These are certainly not the best of times for the indigenes and residents of Abia State. According to them, the standard of living has nose-dived in the last seven years. From businessmen to public service workers, it is the same story of hardship.
Residents and indigenes of the state told Saturday Sun recently that the out-going administration of Governor Theodore Orji did not do anything to move the state forward. An international businessman with offices in Aba, Chief Francis Ene, has this to say: “The out-going administration appeared not to be prepared to handle the challenges of governance. It did not do anything to move the state an inch forward in almost eight years. The way this government worked shows its institutions were not reformed to be in line with global best practices. The government did not grow the private sector; rather it impoverished business people and entrepreneurs through multiple taxations. It also did not implement a social character for the people neither did it give them hope nor make them have faith in the system. In short, the out-going regime dealt a fatal blow to the people of Abia. The regime remained clueless for eight years. It did not know what to do and it did nothing.”
Justifying his stance, Chief Ene further said: “Businesses are packing up because there are no roads to enter into Aba. In fact, many parts of the city like Obohia are impassable. All manner of taxes and levies are collected from residents even when infrastructure are lacking. Touts are running riot and no one cares. It is a pity.”
Chief Chikwe Udensi, gubernatorial candidate of the PPA said: “Our problem in this state is that our government is entrusted in the hands of hungry and greedy people. What is happening in Abia is disheartening, painful. It is not something to laugh about. We are shedding tears in Abia but change has come.”
Another indigene, David Orafu said: “I live in Aba for 13 years and left at the peak of T.A. Orji’s misrule that enthroned insecurity, infrastructural decay and inertia. May God never throw up such rulers again.”
Asked to assess the out-going government, a building contractor, Mazi Emma Idika, said: “There is absolutely nothing to assess in this administration. This administration didn’t do anything. The out-going administration is the worst thing to happen to Abia State. I wonder how Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, will survive this coming season. All the major roads are in deplorable condition, including MCC road, Umuocham road, Umuojima road and Port Harcourt road. Even caterpillar cannot pass some of the roads in Aba. In fact, Abia State is in a mess.”
Take this from Chief Okey Nwagbara: “The PDP government in Abia in the last few years is a wasted administration. All Abians know this but surprisingly, they still want Abians to vote them back. This is not possible; they should forget Abia State. It is disheartening that the administration is leaving Abia worse than it met it. T. A. Orji should prepare his hand over note. This is a government without conscience. Health workers in Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) have not received salary in the last eight years. Pensioners have not been paid for six months yet they are using the money for campaigns. This is not acceptable to Abians. They should forget about Abia, a state that has high debt profile without anything to show for it. The Almighty will pay them back for the suffering they subjected Abians to for mistakenly voting for them.
“It is very unacceptable that after obtaining a university degree, you are asked to return to nursery school. The government has exhausted all it can; it is the turn of Abians to pay them back by rejecting their cronies at the polls. They should stop wasting whatever is left for us because Abians do not want anything to do with them. This election will determine the mentality of Abians to know if they want total change from their present condition or not. Abians should take note of this. Abians that have any relationship with this out-going government seeking any elective position should be stoned anywhere they are sighted for the good of Abia State because they have nothing good for the people.”
Another businessman, Chief Emeka Omii described the out-going government as an unmitigated disaster, adding that it is the worst thing to happen to the state. “The out-going government has failed us. Abia, under this government, has the worst roads, schools and hospitals. Insecurity has become a way of life. Multiple taxations are killing businesses. In fact, this is an evil government. Any time a book is written on bad government, Abia will top the chart”, he stated.
Source SUN
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