Ebonyi State At 28: A Toast To Consistent Consistent Growth And Development

October 1 in Nigeria is synonymous with the commemoration of the country’s Independence, for Nigeria became a sovereign nation on that day in October 1960, bringing decades of British colonial rule to an end. In Ebonyi State, however, the day holds the memories of the celebrations and shouts of joy that rented the air sequel to the creation of the state by the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha in 1996. Reminiscences of the tortuous journey towards the realization of the dream of a state we can call our own, Ebonyi State, have sufficiently been supplanted by warm thoughts and feelings occasioned by the consistent growth and development being witnessed by the citizenry. These have been made possible by the quality leadership brought by its administrators so far.

In essence, the day recognizes and celebrates the relentless efforts of the state’s founding fathers, the dreamers who surmounted daunting challenges that stood in their way as they pursued the dream of putting our people on a higher ground of honour and glory. By their efforts, those who lived in darkness have seen the light; those who were lost in a thick forest of downright lack, deprivation, and underdevelopment have found their way to an open field of opportunities.

According to Frank Herbert “Good governance never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery.” Ebonyi has remained a roundly fortunate state in the light of its leadership; it has continued to have development-oriented personalities behind her steering as her drivers. This assertion is evident even in the efforts of her foundational administrators, Navy Commander Walter Feghabor and Compol Simeon Oduoye; they set the tune by providing the requisite springboards in terms of take-off structures and more.

With the return of democratic governance emerged Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu, the first Executive Governor of the state. He prioritized manpower development. He recognized the veritable role education plays in sustainable human capital development. Thus, he instituted both local and international scholarships and trainings to guarantee the accomplishment of his target goal. He equally introduced the Work and Study program after he established the Ebonyi State University. The result of his effort was almost instant, as most citizens were empowered economically. To drive development down to the rural areas, Dr. Egwu created some Development Centres and appointed coordinators to man them with their committee members. He also constructed many roads across the state. It can be said that Governor Sam Ominyi Egwu laid a genuine foundation for economic prosperity of the state.

Chief Martin Nwanchor Elechi, like his predecessor, Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu banked much interest in human capital development, though he equally invested in physical development. With concentration in the hinterlands, he built over 36 bridges to link up communities separated by rivers and certain undulating topographic realities. His approach to public service reform was remarkably innovative. His tenure saw the construction of the state-of-the-art Ochudo Secretariat and the Staff Development Centre for civil and public servants of the state. More so, he introduced many significant reforms for efficiency in the state’s civil and public service and as well invested so much on periodic training and retraining of workers. Apart from constructing a good number of roads in the state, Governor Martin Nwanchor Elechi built the Ebonyi International Market, Model Rice Mill clusters in three senatorial zones of the state, the Oferekpe Water Scheme among other life-lifting projects, and vigorously pursued the state’s scholarship policy. More so, he reintroduced the boarding system in select model secondary schools in the state.

Governor David Nweze Umahi, on his part, majorly engaged in infrastructural development in the manner the state had never known it. He introduced the use of concrete pavement in road construction, building substantial road networks across the state. The roads were mostly dualized and equally accompanied by streetlights. Governor Umahi’s administration constructed some flyover bridges at vulnerable intersections, making them the very first in the history of the state. His tenure would be remembered for constructing the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport at Onueke. He also embarked on massive youth empowerment. Governor Umahi gave the capital city a facelift through his developmental interventions, and by that effort, literarily put an end to social profiling that was the lot of the Ebonyi people hitherto.

Currently, under Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, Ebonyi State, is witnessing unhindered progress in all its facets. The Governor has apparently redefined what it means to hit the ground running even from inception. Equipped with the People’s Charter of Needs, his policy document, which now serves as his administrative compass, the governor has restored ebbing hopes and demonstrated sufficiently that power, if not used to the service of the people, is a dark example of vanity. No wonder the book of Proverbs 29:2 says that the people rejoice when the righteous is on the throne!

Some admirers of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s achievements so far have described his administration as a new dawn for pensioners; some call it a dawn of colossal economic empowerment. However, a holistic look at what the Governor has achieved in almost all the sectors of the state, one would ask: where is it dusk?

