Last Wednesday, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti flagged off the construction works to expand the main approach road to Umuahia, the state capital, into six lanes. This was in fulfilment of his pledge to open up Umuahia and unlock her economic potentials. It is a welcome development which will definitely go a long way in opening up the city and its environs to the world with the attendant investment possibilities.
The people of Abia – and indeed indigenes and residents of the state capital – are gladdened by this revolutionary development, which is being seen generally as a game changer in the fortunes of Umuahia, a town that has suffered gross infrastructural neglect since it became the capital of Abia State 32 years ago.
The state in general, and Umuahia in particular, suffered arrested growth in the last 24 years under the control of the successive administrations of the Peoples Democratic. While prebendalism became the order of the day, Abia State and its capital, Umuahia, receded in form and stature to the point that Umuahia has continued to wear the looks of a glorified village 32 years after it became the state capital. None of the previous administrations before now paid any serious attention to the development of the town.
It is even regrettable and sad to note that one of the immediate past governors is an indigene of Umuahia. For the eight good years he spent on the leadership saddle, he lacked the imagination and competence to give the town a facelift befitting its status as a state capital. The administration that came immediately after followed in the same ignoble footsteps. They were all preoccupied with primitive capital accumulation and did not see the nobility in advancing the fortunes of the state and promoting the good of the greater majority.
Abia, under these floundered administrations, recorded abysmal failure on all indices of human development to the point that it became a laughing stock even amongst its immediate minority neighbours, who witnessed quantum leap in development as a result of foresighted and competent leadership. A case in point is the neighbouring Akwa Ibom State that witnessed uncommon transformation under the visionary leadership of Governor Godswill Akpabio.
Today, Akwa Ibom has become a choice destination for high level national and international conferences, seminars, retreats, workshops, conventions, football tournaments and other tourist activities. Only last week, the leadership retreat of the National Assembly took place in Ikot Ekpene, a close door neighbour to Umuahia. Even the retreat of the members of Abia House of Assembly was held in the same Ikot Ekpene a few months ago!!! The state capital, Uyo, boasts of world class infrastructure. This is why the place has become an alluring destination of choice for all categories of people, including business and political leaders, captains of industry, tourists, and those in the creative sector. This is what visionary leadership has achieved for Akwa Ibom State.
With the expansion of the main approach road to Umuahia into six lanes and the template of development which Otti is putting in place, there is no doubt that the unpalatable story of Abia State will never be the same again. Just under four months, the governor has shown that Abia can be similarly transformed like Akwa Ibom.
At the flag off ceremony, the governor stated that the reconstruction and expansion project which comes with standard drainage system, street lights and pedestrian walkways would be extended to Onuimo, the boundary point at Imo River between Abia and Imo States. He further noted that the decision to expand the road was informed by the need to unlock the economic potentials of Umuahia as well as open up the city to greater economic opportunities.
It is also heartening to note that the landlords and communities whose properties are affected by the expansion project have begun to receive compensations to that effect. This has made for a seamless commencement of the project. This is laudable as it has freed the exercise from being bogged down by needless litigations.
The governor assured that all the issues pertaining to the road project have been resolved and that the contractors would deliver on schedule. He said: “It has been difficult getting to this stage of the flag off of this road. We had to settle all issues that came right from the conception of this project before we came to flag off. The money for the payment of compensation is ready and the owners of the 130 buildings that were affected have started receiving their monies, while those who have not received their own, may be as a result of some bureaucratic hitches, will get theirs soon”.
By flagging off this very important project as promised, the governor has matched words with action. What is required now is the collective support of the good people of Abia State to the Otti administration to ensure that it remains on course.
Nwosu, a public affairs analyst, writes from Umuahia
