming into Aba when they were opening the NTA office in the town and we had lots of designers there.

“Take for an example people in the textile and garments industry, these are people that need just a little support to get to the global stage of designing,” he said.

He alleged that “22 years down the lane, no meaningful development has taken place in the state”.

Kalu added that a situation where critical infrastructures were in deplorable condition and in most cases non-existent was regrettable.

“We have not lived up to expectations and we still have a long way to go to create viable agriculture, industries and proper infrastructure.

“There is no question that we need to do a lot more and part of the problem is that we have not really had time to amplify our resources beyond the ones we know.

“Abia State had oil and gas territories which were ceded to other states.

“We still have a golden opportunity to look at these things radically and isolate ourselves whether as governors, senators or members of the house,” he said.

Kalu said what the people needed was a system that would bring about growth, development, stability and progress.

He added that such proper steps would reduce the poverty level among the people to the barest minimum.


http://www.punchng.com/news/kalu-decries-poor-state-of-infrastructure-in-abia/



■ Residents commend The Sun for shining on the city

Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, was agog on Sat­urday. That day, The Sun shone brightly on the dilapidated city. The residents, who over the years, had been united in grief over the total collapse of infrastructure in the city, had something to cheer. They were elated that their predicament had been exposed to the whole world to see.

They were happy that Saturday Sun pre­sented a dispassionate report on the deplor­able condition of critical infrastructure in the city. As soon as the newspaper hit town, it started selling like hot cake. The newspa­per was a souvenir of sorts. For them, now that their story had been told in words and pictures, there could be a ray of hope that in­tervention may come from the Federal Gov­ernment since the state government had aban­doned them. Indeed, some of them suggested that the Federal Government should declare a state of emergency in Aba to address the situ­ation.

Justus, a resident, said: “Beloved, I com­mend your write-up about Aba. Every as­pect of the city is in utter ruins. Nigerians need to be aware of this. We can’t keep quiet anymore. It’s time for coordinated action for change. Some of us aren’t partisan or have any affiliation with any political party what­soever but we just demand good governance. Abia and, particularly Aba, is in total ruins.”

Chief Okey Nwagbara, All Progressive Congress (APC) vice chairman, Abia Central, described the state of affairs in Aba as awful while commending Saturday Sun for the re­port. Hear him: “First of all, I would like to commend your newspaper for the report that was published on Saturday, although you did not capture half of the situation on ground about Aba. Notwithstanding, that was a very wonderful story. You were only able to give us the pictures of the areas you had access to and nobody will blame you for those areas you did not have access to. It is good that you have shown to the world that the town you know as made in Aba, because it was making people and things, is now waiting to be made. So, I thank you people so much for that report and I’m appealing to other media houses to come to us at this hour of need as The Sun has done because it is those who give us that we will give back when the time comes.”

Nwagbara, who regretted that Abia which used to be God’s own state had become God’s cursed state, said that the city has the worst road network in Africa. He stressed that the way things are going, in the next few weeks, Aba will be closed down as nobody will be able to come in or go out. He further said that the situation of Aba was worse than Ebola be­cause while the virus can be treated, nothing is being done about Aba. According to him, the environmental pollution in Aba calls for concern.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance Party (APGA), Abia State Chairman, Prince Ukae­gbu, remarked: “At times, one wonders how the citizenry manage to survive under such bad conditions. In the past, we’ve had cause to call on the governor to either perform or re­sign because for the past seven and half years, Abia State can literally be called a state with­out a governor and without government. The only aspect of government that we witness borders on reparation, taxation and all forms of unlawful brigandage by government’s tax collectors; that has been our general experi­ence in Aba.”

He went on: “In Abia State, infrastructure has a different meaning and connotation. Here, infrastructure means impassable roads, it means dirt and rubbish along the streets, that’s the meaning of infrastructure in Aba and Abia State because they are non-existent. I have challenged the governor on countless number of occasions and offered to sponsor and arrange a media tour so that the gentle­men of the press can come around and let the governor point out those achievements which he claims on the pages of newspapers, televi­sion and internet. Sometime ago, the gover­nor rather hastily organised his boys in the media who came and gave him kudos, noth­ing is happening in Abia State. I have said these things repeatedly. We are a state without a government.

“I have said this several times, Aba is not in Russia, neither is it in San Francisco. Aba is right here. You came from Lagos, go round Aba and find out if you can see those things the governor and his aides kept posting on the internet, those beautiful buildings and roads you see on the internet and in magazines. I have challenged him and will be happy if the governor will take up my challenge, let me sponsor a media tour of Abia State and afford the governor the opportunity to highlight all his achievements. Nothing is going on in Abia State. The other time, we were hoodwinked into believing that an airport and seaport were being constructed in Abia State. I had cause to challenge the governor to reproduce the budget estimate and there were no provisions for building an airport or seaport. Few months to the expiration of the tenure of this admin­istration, no work has started anywhere, this is a wuruwuru government. This is a govern­ment steeped in propaganda, spending bil­lions of state resources in laundering its bat­tered image. This is the true state of affairs in Abia State.

