₦airaland Forum

Abia state government, always playing to the gallery. Up till now,nothing has been done about the chaos in Aba. I am sure nothing will be done till the next election is drawing nigh,then we will see patch patch work to deceive people that they will complete it in next term. The roads in Ozuitem, both in Ogboko and Isiegbu are totally nonexistent. These are rural communities where their main source of livelihood is farming. Yet there are no access roads to the capital Umuahia until you get to Uzuakoli where the road is motorable.

For years, indigenes of rural communities have been reporting and complaining about the mass movement of herdsmen, especially in the last two years. Yet nothing was done about it and they have amassed and swelled in numbers deep in the bush. Now we have them attacking and killing our people and our governor has done nothing so far but condemn their actions. When will Abia state become proactive in any thing?

I am not impressed with this news of new roads. I will not praise him for it cuz that is what he was elected for. For now,security should be paramount. This is a festive season and our people will come back en masse to their villages. Imagine the horror when we will be attacked unawares like those in Enugu.

ChilledPill:
[s][/s]
Stop yabbing mouth and make a reasonable sense.

It seems this man is Okezie mouth piece for this forum, defending undefended.

fluxbush:
Abia state government, always playing to the gallery. Up till now,nothing has been done about the chaos in Aba. I am sure nothing will be done till the next election is drawing nigh,then we will see patch patch work to deceive people that they will complete it in next term. The roads in Ozuitem, both in Ogboko and Isiegbu are totally nonexistent. These are rural communities where their main source of livelihood is farming. Yet there are no access roads to the capital Umuahia until you get to Uzuakoli where the road is motorable.

For years, indigenes of rural communities have been reporting and complaining about the mass movement of herdsmen, especially in the last two years. Yet nothing was done about it and they have amassed and swelled in numbers deep in the bush. Now we have them attacking and killing our people and our governor has done nothing so far but condemn their actions. When will Abia state become proactive in any thing?

I am not impressed with this news of new roads. I will not praise him for it cuz that is what he was elected for. For now,security should be paramount. This is a festive season and our people will come back en masse to their villages. Imagine the horror when we will be attacked unawares like those in Enugu.

construction work is currently going on at faulks road. construction of Aba leather industrial city has seriously begun not to talk of that of the heavy vehicles and tyre dealers at alaogi. he is trying but, their is still an ample space for improvement. Most of our eastern governors are not proactive enuf about this Fulani issue,they attack first and then go to the government house to nod like the agama. in my locality, we established a vigilant group with police supervision after a close call.

Adelaide2:
^^^^^^^

The bridge to somewhere: a plea for government attention for Nchara

Nchara in Perspective: Nchara is a rural community in the Oloko group of autonomous communities, Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State. Nchara is comprised of two sister villages, Akanu and Otoro, with an estimated combined population of about 20,000 inhabitants. Due to its location, Nchara has for centuries stood at the cross-road to different parts of Igboland and non-Igboland alike, being bounded in the north by Ohuhu Nsulu (an Ngwa community); in the west by Usaka Eleogu (an Ikwuano community) and Amachi Nsulu (an Ngwa community); in the east by Obeohia Okike (an Ikwuano communities), and in the South by several Annang-speaking communities of Akwa Ibom State.
The history of Nchara has been one of mixed events, with high and low episodes occurring at different times. Notable events such as the Aba women’s riot of 1929 share a history with Nchara. One of the main leaders of the Aba women’s riot, madam Ikonna Nwanyiukwu Enyia, who was originally from Oloko village, was married into an Nchara family. In fact, but for the distortion of history by the then powers that be, the story of ‘‘Aba women’s riot’’ should have been that of ‘‘Oloko women’s riot’’. Nchara had also produced at different times the paramount Ezes (namely Eze Otutubuike and Eze Pipi) of Oloko clan, comprising nine autonomous villages. Furthermore, one of the earliest foreign-trained university graduates of Ikwuano, late Sir Onyeonoro Arungwa, was from Nchara; Sir Arungwa also was the first indigenous principal of Wilcox Memorial Comprehensive Secondary School Aba. Despite these lofty achievements however, unfortunate, albeit infrequent, communal clashes with Annang neighbors over land ownership have also marred the otherwise impeccable history of Nchara.


