Chief Neighbor Ihesiaba Onwukaike is a business man with concern in electrical equipment. For some time now, he has been in politics and at different times held various party offices. In this interview with SUNDAY NWAKANMA, the politician reveals his intention to lead his people at the council level in Umuahia South local government of Abia state on PDP platform. The business man who believes APC has no base in the local government and indeed in the entire state, also counsels the federal government not to play politics with arresting the menace of fake electrical equipment
Agenda for my people
I have a lot programmes for the people of Umuahia South, especially Ubakala, having contributed a lot in political activities in the state. I have served as ward chairman under National Republican Convention (NRC) and local government treasurer, ex-officio, pioneer PDP chairman in the local government and have set a record no one has surpassed politically in the local government. I am honest to a fault and if my people give me their vote as the chairman of Umuahia South local government, I will give them the best.
Why PDP?
PDP is the only party in Nigeria with a good mission and can be trusted and have been accepted by all in the country. PDP is a big umbrella.
On claim that APC has penetrated the local government
As at now, we don’t know where their base is in Umuahia South local government or in Abia and we do not know those behind them. As much as we are concerned, APC is a party looking for where to stand and they cannot have any base in the state as the leadership of PDP in the state is strong and powerful and people believe in the party for what our leader in the state, Governor Theodore Orji is doing. He has set a record that would be difficult for anybody to fault and he has laid a foundation that has never been done since the creation of the state. What he has done for these eight years speaks for itself. All he has done is here with us in the state, except for his enemies that would not want to know that our governor has done something that has not been done since creation of the state.
By that precedent, I don’t think that anybody reasonable enough would join the APC to fight a government that has laid a good foundation for Abians to now live and continue to climb. So, I don’t know where they would have their base. Most of them are frustrated politically and cannot compete with PDP in any manner, any day in the state.
Are you saying Abia is a one-party state?
If I say one party state, I may sound parochial and also sound as if do not want any competition. But it is good they are there to checkmate us so that when you remember somebody is there waiting for any mistakes we will make and to use it to criticize us and may be, take over governance, we will do better more than we are doing now.
Intended areas of concentration if elected
I have been a home man and know the nooks and crannies of the local government very well. I will embark on many projects that include tarring of roads and will use local government funds judiciously. I will give the council area a facelift. I will also embark on the empowerment of our people, encourage education and will encourage workers welfare by paying their salaries as and when due. I will ensure the coordination of teachers’ salary from the source and will use some internally generated revenue to pay their other allowances, should the fund not be there. I will also ensure that books are available to students for use in the course of their studies to help parents.
Any previous support for your people?
I have been empowering the youths, including sponsoring football competition for Ubakala youths for over 6 years, paying school fees of indigent students and also training others in vocational works, including in electrical business which I am into.
As one in to electrical business, what in your opinion could be responsible for non availability of pre-paid metres to consumers?
This issue of EEDC meter has been a problem from the time of NEPA, but because the establishment has been sold out to private company, EEDC which actually spent money to buy the establishment, the only way to recoup part of their expenditure is through estimated bills. They have not set up well and will plan how to serve the public, while most of their equipments are yet to arrive. Again, meter production was contracted out with the federal government supervising, so the estimated bill will continue except for those with meters before now. However, it is expected that before September, the issue of meter will be bye-gone issue.
Way out of epileptic power supply
I would suggest Nigerians give the new company-EEDC time to enable them organise their work and get their equipments to enable them work. All the while, Federal Government’s inability to provide the needed megawatts to generate enough energy to Nigerians has been attributed to vandalization. So let Nigerians give EEDC enough time.
On influx of substandard electrical equipment
If the Federal Government wants to stop the flooding of Nigeria markets with sub-standard electrical products, they can. This is because all the sub-standard products come in through the roads, airport or seaports and there are federal agents at these points, so the federal government should stop playing politics with this issue. If government , through the Standard Organization of Nigeria(SON) wants to stop the importation of sub-standard or fake products, they can and should stop playing pranks with this.
Advice to consumers of electrical products
Any person who wants to buy electrical materials should go for the best and spend for it. If you don’t patronize fake and sub-standard products, those selling them would be discouraged and would stop selling them. Patronize products of good quality. They are there in the market.
