Abia: A Rich State Impoverished And Enslaved (Part 7)

OBINNA DON NORMAN

Abia State has vast of limestone and silica sand deposits yet T.A Orji’s government could not leverage on these natural resources. Limestone is used to produce bricks, tiles, gravel ETC. Reliable statistics indicate that 3.1 billion short tons of limestone have a present value of about $17.5 billion yet both past and present Abia government refused to tap into this natural resource.

In recent years, 2000 through 2008, average annual limestone production in Missouri United State of America was 89 million short tons with an average annual value of $470 million. According to Missouri Department of Economic Development, limestone industry employed about 3,000 people with good-paying jobs.

Same applies to Silica Sand. It is widely used as a proppant by companies involved in oil and natural gas recovery in conventional and unconventional resource plays. The resource is also used in industrial processing to make everyday items such as glass, construction materials, personal care products, electronics, and even renewable materials.

In 2008, most types of industrial silica sand cost an average of $30.82 per ton. By 2012, the price of such sand was an average of $44.78 per ton, with high- quality frac sand costing as much as $55 per ton. In 2013, the price of this high- quality sand rose to an average of $75 per metric ton. In 2017 it sold for $300 per ton.

These natural resources have contributed and continue to contribute greatly to the economic well-being and the quality of life of the citizens of Missouri (USA) and UK. But Abia Government is only interested in embezzling Abia funds and acquiring properties with the stolen funds while Abia resources lay fallow. From the instances given above, pause and imagine what will become of Abia State if our government put to good use our limestone and silica sand deposit in Abia State.

Let me also inform us that aside what had been exposed through this serial, there are also other outstanding commitments including contractors’ debts and pension liabilities which the exact figures cannot be ascertained because of the government refusal to open the books for proper inquiry.
When give or take few billions, Abia tourist centers like Ojukwu Bunker, National War Museum ETC would have been revived to complement the IGR, but T.A Orji led Abia government decided that the best way to spend Abia funds was embarking on common drainage disilting and half kilometer road rehabilitation.

For instance the below stated contracts were quoted to have been given out at the cost of N3, 909.064 billion to contractors by the PDP led Abia State government. Peruse through these lists of contracts and job descriptions to ascertain if the billions spent were justifiable. They are:
Const. of 3No Street in Arochukwu ; Location – Arochukwu LGA; Amount – N249.1m; Contractor – TECHNYCO; Description – Clearing commenced.
Const. Amangwu-Achara RD; Location – Arochukwu; Amount – N381.3m; Contractor – WORLDWIDE; Description – Initial grading completed.
Const. of Amankalu Alayi Road; Location – Bende LGA; Amount – N66.01m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – earthworks completed but not protected.
Reconst. Of bridge/erosion control and extension of Umusi/Ibinata Rd Igbere; Location – Bende; Amount – N17m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – Bridge completed, earthworks initiated.
Const. of Okalia Igbere RD; Location – Bende; Amount – N12.28m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – clearing completed, earthworks initiated.
Const. of 8N0 streets Igbere; Location – Bende; Amount – N280.58m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – clearing completed.
Const. of Amankalu Mile 29 of Umuahia/Ohafia RD, Igbere; Location – Bende; Amount – N280.58m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – clearing completed.
Const. of school/new motor park RD, Igbere; Location – Bende; Amount – N52.08m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – Motor park asphalt completed.
Const. of Omezi Ebiri market and bank RDs Igbere; Location – Bende; Amount – N64.93m; Contractor – OTUBTRACO; Description – Bank road aphalted.
Const. of Amato School RD, Amaiyi; Location – Bende; Amount – N2.5m; Contractor – JUSPEC; Description – Asphalted 85% completed drains outstanding.
Const of Alayi Ugwueke Rd; Location – Bende; Amount – N385.43m; Contractor – GRANDSTAR; Description – Asphalt overlay of 3.5km achieved 1.2km of drains.
Const. of Igbere Umuhu; Location – Bende; Amount – N333.7m; Contractor – HITECH; description 4.5km asphalted.
Const. of Amaoji Lodu-Lohum Imenyi Rd; Location – Bende; Amount – N250m; Contractor – ZEROCK; Description – clearing completed, earthworks initiated.
Const. of Amaoji Lodu-Lohum Imenyi; Location – Bende; Amount – N275.65m; Contractor – JPROS; Description – clearing completed 800m of sub-base achieved.
Const.of Ofeme bridge; Location- Umuahia north; Amount – N730m; Contractor – ZEROCK; Description – clearing completed, earthworks intiated.
Rehab.of Ntigha Nbawsi Rd; Location – Isiala Ngwa; Amount – N280.8m; Contractor – BENCOV; Description – 3.5km completed remaining 10.7km.
Const. of Nunya-Eluama Isuikwuato RD; Location – Isuikwuato; Amount – N7.116m; Contractor – HAPEL; Description – 3.5km asphalted 900meters of drainage earthworks.
Erosion control at Oguduasa Isiikwuato; Location – isuikwuato; Amount – N50.008m; Contractor – FOURTHMAN; Description – drainage and retaining wall completed.
Const. of Ugweze RD. Abiriba; Location – Ohafia; Amount – N190m; Contractor – MD GRANDS; Description – Drainage construction in process over 3100meters achieved.

Instead of Abia State, few individuals became wealthy and ensure they use the illegally acquired wealth to subvert the wish of the electorate by manipulating election results to their favour in every general election year.

Under their watch Abia State public schools became decrepit and in a subtle abdication of responsibility, T.A Orji’s government handed them back to churches without takeoff grants while their children relocated abroad.
In the midst of plenty unemployment rate rose to 22.8 per cent in Abia State as companies relocated to other States because of deplorable state of Abia roads. The average residents lived below $1 and Life expectancy rate expectedly dropped to all time low of 54 averagely. Isn’t it absurd that those who could not manage the state resources well when they were governors still want to continue representing us at the senate at the age of 74?