THE DECISION OF THE ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT TO BUILD AN AIRPORT IN THE STATE IS WORTHY OF COMMENDATION.

IN THIS NEWS ANALYSIS CHUKS IBEGBU,  A PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANALYSTS LOOKS INTO THE IMPLICATION OF THE PROJECT  TO THE ECONOMY OF THE STATE.

The Abia State Governor,  Chief T.A. Orji, recently announced his intention to build an airport in the state. Since that announcement, there has been a flurry of reactions from several segments of the society. Some people consider it not a priority in the state while a major segment of Abians consider it very timely. There is nothing wrong with the diverse opinions since public debate is part of democratic culture and ethos. However, a dispassionate look into the whole issue will show that Ndi Abia actually need this proposed airport. Firstly, Abia is a business inclined state and virtually all important businessmen and women at Aba travel a lot to other parts of the country or overseas  for one business transaction or another to do business. Presently they are facing the challenges of landing in neighbouring states and facing the hurdles of traveling  by road to Abia State with its attendant hazards . Building an airport in the state will checkmate this hazards . Secondly, it will enhance the business and economic tempo in Abia State as investors will have a  one-stop access to the states. Moreover, it will encourage Abians living outside  Nigeria to increase the frequency of their visit home and also attract the much needed investment to the state.

The multiplier effect of an airport in Abia State is overwhelming. Some people argue that the nearness of Imo Airport, PortHarcout Airport and Uyo Airport  respectively to the proposed Abia Airport makes it untenable. This writer disagrees with this notion. Navigationally, there  is nothing wrong or strange with two or more airports sited near each other as long as they are properly equipped with navigational aids after all local and international airports still stay beside each other without any harm. The mentioned airports will complement the Abia Airport. As for the place to site the airport, there are many suitable places . However, consideration must be given to the viability of the surrounding places and nearness to both the state capital, Umuahia; and the commercial nerve of the state, Aba.The new international market at Ubani Ibeku and the international markets at Aba stand a lot to benefit from the proposed airport. As the committee the Governor set up on the project deliberates on the issue this writer suggests the airport be sited in any of the following places viz; between Isiala-Ngwa and Ubakala or between Abia boundary with Okigwe and NNPC Mega Station, Umudike area, , Bende area or Uzuakoli. The airport may also be called Aguiyi Ironsi Airport, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu Airport, Z.C. Obi Airport, Alvan Ikoku Airport , God's Own Airport , Ochendo Abia Airport etc.

Ndi Abia should congratulate Governor T.A. Orji for this very thoughtful project among other legacy projects going on in the state now.  All hands must be on deck to realise this enduring project which will be undertaken through a public private partnership. To God be the Glory

ABIA STATE SCORE CARD TWENTY TWO YEARS AFTER

After twenty two years of existence as a state, Abia has witnessed a speedy pace of infrastructural development under the able leadership of Chief Theodore Orji (Ochendo). Within this period of existence, Theodore Orji’s led administration is the only government that has been able to lay for the state a foundation for a modern state of this contemporary time.
We the concerned youths of Abia state have thoroughly assessed the performance of His Excellency Chief T A Orji, and we are proud to enumerate the following as laudable projects executed by the Executive Governor of Abia state Chief T. A Orji.

1)            Construction of an international conference centre with Nine thousand seats capacity and state of the arts facilities, which will help boost the tourism sector of the state and which will
In turn provide employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the state.
2)            Construction of a befitting workers secretariat at Umuahia with state of the arts facilities.
3)            Construction of an ultra-modern office complex for Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State. (BCA).
4)            Construction of a befitting Secretariat for Abia state Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA).
5)            Construction of Ultra-Modern Government House and Governors Lodge.
6)            Construction of office complex For Abia State Planning Commission.
7)            Construction of a high brow Housing Estate Amaokwe.
8)            Construction of a specialist/diagnostic hospital in Aba and Umuahia.
9)            Construction of over 250 Health Centres spread across the state. 
10)          Construction of women development Skills Acquisition Centre.
11)          Construction of various Road networks in the state  Reconstruction of Aba  Port Harcourt Road a Federal Government Road, Amaekpe –Okagwe Road Ohafia , Abia state , Nkata –Alike Umukabia Road, Ohuhu , Umucha access Road to CKC , Ejiama Migha  Abia state Ovim- Acha Road Amaogwu, Umuekwule Road Abiruba- Nkporo Road.
12)          Reconstruction of Danfodio Road Aba, and Ukwumango spot on faulks Road Aba Abia state.
13)          Construction of Ubani modern market with access Road and over 7,500 Shops.
14)          A proposed Airport of International Standard for the state and projects too numerous to mention.
 
Abia Concerned Youths Assembly has been waiting on the side-line for too long and now we have resolved to rise from the side-line to warn every baseless critic and paid agents whose ultimate aim is that of criticizing the government negatively, thereby distracting the attention of the government. It is glaring that the bulk of those negative critics are not resident in the state neither are they vested with how the state operates.

Abia Concerned Youths Assembly considers it important to bring to the notice of all that the pace of development in Abia state, under the leadership of Chief T. A. Orji is unprecedented inspite of the state’s lean resources accruable from the Federation Account and this simply concludes that the critics of this government are on the wrong part of assessment by comparing Abia with other oil producing states in the country.

