By EGWUAGHA AMARACHUKWU, ABAKILIK
In Ebonyi state, under the leadership of Chief Dave Umahi, the Governor, it has been urban transformation, infrastructural and rural development as well as empowerment of workers and youths all through in the past two years. On assumption of offi ce on May 29, 2015, Umahi, immediately embarked on construction and rehabilitation of all the roads in the capital city and some of the roads including the popular meat market road, Nkaliki road that linked the state House of Assembly, Gunning road, New Market road, Ogoja/Rice Mill road, Agbaja/ Izzi Nwofe road, Udemezue road, Uga/ New layout road, Udensi road, Udensi road, Ogbaga road among others located in the metropolis have all been completed and inaugurated for use.
Also, Hosanna Motor Park, the adjoining streets and roads have been completed and tarred. Th e area during raining is usually impassible with commercial and transport activities usually crippled. Umahi, also embarked on construction many federal roads in the state including 18-kilometre road leading to the Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI). Umahi said even though some of the roads are federal roads, there are very important to the people of the state, hence his reasons for constructing them.
To solve the problem of traffi c in the Abakaliki metropolis, Umahi embarked on construction of three overhead bridges. One of the overhead bridges located at popular Spera-in Deo, has been completed and is already in use while two others at Presco junction and Abakaliki International Market are almost at their completion stages. Th e Governor had few months after his swearing-in, installed street lights in all the streets and roads in the capital city. Th e street lights were constructed in phases. “So I want Ebonyi people to have hope.
Th e most important thing is that when you hear the amount being used in doing all these, you will know that it is God who has brought us to power. He said it is the priority of his administration that light, water, road and clean environment are established in all the streets in the capital city. In his resolve to put smile on the faces of workers, Umahi paid workers one month salary bonus every December to enable workers celebrate Christmas and have money to pay their children school fees after the festivity. Since then, workers in the state have been receiving their salaries every 15 and 20th of the month.
Ebonyi: Gauging dividends through empowerment, transformation Umahi The health of our people is very paramount to our administration…We watched helplessly our people dying of this deadly disease While teachers receive theirs every 15th, other categories of workers receive their own every 20th of the month.
In the area of Agriculture, the government has taken delivery of a new set of D8 bullozers for the tilling of farmlands for this year’s planting season.
Th e bulldozers which are 13 in number have been distributed to each of the 13 local government areas of the state where the government has already acquired acres of land for rice production. Already, the government had secured forty thousand hectres of land for the cultivation of rice during this year’s farming season.
Th e hectres of land was donated by various communities through the assistance of local government Caretaker Chairmen in the state. Th e planned rice farms were part of measures adopted at a Colloquium organized at the inception of Governor David Umahi’s administration to fi nd ways of making Ebonyi the number one State in rice production in Nigeria. Th e state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Uchenna Orji, explained that the Ministry of Agriculture would map out the secured hectares and distribute same to farmers whose activities would be supervised by Extension workers.
Orji revealed that the state government had sponsored some staff of the Ministry to Th ailand to understudy rice farmers in the area pointing out that they were expected to interface with Extension workers on new methodologies in rice production when they come back. He noted that the Ministry would support primary and secondary schools in the state to embark on By EGWUAGHA AMARACHUKWU, ABAKILIK DEMOCRACY DAY extensive farming activities while there would be enumeration of state owned farms for proper coordination.
When Lassa fever hit the state, Umahi earmarked over N250 million to check the epidemic and embarked on construction of Lassa fever virology centre as part of measures to eradicate the virus. Th e virology centre has since been completed and inaugurated by the federal government. Th e Umahi administration has procured four ambulances and four dialysis machines to be stationed in designated hospitals in the three senatorial zone of the state and at the teaching hospital also in a bid to fi ght the Lassa fever endemic. ‘’I am actually short of words; I am yet to recover from shock over this giant strides.
Th is actually surpassed my expectations and I must say clearly that we should see this as a partnership. Federal government cannot refund you for this. Said Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole ’Let me say clearly your Excellency that we will make this hospital functional. We stated in January that we want to build six virology centres in the country and the budget processes were made and was signed by Mr. President in May. ‘’Th is will be the centre for south east. We need to partner with the CMD and the Commissioner.
We should use the N350m you ask us to refund you for construction of the centre for the procurement of more equipment for the centre. ‘’Th is centre will actually turn things around. Your Excellency, you have shown great interest in health and we are proud of you. In terms of commitment to health, you are one of our stars examples in the country. We will continue to partner with you’’, he said. Addressing the Minister, Umahi said health of the people is paramount in his administration. ‘’
Th e health of our people is very paramount to our administration. We watched helplessly our people dying of this deadly disease and so the CMD told us that for over ten years, they have been begging that this centre be built and we have to swing into action’’. Also in the area of health, Umahi has embarked on renovation of 13 general hospitals across the 13 local government areas of the state and 171 health centres, in all the electoral wards in the state. Work has advanced in the hospitals. On security, Umahi has achieved a lot. Peace has return to Ezza/Ezillo and Ezza,the inter boundary crisis that has been hitting between Ebonyi and Cross River states, ceaselessly and restiveness in the area, have reduced.
