Governor, Theodre Orji
Recently, the Federal government Good Governance Tour took its train to Abia state to assess the several concluded and ongoing projects in the state. The team led by the Information Minister, Labaran Maku was in Abia, mainly to see for themselves what the state Governor has been able to achieve in the state.
The state government’s acceptance of the good governance team was against the wish of some Governors who have kicked against such tour, saying it was a waste of time and resources.
However, while speaking to DailyPost in an interview, the Abia state Governor, Theodre Orji said he had to freely allow Maku and his team into the state to further justify the series of objective media reports on the numerous concluded and ongoing projects in the state. He also commended the Federal Government’s team for the tour, asserting that such was capable of encouraging performing Governors to do more, and could also push non performing Governors into action.
He told DailyPost that the projects so dear to his heart were the ones executed in the Health Sector.
Excerpts:
The Good Governance Team led by Information Minister, Labaran Maku just left the state after having gone round to assess projects executed, and ongoing in both the state and in the Local governments. What is your impression of the Good Governance project ?
It is a good project. My impression is quite positive. I love the initiative. It is a project worth commending. The Good Governance Team came to Abia, they saw and they conquered. Most of the performing states that are under reported would be brought to the open by the visit. The Team would open them up. They looked at projects being done and those already done by the Federal, State and Local Governments. It motivates the three levels of government up. It is a good project that should be sustained. I knew they were going to look at projects and we had a lot of them on ground. I did not hesitate to invite them. And we are happy that they came. In this state, when journalists who are based here report objectively the projects we are doing and those we have done, the opposition abuse them and call them names, saying that there are nothing on ground. One wonders what they have to say now that the Good Governance Team has visited to see things the way they are. Journalists should be proactive and say freely and objectively what they see on ground. There shouldn’t be any form of prejudice in such situation.
How did you manage to fund such huge projects?
It has not been easy, but we try to manage judiciously the little we have so that the people who own the money can feel its impact. However, we urge the Federal Government to take a second look at the allocation with a view to reviewing it in favour of the states. If we have more money, we will do a lot more. The states no doubt need more money because the state is where more actions take place.
The Governors are unanimous in asking for increase in the allocation to them. If the states get more money they can even do Federal projects without discrimination. The issue of increasing allocation to states is paramount, it is very necessary because the volume of work to be done at the state level is enormous.
During the visit, the Minister singled out Aba as a potential economic power house of the nation, but noted with regret the penchant of the residents for disobeying constituted authorities which he said could be a draw back. What is your take on his view?
My appeal to the residents of Aba is to listen to and abide by the advice of the Minister. It is for their interest. We are doing everything possible to turn Aba around and ensure that it bounces back to its old glorious days. We know that they have problem of roads, dirty environment, and power mainly. We are presently working on 16 roads with good drainages in the city, in addition to the ones we have done before. The Oil Producing Community Commission[ NDDC] has ear-marked to handle ten additional roads in the city. Our state environmental agency, ASEPA, is doing a lot to improve the sanitation of Aba. We therefore urge the residents to help the government and help themselves by obeying sanitation laws. They should stop dumping refuse any how, especially into the drainages, which is one of the greatest problems of Aba roads. They get bad when the drainages are blocked with refuse and flood has to look for alternative route to flow. These are some of the things the Minister talked about. They should respect laws made to provide good things for them.
We are working in the area of power which we know will fire up the economic activities in the city, and we aware that industrialists in the city are coming back, so we are doing everything possible to support the giant Alaoji Power Plant being built by the Federal Government and the one being built by Geometric to come on stream soon.
The industrialists in Aba and the state are very eager to key into the two power projects. And because we know that power is their major problem, we are partnering with the Federal Government and Geometric to ensure that the power stations become operational soon. And to encourage Geometric, the Government has given them tax waiver worth N50 million. We are providing the enabling environment. We are trying to provide a large expanse of land in the area for housing estate where the people will live. So, Aba is coming up very well, because the power plants will start operation in no distant time.
Of all these projects your administration is doing, which one would you consider as dearest to you as the Governor?
The area most dearest to my heart is the Health Sector and that is why we are putting a lot of money there to give the people affordable and quality health services.
It is health first before anything. So health is critical; first, my people have to be healthy before they enjoy roads and other amenities. We want to provide the best logistics to make the Doctors comfortable. From Sure-P, we built General Hospitals and built houses for doctors; we are tackling the critical issues in the sector. We want to give our people the best in health sector. We have invested heavily at the Diagnostics Centre in Umuahia and Aba, as well as at Amachara Specialist Hospital. We are bent on giving our people the best in the Health Sector. The new Government House is also critical to me. It never occurred to the last government to build a befitting Government House for the state. I don’t want to do that. I want to live here [present Government House] and build a befitting Government House. I also promised to relocate the Umuahia Main Market, and we are doing that just to change the face of the capital city. We are on course.
Recently, a statement credited to your predecessor said that members of state House of Assembly and the Commissioners were being impoverished by your administration. How would you react to that?
It is laughable and quite untrue. Whoever said that must be a fool. Abia House of Assembly is intact and happy. The same thing goes with my commissioners. None of them will tell you that they are impoverished. The person who said that must be living in fools paradise. What evidence has the person to show? I have the best House of Assembly in the country, unlike what was obtained during my predecessor’s time, when he was always fighting with them, instigating them to impeach one Deputy Governor or the other. I am sure that the House members would react to this lie. They are happy and we have cordial relationship, working for the common good of the state and the people.
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