Socio-economic and infrastructure dynamics of Nchara: Like all of her neighbors, Nchara is an agrarian community producing staple food and commercial crops such as cassava, oil palm, yams, vegetables, plantains, and fruits that include oranges, bananas and pears. In addition, goats, sheep and chicken can be seen either in family pens or grazing about in the rusty scenery. While these different produce feed the people, substantial portions of them are sold in both local markets in the community, and in neighboring and far-flung communities such as Amachi-Nsulu, Usaka-Umuofo, Nenu, Ndoro-Oboro, Umunkpeyi, Ndiolumbe, and Ariam. Also, notable among these markets is ‘‘Ahia Uzo’’, so named because of its situation on a road leading directly to one of the Annang communities to the south, as well as other Annang markets such as those in Nto Edino and Nto Ekpe. This makes Nchara both an agrarian and a commodity marketing community.
By the fact of its location in Ikwuano, Nchara is only about 22 kilometers from the seat of the government of Abia State in Umuahia. As such, one would expect Nchara to be a nice, livable, even if rural, suburb of Umuahia Township. But alas, for a village with such historical pedigree, Nchara has been developmentally slow, almost abandoned. For example, electricity came to Nchara for the first time in 2009; initial efforts to acquire electricity were driven by ordinary villagers, before the government came to the rescue. Also, portable water supply, which was only installed recently, has been sporadic. Even though a community water tank constructed by the NDDC is conspicuously located in a corner of the community, actual water provision from it is off and on. Until its installation, most inhabitants sourced all of their drinking water from the village river; a river that separates them from some of their neighbors to the west and south. The purpose of this article is to bring to the attention of Abia State and Ikwuano LGA governments the condition of the bridge connecting Nchara with its neighbors, and by extension, with Aba the commercial nerve center of Abia State. The anticipation for writing this article is that this bridge would be reconstructed.


The bridge to somewhere: As indicated, access to and from Nchara through the river was enabled by a bailey bridge. The bridge served very strategic roles. Notably, the bridge provided access to thousands of hectares of arable farmland across the river, enabling farmers to produce their crops and to move their farm produce back home for processing. Also, it was through it that market people transported their produce to the numerous out-of-town markets in Ngwa land, from where such produce find their way to Aba. Furthermore, the bridge provided rapid access to the Old Aba road through Umunkpeyi, cutting the transit time for alternate routes such as having to first get to Umuahia en-route Aba. This bridge had in 1979 collapsed under the weight of a truck that was transporting cement to a construction site in a neighboring village. Thankfully, it was reconstructed and completed around 1982 by the then government of Chief Sam Mbakwe of old Imo State.
Since then, due to poor maintenance culture, the bridge and its access roads have become death traps. For more than 10 years now, the bridge has been in a crumbled state (see photos), with rusty metal parts and rotting wooden planks hanging precariously in places. The state of the bridge has made it unusable for vehicular, bicycler, and pedestrian traffics; unwary pedestrians have been known to mis-step into the broken planks and plunging headlong into the river. Fortunately, no casualties have been recorded. However, the state of the bridge has caused untold economic hardship for Nchara villagers, as farming, trading and social activities that require crossing the bridge on daily basis have all been considerably hampered. The disused state of the bridge due to its current condition has also led to the abandonment of the access road, resulting in it being nearly overgrown by plants.


A plea for government attention: Igbo people are renowned for performing community self help projects, in many instances, taking on projects that otherwise are the responsibility of the government. It was in that spirit that then Imo State citizens, including those of Nchara, contributed and built the Imo airport at Owerri, during the regime of Sam Mbakwe. Several times in the past, both the bridge and access roads have been worked on, to limited degrees, by community self-help. In that same light, prior to the 2015/2016 Christmas/New Year celebrations, the main street across Nchara, which had become very impassable, was rehabilitated by a good-hearted private citizen, Mr. Uche Dimkpa. This gesture enabled citizens and visitors alike to enjoy some bit of road access during the celebrations. By the next rainy season, this modest effort would have been undermined by the elements and by inadequate maintenance efforts. At this time, the financial implications of reconstructing the bridge is beyond what Nchara people can bear on their own; hence, the need to alert the government to come to their rescue.


