The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ABA

  • Lawmaker seeks troops deployment in Aba

    A lawmaker representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige has called for the deployment of police and military personnel to Aba, the commercial heart of Abia State.

    Hon. Prestige was speaking at a media briefing in the commercial town, explaining that the deployment has become necessary following the upsurge of criminal activities in the city.

    According to the lawmaker, the entire security structure in Aba has collapsed, leaving the city at the mercy of bandits, kidnappers and ritual murderers who overpower regular police with their sophisticated weapons.

    He noted that if nothing urgent was done to arrest the situation, the city which is yet to recover from the impact of armed men invasion in 2010 may witness yet another mass exodus of its residents and businesses to neighbouring states.

    “On Friday, February 24 Prince Kalu Mang Dieke was kidnapped and gruesomely murdered and his body…dumped around the notorious Orji Kalu Uzor Bridge by suspected kidnappers and killers in Aba. On that same day, one Elezue Ireke, an Aba-based businessman was also abducted and till date nobody knows his whereabouts.

    “On Monday, February 27, eight members of the Abia State vigilante group were killed in cold blood while returning from a town hall meeting in Umuahia by suspected armed bandits and kidnappers who ambushed them along Aba-Owerri Road, Umungasi Aba.

    “On January 24, one Adamu Abdulahi was killed in his room at Pound Road by Georges in Aba while an INEC official Chief Mba Abali Mba was kidnapped on January 29, his car has not been recovered till date.

    “My junior brother was kidnapped and later found with gunshot wounds while his vehicle and abductors could not be traced till date.”

    The Aba North and South Federal lawmaker said that he was optimistic that if there would deployment of more personnel with adequate operational Vans, sophisticated communication gadgets and right equipment to fight crime, they would be able to curb the menace of robbers and hoodlums in Aba and its environs.

    “I am confident that if the Inspector General of Police, Director Department of State Security (DSS), Commandant General Nigeria Security and Defence Corps and Chief of Army Staff dispatch well equipped and battle ready personnel to Aba North and South lives and properties of innocent Nigerians will be secured and protected.”

     

  • Gunmen kidnap poly lecturer in Aba

    Unknown gunmen have abducted a lecturer, Mr. Nkwachi Brown in Aba, Abia State.

    It was gathered that Brown, popularly known as ‘Macky’, who lectures at the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, was on Thursday, kidnapped along Opobo road, Aba, on his way to a meeting.

    It was further gathered that Brown and his friend were cruising in a vehicle when the gunmen struck, near the offices of local radio station in the city.

    Close associates of the lecturer stated that the gunmen are yet to contact his family four days after his abduction. This has heightened tension about his safety.

    Abia State Police Public Relations Officer,  DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the incident is yet to be reported to the Police.

    Meanwhile, residents of Bourdex Avenue and Iroegbu street, Ogbor Hill, Aba have a sent a save our soul message to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, over the spate of robbery attacks in the area.

    The residents lamented that the hoodlums have laid siege in the area, breaking into houses and dispossessing them of cash and other valuables and appealed to the Police boss to deploy security to the area.

    A cross section of residents of Bourdex Avenue, said they no longer sleep as the robbers who are armed with sophisticated weapons attack them as early as 8pm.

    “We are appealing to the Police to deploy security around Bourdex Avenue, robbers have laid siege to the area. If you visit this area any time from 7pm, you will not meet anybody on the road due to fear of the robbers. Most times, they will continue shooting guns while moving from one house to the other. No day passes without incidents of robbery attacks in one household or the other by these hoodlums who are well armed. They come with ladder, iron breaking equipment and torchlight. The security agencies should extend their patrol to the area.”

    Narrating his ordeal, a resident of Iroegbu Street who gave his name as Mr. Stanley, said he was almost killed while returning from a business trip at about 8.30pm as the robbers inflicted injuries on him and dispossessed him of a huge amount of cash and his telephones.

    He added that the two residents of the area are still suffering from machete injuries they suffered from the robbers, penultimate Thursday to Wednesday of every week and use Thursdays and Fridays to farm”.