For instance, within his first 100 days in office, Governor Nwifuru extended his touch of excellence to the health and civil service sectors, granting approvals for the employment of sufficient number of personnel to ensure effective and efficient service delivery. He equally released adequate fund to give a new lease of life to the Ebonyi State University, which was almost at the precipice of collapse before his emergence; he increased its subvention and settled the arrears of debts owed the institution.

Across the state today, the Governor Nwifuru-led administration has completed over 500kms of roads. It has significantly advanced the frontiers of human capital development, quality healthcare delivery, purposeful and effective education, agricultural development, et cetera. The Governor has revived the Pipe Production Factory in Ezzamgbo, the Building Materials Industry also in Ezzamgbo and the Pulverization Plant in Umuoghara. The hitherto moribund Ebonyi State Poultry and Hatchery Industry at Nkaliki is being revitalized, while the Ebonyi State Fertilizer Blending Plant at Onuebonyi had since resumed fertilizer production. The Governor has distributed over 26, 000 bags of fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

Following complaints about the runway by the Airlines, and subsequent halting of flight at the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke, Governor Nwifuru spent over 17 billion naira to remodel the runway in Nylon asphalt overlay and today the job is completed, awaiting the approval of relevant Aviation stakeholders for the resumption of flight operations.

To ensure regular supply of portable water across the state, the Governor has revived the Ezillo Water Scheme, while the long-abandoned Old Abakaliki Urban Water Scheme, comprising the Water Works Low and High Lifts is being revitalized. Efforts are on top gear to complete the Ishiagu Water Project and to restore the Iboko Water Substation through the construction of 1000 cubic meters water storage facility. More so, activities geared towards the reactivation of the Oferekpe Water Scheme have reached an advanced stage. It is hoped that water distribution would commence in no distant time.

In the education sector, massive construction works are currently ongoing at the ICT University, Oferekpe, and the University of Aerospace Engineering, Ezza. In the same vein, the Ebonyi State Government has approved the release of over thirteen billion naira covering the accommodation, tuition, research, and leaving allowances of successful candidates for its foreign and local scholarships. One can only imagine what the state would become by the time these candidates return to contribute their quota to the development of the state. Worthy of mention is the fact that His Excellency has increased the salaries of the non-teaching staff of the Ebonyi State University by 10%; teaching staff 20%, and reduced the tuition fees of the students by 10%. The Ebonyi State Government under Governor Nwifuru has constructed over 39 units of 22 classroom blocks in the model secondary schools across the state, and approved the recruitment of 1000 teachers, which is currently ongoing.

A compassionate leader extraordinaire, following the removal of subsidy on fuel, Governor Francis Nwifuru procured some CNG luxurious buses for conveying workers and students to and from their destinations, and constructed bus shelters at strategic locations in the capital city for the comfort of the citizenry. He has remarked his willingness to pay the new minimum wage of seventy thousand naira, even as he had earlier increased the salaries of workers in the state on his own, and grants them one hundred thousand naira at yuletides. The retirees are not left out! In fact, they are apparently top on his scheme of priorities. Governor Nwifuru has committed over 5.5 billion to clear the backlog of arrears, gratuities, and pension from 1996 to date. It is this compassionate disposition of Governor Francis Nwifuru that drives his consistent indulgence in multidimensional empowerment programmes in favour of the citizens. It cannot be gainsaid that Ebonyi youths, traders, farmers, and so on are receiving funds to support their businesses and crafts. This trend, this warm rain of empowerment funds is what is now known jocularly in the state as Alert Vam Vam Vam.

The near comatose state of general hospitals in the state has become a thing of the past. This is consequent upon furnishing the hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment and recruiting medical personnel for the hospitals. He equally reversed the Japa syndrome in the medical profession through the provision of mouthwatering incentives such as brand new SUVs and monthly allowances, among others to the workers. The Governor’s deliberate effort at bridging the gap between secondary and tertiary healthcare systems in the state is evidently clear.

Furthermore, to guarantee improved power supply in the state, the Governor moved and secured the commercial power status for the state. More so, the state today can boast of saving a lot of costs, having moved from the generator-powered to solar-powered streetlight system.

Today, as all economic, human, and physical development indices point to a greater future, we cannot but take a hind gaze at where we were, how far we have come, and raise our voices in thanksgiving to God.

So, as we celebrate today, a toast to Ebonyi State at 28 is a toast to consistent growth and development in an atmosphere of sublime peace and security.

To God be all the glory!