On this note, the people of Nchara are bringing the condition of the bridge and surrounding roads to the attention of both the Abia State and Ikwuano LGA governments. Nchara people have noted with admiration the great and commendable work of the present Abia State government in building roads and infrastructures in different communities. In that spirit, they are asking, as tax payers and bonafide citizens of the state, that a concrete bridge and road reconstruction be implemented for them as dividends of democracy, similar to what is being done for other communities in the State. The inhabitants of Nchara herewith reiterate that they deserve to enjoy the most basic of infrastructural developments, such as roads and bridges that any government should provide its citizens. Undoubtedly, rebuilding the bridge and fixing the access roads would help to ease the burden of commuters who now have to pass through Umuahia Township or Akwa Ibom State, to get to Aba. Moreover, it would help to restore commercial and agricultural activities in the area. Such activities are ever more important in these days of fallen crude oil prices and the need to diversify economic activities for not only Nigeria as a country, but also for Abia State. It is hoped that 2016 ushers in a new lease of life for Abia State, and Nigeria, so that rural communities such as Nchara will get the much desired and deserved development from the responsible tiers of government, and with that contribute their quota in driving the local and regional economies.

Are you from that part of the country?

eduj:
construction work is currently going on at faulks road. construction of Aba leather industrial city has seriously begun not to talk of that of the heavy vehicles and tyre dealers at alaogi. he is trying but, their is still an ample space for improvement. Most of our eastern governors are not proactive enuf about this Fulani issue,they attack first and then go to the government house to nod like the agama. in my locality, we established a vigilant group with police supervision after a close call.

He may be trying as you say but he is bloody slow about it. His victory was a hard fought one because Abians were and still are very bitter with the previous governors. That alone should be enough to ginger him into working at a fast pace after all he isn't a novice in government. He has been in the system for a while.
It is almost as if he is doing one thing at a time instead of several at once. I repeat, there are many rural roads in need of total rehabilitation and so far,nothing has been done about them. We are watching. Abians,home and abroad, are beginning to take note of our state governance seriously and 2019 is not that far off.

As for those morafoockers called herdsmen, na to go buy rifle make sense pass. If our leaders won't protect us,we have to protect ourselves.

This has nothing to do with lack of development in the state,if you doubt it visit aba and umuahia,i visited and i was surprised,everywhere was relatively rural.

fluxbush:
He may be trying as you say but he is bloody slow about it. His victory was a hard fought one because Abians were and still are very bitter with the previous governors. That alone should be enough to ginger him into working at a fast pace after all he isn't a novice in government. He has been in the system for a while.
It is almost as if he is doing one thing at a time instead of several at once. I repeat, there are many rural roads in need of total rehabilitation and so far,nothing has been done about them. We are watching. Abians,home and abroad, are beginning to take note of our state governance seriously and 2019 is not that far off.

As for those morafoockers called herdsmen, na to go buy rifle make sense pass. If our leaders won't protect us,we have to protect ourselves.

true.

Na God go help us

someone complained about unpaid salaries and people are attacking him....issorite

and why he can't fix Aba that generate 90% of Abia state internal revenue Ikpeazu is a dullard

Good one my governor. If bubu dey work like this we for dey complain

ELKHALIFAISIS:
and why he can't fix Aba that generate 90% of Abia state internal revenue Ikpeazu is a dullard

And he will fix it over night? Otila

ELKHALIFAISIS:
and why he can't fix Aba that generate 90% of Abia state internal revenue Ikpeazu is a dullard

Why should he limit his works in Aba alone? Is Aba the only place in Abia State? Abeg try recieve small sense.

afanide:
Nice one.... He should also work on that Arochukwu road please....

federal buwari road

delait:
Our Dear Governor please help us to work on the road that connects Agburuke Nsulu to Apumiri Ubakala. This Road also connects Agburuke to Nbawsi,if this road becomes accessible it will help rural farmers within that environs to transport farm products to Umuahia town.