  • One-hour fire wrecks family in Aba

    One-hour fire wrecks family in Aba

    Their son dead, apartment up in flames and the rest of the household in hospital, all this Aba family needs is help, reports SUNNY NWANKWO 

    In just 60 minutes they lost their only son and with him their apartment. The other survivors are in hospital being treated for various degrees of burns. Mr David Chukwu and his family have been grieving since the February 20 inferno in Aba, the Abia State commercial capital. They need help urgently.

    Chukwu’s son, seven-year-old Godswill, did not die immediately; he passed on five days after, in hospital. Chukwu’s wife, Favour, his six-year-old daughter Rachel, and six-month-old Miracle also sustained burns and were admitted in hospital.

    Our reporter, who met Godswill and other members of his family a day before he died, learnt that it took over three hours for his wounds to be dressed. The children’s cries while the dressing lasted could melt a stony heart.

    Godswill asked for watermelon and a malt drink, showing no sign of stress. Thereafter, he slept peacefully while the reporter interviewed his parents. Rachel pestered her parents for one thing or the other while the youngest child slept off after being breastfed.

    Speaking to reporters, Mr. Chukwu, an indigene of Okoko Item in Bende Local Government Area of the state, said he lost everything he had laboured for over the years to the fire including the wares that he had wanted to take to the market the next day.

    Chukwu said he was at the church when the incident happened, adding  that all they could salvage from their one-room apartment was the clothing he has been wearing since the fire.

    The family has been surviving on charity, he said.

    Chukwu said, “I was not at home when the incident happened because I went to church for a programme. I was told that after my wife poured  kerosene into the lantern and struck a match, an explosion occurred. I bought the kerosene and we have been using it to cook on our stove three days before that incident. But the cause of the fire is what I cannot explain, because if it were to be adulterated kerosene, the one we have been using to cook would have exploded before the fire incident. My neighbours and others who were at the scene at the time of the incident said that they took them to various hospitals including the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital where the hospitals rejected them before they were brought to this hospital where they have been receiving treatment. Since that day, I don’t go to market again because the goods I wanted to go to the bush market with the next day including cash left in the house were all gone in the fire. I only spend my day here at the hospital to take care of them with some of my family members and relatives.

    “The doctor hasn’t told us how much our medical bill is, though they have been doing their best since we came to see how they can save the life of my wife and other children.

    “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, his wife and other public-spirited individuals to come to our aid. They should come to the rescue of my family. They should come to save my wife and my surviving daughters. We are in a great pain at the moment.”

    Mrs. Favour David said they came out of the fire alive through the timely intervention of neighbours and passersby.

    She said, “When the explosion occurred, the fire went straight to the door and started burning the door. It was at that time that I rushed at the door and eventually forced myself out with the little baby that I was carrying at my back. It was in that process that I and my baby sustained fire burns. Godswill and Rachel were brought out from the fire by neighbours who rushed us to ABSUTH (Abia State Teaching Hospital) and other private hospitals including SDA, but we were all rejected because of our condition. But when we were brought here (MAZPA), they admitted us and have been attending to us.”

    Mrs. Chukwu said that the family has been feeding through the assistance of members of the public who on hearing what happened to them will come with food items.

    She called on the state governor, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, his wife, Nkechi, corporate and religious organisations including public spirited individuals to come to their aide, stressing that the burden of paying their hospital bills and starting life afresh was too much for them to bear.

    The chairman of MAZPA Specialist Hospital, Dr. Ekezie Ejikem in a telephone interview with our correspondent disclosed that late Godswill had 95percent burn and that makes his chances of survival slim.

    According to Dr. Ejikem, “If the boy had survived, he would have had his legs amputated because they (legs) were badly burnt by the fire that engulfed their home. For the other members of the family, we are

    monitoring their progress. The last baby had about 20 percent burn, the mum, about 40 and the 6-year-old about 50 or 60 percent respectively.”

    He said that the hospital bills of the victims estimated to be in the region of N2million.

    Donations for the hospital bills and upkeep of the family should be made through this United Bank for Africa’s (UBA) account number 2004684231 with account name Onuoha Chukwu, father of the fire victims.

