'GOV ORJI IS FATHER OF MODERN ABIA'

Interview with 

Hon (Dr.) Eze Chikamnayo

By

 Anayo Okoli

DR Eze Chikamnayo is the  Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Information, Strategy and Civic Orientation and presently a nominee to the Abia State Executive Council. In this interview he speaks on the governor’s major achievements and projects the government is currently handling. Excerpts:

THE opposition has criticised the administration of Governor Theodore Orji claiming he has performed below average. What is your take on this?

Governor T.A.Orji has surpassed all expectations. In the last 10 months, he has proved that his promise of leaving visible legacy for Abians at the end of his tenure is not just a mere promise but one that is backed with action. The major plank of his second term is the total transformation of Abia in the areas of infrastructure development, economy, politics, the way politics is being played, what I call the transformation of the political culture of Abia State and even in  civic orientation of the people. So he has taken a holistic approach to the plank of transformation. It is not a one-sided approach.

I will give you some examples. In just 11 months, he has proved that Abia was truly under bondage for the period he endured a devilish despot. Between 1999 and 2007, Abia State was under siege.  Especially between 1999 and 2008, while other governors in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and most of our neighbours, were busy seeing vision, putting up master plans, laying solid foundation, Abia State was unfortunate to have been saddled with a self-centred and insatiable governor, who did not work for the state but for himself and his family. This was the unfortunate scenario that T. A. Orji found himself.

Politically, he inherited a highly polarized and volatile state where there was a group of those who said they were home based politicians and tagged others Talibans or Abuja based politicians. Abia was hot politically, volatile, explosive. The best brains, the elites, the technocrats, all went into exile as a result of the very oppressive intolerant atmosphere that was created politically by the former governor.

How has the governor been able to address the issue of kidnapping in the state?

We had kidnappers, coming from the neigbbouring states where militancy had become a way of life. You had all sorts of brigands taking one name or the other. It was the kind of atmosphere that T. A. Orji inherited when the man in Rivers inherited power plant, the man in Akwa Ibom inherited a thorough master plan and one of the best drainage system in the world, the man in Cross River was inheriting Obudu Ranch and Tinapa, the man in Lagos inherited a well-thought-out new Lagos master plan and several other projects that were on-going. Our governor inherited crisis in all ramification, crisis at all fronts, he inherited political enemies.

So with this type of environment, little or nothing will happen in terms of development. Beyond these issues of insecurity of lives and property was a more pernicious and vicious cankerworm called mamacracy, which was the desire of the former governor and his mother to turn Abia State into a fiefdom, a dynasty, a personal property, as against the principles of democracy.

Immediately, the security problem was tackled, Governor  Orji moved to the next level with the provision of infrastructure. In Abia today, Governor T. A. Orji is leaving a legacy of over 100 outstanding edifices, structures, covering every arm of government and all sectors.

This includes two world class new secretariats going on at the same time. This is the fastest project in the history of Abia State if not in Nigeria. In less than seven months, this twin secretariat, brand new, first of its kind, is now at the roofing stage and will soon be commissioned.

The former did not leave in the landscape of Umuahia any two-storey building. And I can now show you more than 50 solid edifices that have changed the silhouette of the landscape of Umuahia.

Culled from: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/gov-orji-is-father-of-modern-abia/  of 20th April, 2012.