Indeed, not a few residents insist that the deplorable story of the city had not been told in full. They maintained that inasmuch as Sat­urday Sun did a marvellous job in throwing light on the state of affairs in the city, there were still some very ugly spots that were not covered. So, against the agitations of the resi­dents, our reporter visited some of the areas in dire need of attention on September 2. But coming into city, the reporter joined other travellers in trekking because of the traffic snarl at the Osisioma end of the Port Harcourt – Enugu expressway. Take this: Aba was liter­ally locked down on September 3 because of a gully after the rail crossing on Aba – Owerri Road. The resultant traffic snarl brought the city to a standstill as it spiralled to other areas.

Diary of decay

Indeed, every part of the city is in a sham­bles. Milverton Avenue, the home of most of the luxury buses that go to various parts of the country, is almost a no-go area because of a very big ‘river’ in the middle of the road. Located in the heart of the city, Miverton Av­enue, which used to be a pride of the city, is now a shadow of itself. When it rains, it be­comes almost impassable. In fact, only Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) navigate through the deep ‘river’ in the middle of the road. Any car or tricycle (keke) that dares to pass through the ‘river’ may not come out in one piece.

But if Milverton Avenue is in a sorry state, Eziukwu Road leading to Cemetry Market simply depicts hell on earth. The road had not only become impassable and abandoned, some of the buildings have been overtaken by flood, forcing the occupants to flee. It was gathered that snakes invade houses in the neighbourhood. “Eziukwu Road has become a no-go area. A part has become home for un­serviceable vehicles and junks. But flood has overtaken another part, making it impossible for people to live there for many years now. The place, as you can see, is abandoned and big snakes usually come out of the bushes,” lamented Mr Ephraim Nwaogwugwo, who lives in the neighbouring Ehi Road, which also is in a sorry state.

Obiora Street leading to the famous Eny­imba Stadium is equally in a very bad condi­tion. While Dan Fodio Road is in a class of its own, it is indescribable, a piteous sight. Tricycles and vehicles that pass there bear the brunt as most of the time they are trapped in the waterlogged crater.

Unity Street is a dead zone. Cut off from the adjoining street, it is a place to see and die. Ajali Street by Abam Street is nauseous, unsightly, an eyesore. Even pigs may not be comfortable living in such environment. Ironically, the residents of the area claim that it is dressed in false robe by the gov­ernment. “What they do is take photographs of good roads elsewhere and present same to the world as Aba. It’s been hell living in this neighbourhood; it’s been hell living in this town because of the state of the roads in particular. People hardly wear shoes in this neighbourhood. How can you do that when the entire place is in a mess, especially dur­ing the rainy season? However, they should remember that what a man sows that shall he reap,” noted a resident who identified himself simply as Tony.

Other major roads in Aba town that need urgent intervention include Market road, Hos­pital Road, Jubilee Road, Okwunuka Road, School Road, Uratta Road and Etche Road among others. In fact, virtually all the roads in the city are begging for attention. The situ­ation is that those who can afford it now go for SUVs. Car wash points are springing up all over the city because no car remains the same after an outing as it would be splashed with mud.

As it is in Ngwa Road, so it in Georges’ Road in terms of moulds of garbage. When the reporter went to the latter, it was near impossible for him to breathe because of the stench coming out of the wastes that litter everywhere. Investigations revealed that gar­bage bins receive some form of attention only when the contents begin to overflow.

Woe betide you if you are visited by fire in Aba. This is because the fire station on George’s Road is in a horrible condition. The vehicles in the station are dilapidated except one. As a matter of fact, the facility looks desolate. But the open space there has turned to a mechanic workshop and car park, even as it is rented to people for ceremonies such as marriage receptions.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=80414

@OP, you are a he goat for writing this trash about Abia, I don't understand your argument here, It seems to me that the hatred you have for Abia will soon kill you.

All what you wrote here is trash, Abia with all the nonesense you mentioned is better than your state, I also don't believe that Fayose will send Ekiti youths to learn from us if the state is in dilapidated form.

Idiaaatic goat.

There's no way Osun should be on that list except the list is increased to maybe 10. Osun is no doubt not sufficiently managed but that does not means its as bad as the worst states in Nigeria. I agree with Abia and Bornu. Ebonyi and Ekiti should also make the longer list with Kogi and Benue jostling for top spot.

Truman155:
who can still remember your mother. did she pass the madness to her son?

Your mother is the best thing you can have on earth so don't disrespect her....try and be decent at times cuz many are noticing your comments here.
BTW my mum is safe and sound and I don't joke with her,try and do same.

dokyOloye:
U have probably never been to the far north.
Let me just stop here.

Am based here in the north and have been here for long going from one place to another due to my nature of work....so I know what am saying. Ebonyi supposed be better than what I met last term.

abdulwastecx:
creating more states increases over head cost and more dependent on niger delta oil. I see no reason why ekiti and ondo state should be a different state or how bayelsa and rivers are different states or how so many tiny states in the east are no matched to be and so many northern states marge up.

Development is a product of careful utilization of materials available including natural occurring one like minerals, arable land for farming, human capital and trade. what do you make of a state like kogi that get less than 6billion naira from the federation account to do after the salaries and allowance of the corrupt and ineffective civil service. how many road can they build, how many water work can they build, how many school and height care centers can they equipped etc...

Nigeria should be a country with six states and true federalism

have u been 2 ekiti b4?if uve been there u will c good changes like good roads...it's because they ave a state..kogi state should be divided d Yoruba's should be alone