Very nice observation and strategic road. Just straight from Mbawsi to Ubakala. Alternatively, it can be taken from Ntigha junction passing through Umuomai-ukwu, Agburuike, Umuogu, umueze, umuode, ikputu and connect umuosu. Such rural roads need attention. But I think Mbawsi to Ubakala will be more economical!

Dear OP, I just wan to ask, though I won't say that the government is doing bad. But it seems that much attention is being given to road construction in our dear Abia state, yet the roads are yet to be completed. Like in Aba, most of the roads started are still not completed to 100% till date. Meanwhile, my question is this..... why is the government not paying attention to Agriculture? If I do not know, kindly inform me about the governments stand, policy or plans of going into agriculture. Thank you!

Preciousseed:
Dear OP, I just wan to ask, though I won't say that the government is doing bad. But it seems that much attention is being given to road construction in our dear Abia state, yet the roads are yet to be completed. Like in Aba, most of the roads started are still not completed to 100% till date. Meanwhile, my question is this..... why is the government not paying attention to Agriculture? If I do not know, kindly inform me about the governments stand, policy or plans of going into agriculture. Thank you!

Abia has taken the lead in Agriculture. Please go through my topics you will see plenty of agricultural news.

Road construction can't be completed overnight. There was zero good road on ground when Dr Ikpeazu came on board but today I dare you to visit Aba to see how far we have progressed interns of road despite the court distraction suffered in the hands of greedy minorities in Abia

ChilledPill:
Why should he limit his works in Aba alone? Is Aba the only place in Abia State? Abeg try recieve small sense.

u need to receive that small sense more than I do... where is the one he have don't b4 in Aba, Aba generate 90% of Abia state internal revenue why is he neglecting such important place ,Aba suppose to receive all the attention for now bcux the previous governor neglected it for 8yrs.... its cowardice to neglect such an important area

Ponponkon:
Abia has taken the lead in Agriculture. Please go through my topics you will see plenty of agricultural news.

Road construction can't be completed overnight. There was zero good road on ground when Dr Ikpeazu came on board but today I dare you to visit Aba to see how far we have progressed interns of road despite the court distraction suffered in the hands of greedy minorities in Abia

Well, thank you very much. But I just did go through your topics now and I didnt see anyone that talked about agricultural 'news' being embarked upon by Abia state government, maybe you can help me posts those topics. Moreover, even if there is, it shouldn't be about 'news' but action. States like Anambra, Kebbi, Ebonyi, etc are not talking about agric news but their works in agriculture is highly conspicuous by all. Though I still believe so much in this administration.

Preciousseed:
Well, thank you very much. But I just did go through your topics now and I didnt see anyone that talked about agricultural 'news' being embarked upon by Abia state government, maybe you can help me posts those topics. Moreover, even if there is, it shouldn't be about 'news' but action. States like Anambra, Kebbi, Ebonyi, etc are not talking about agric news but their works in agriculture is highly conspicuous by all. Though I still believe so much in this administration.

I hope this satisfy you.
https://www.nairaland.com/3496111/abia-signs-mou-palm-estate

https://www.nairaland.com/3431328/abia-nurtures-2million-palm-seedlings

https://www.nairaland.com/2645502/federal-ministry-agricture-rural-development

Ponponkon:
I hope this satisfy you.
https://www.nairaland.com/3496111/abia-signs-mou-palm-estate

https://www.nairaland.com/3431328/abia-nurtures-2million-palm-seedlings

https://www.nairaland.com/2645502/federal-ministry-agricture-rural-development

Having gone through the threads, they are really nice. Like I said, I believe so much in this administration and I really pray that God gives him the wisdom to revamp our dear state and put Ala Ngwa in the right perspective now that he is in governance! May God help him.