It gives us concern as concerned youths of an Assembly why the critics of T. A. Orji’s administration are from a single stock, as if the state affairs is a one man orchestra. If the likes of General Ike Nwachukwu (RTD), Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Onyema Ugochukwu, Chief Emeka Wogu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe etc. are supportive of T. A. Orji’s administration. We wonder where these crops of baseless critics and detractors derive their strength from.

Abia state long before now was known and rated as a den for kidnappers and armed robbers, but T. A. Orji’s government has stamped out this social malady through his youth empowerment scheme. It is a thing of pride to note that it was in the reign of Chief T. A. Orji that Abia state was able to produce the chief of Army staff in the person of General Azubuike Iherjirika which has gone a long way in addressing the problem of insecurity in the state.
              
We as concerned youths of Abia are blunt to express that if previous administrations had taken into cognizance the need for basic infrastructures, Chief T. A. Orji would have nothing to do than to continue form where they stopped rather the government is bearing the brunt of laying the foundation for a modern state of Abia. It is quite embarrassing to state that the previous governments in the state were running the affairs of the state in a rented government house until Chief T. A. Orji saw the need to construct a befitting Governors lodge/Government House for the state in which states like Jigawa state that was created the same time with Abia state had long been operating in owned Government house/lodge.

Interestingly the history of Abia state cannot be complete if Chief Theodore Orji is not mentioned due to his efforts in fast-tracking developments in the state. Critics should learn to be objective in their criticism rather than depend on unfounded and baseless rumours. 

We as concerned youths of Abia state, under the aegis of Abia Concerned Youths Assembly have decided to support sustainable democracy and good governance under Chief T .A. Orji taking cognizance of the fact that Abia state has never had it so good. Chief T. A. Orji has touched every sector of the state in his developmental drive.
We have no hesitation or reservation to applaud the good legacies of Chief T .A. Orji as the Governor of Abia state.

2015 PRESIDENCY: I’M UNDER PRESSURE TO RUN -JONATHAN.

 

 

 

 

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, admitted that he was under pressure to seek a second term in office, saying, over 1665 campaign groups

have volunteered to work for his re-election in 2015.

The president however said the pressure notwithstanding, he would have to wait until 2014 before making his decision known to Nigerians.

The president’s presumed second term bid has been the thrust of the festering crisis in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

He has also consistently reminded Nigerians that

talks about 2015 elections were distractive and would not comment on such.

But the leadership of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, has restated its determination to wrest political power from the

PDP.

There will be a change of guard in 2015, the party said yesterday. Besides, the APC said it was putting all efforts to ensure that rigging was stopped at all cost even as the party raised the alarm that its members were being deregistered in Anambra state ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

Regardless, President Jonathan who spoke through his special adviser on political matters, Ali Ahmed Gulak said, even Nigerians abroad are “burning in unquenchable desire to return to the country and cast their votes for the ruling PDP come 2015”.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a meeting of the Elders’ Advisory Council of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG), Gulak said, despite the pressure on his boss, Nigerians would still have to wait until next year for the president to decide, even as he maintained that Jonathan’s only concern for now was on fixing the nation’s economy.

He said: “Since our last meeting, we have received various support groups being

coordinated by the GSG. We have, as of today, 1665. The last to visit was the Ochendo Solidarity Movement from Abia State.

About 150 (groups) of them came to this office.

We discussed. They have called on Mr. President to declare his intention. They said that they were not flattering.

“The President had told the whole nation that his intention would only be known in 2014, as he would use all these years to work for Nigeria and work for Nigeria and work for Nigeria”, he added, noting that Nigerians in the Diaspora had been enthusiastic about the organisation when it

launched its US branch.

“They told us that they would not only stick to vote, but they would mobilize themselves to come back and register and also ask their relatives to vote for PDP.

``There is no alternative to President Jonathan come 2015, based on GSG interactions with different political, cultural and religious associations,’’ he said.

The Chairman, Council of Elders of the GSG, Sen.

Ibrahim Mantu, said many politicians in the country want to be identified with the good works of President Jonathan.

He said “many Nigerians are indeed happy with what is happening at the moment, everybody want to be part of the success story of the

current administration,’’ Mantu said.

Leadership

H.E. T.A. Orji congratulates the Golden Eaglets for defeating Mexico at the Under 17 World Cup Finals

 

Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has congratulated the Golden Eaglets for thrashing Mexico 3-0 at the finals of the FIFA Under 17 World Cup hosted in the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, Governor Orji who thanked the Golden Eaglets for doing Nigeria proud and the African continent proud by winning their fourth Under 17 World Cup, said their hard-earned victory over Mexico showed that they are a team to watch out for in future.

The sports loving governor, said that the victory of the Golden Eaglets has further proved to the world that Nigeria is still a power house to reckon with in the round leather.

Governor Orji who said that God has started answering the prayers he offered in the Holy Land, called on the handlers of the Golden Eaglets to ensure that all the players are kept together for future championship.

According to him, the indomitable spirits of the players coupled with their courage contributed immensely to all the victories the team recorded throughout the championship.

The victory of the Golden Eaglets, according to Governor Orji, has united the whole country even as he called on all Nigerians irrespective of religion or ethnicity to key into the transformation programme of President Goodluck Jonathan-led government which he said had opened windows of progress and development in the country.