     

  • Aba: Redemption for a flooded city

    Aba: Redemption for a flooded city

    Renowned for its infrastructural decay, as for its commercial success, Aba, Abia State’s money-spinning city, may be nearing the end of its flooding nightmare. SUNNY NWANKWO reports

    Aba’s infrastructural rot once drew tears, in the 80s, from Chief Sam Mbakwe, then governor of Old Imo State, of which present-day Abia State was part. After a heavy downpour, residents of a part of the commercial town found over 50 of their houses not only submerged but washed off into a ditch deep enough to take up a seven-storey building.

    Governor Mbakwe soon heard what happened and took it up with then president Alhaji Shehu Shagari. The President came to Aba and promised to reclaim the waterlogged areas. He kept the promise. Since then other administrations have made some efforts to keep Aba above water. Most failed, otherwise residents of the state’s commercial nerve would not be as depressed as they are about their infrastructural challenges.

    It seems there is hope, for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has awarded the contract to rework parts of the city that are heavily affected by the floods. His plan is to turn Faulks-Brass Road into a dual-carriageway.  For that to happen, much of the area will be de-flooded, and that will bring a lot of relief to residents and traders at the nearby popular Ariaria Market.  He is also paying attention to other parts of the commercial city.

    On countless occasions, traders at Ariaria International market Aba, especially those at A Line recorded losses which forced many to close shop during the rainy season. A shop owner who pleaded not to be named, told our reporter that they had to buy rainboots to wade through the dirty water and arrange with their customers over the phone where they would deliver the customers’ goods as the market was flooded.

    Several attempts have been made by past administrations in the state to address the situation of flood in Ariaria, Faulks Road and the dreaded “Ukwu Mango” but the situation has remained the same.

    Governor Ikpeazu not only awarded the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Faulks Road to Setraco Construction Company but also followed up the progress of work on Brass, Faulks and Ifeobara Pond from where it is expected that the storm water will be moved to the Aba River.

    Ikpeazu speaking to newsmen at the end of an inspection of work on Faulks Road and Ifeobara Pond said, “We are taking advantage of the dry season window. It is now imperative that we monitor them to make sure that they achieve the milestone we desire so we can put enough to stock for the dry season. I think they are doing well. Construction in this part of Nigeria [requires you to be] careful about how you plan your site so that you don’t lose the mileage you have achieved when the rains come because the rains will come certainly. This is the time for us to tie up our ends. We’ve just done about one-third of what we have at hand to do. There are projects in Umuahia, others in Abia North; we want our contractors at their best to do what they are supposed to do.

    The governor spoke about specific areas of focus.

     

    On Ifeobara basin

    “The Ifeobara basin is a natural basin for storm water in this environment. What you saw that people built up around here took up part of this Ifeobara pond and the thing continued to constitute until water began to overflow up to Uratta and Omuma roads. So, we are trying to recover the area of this Ifeobara pond and ensure that we retain water to its full capacity and also prepare to pump overflow from Ifeobara to waterside. That’s why the entire design of Ifeobara pond and Faulks road encapsulates or has within it the capacity to pump overflowing water from Ifeobara down to waterside.

     

    Keeping drainage from being blocked

     

    “What concerns us today is that most buildings in Aba don’t even have facilities for toilets and bathrooms. They pipe their water straight onto the roads thereby undermining the quality and reduce the lifespan of the roads. We are not going to allow that. We are preparing to engage people. We solicit the help of the press and the public to enlighten people that if you have a building without toilet and bathroom, and you are piping bathroom water to the road, it is only a recipe for epidemic; it is also not socially good. And infrastructurally, we are borrowing to do some of these things; we don’t want them to go back within the life of this administration. I will assure that we have the will to enforce these things that will protect our infrastructure.

     

    Port Harcourt Road

    “PH Road is a federal government road; unfortunately there are no federal citizens. So, we are touched. Initially, you are aware that we have been waiting for ADB to give us facility to go into that road and give it the kind of touch we are giving to Faulks road and other areas. But the thing is delaying; we are almost marking our second year anniversary. We think that because of the strategic nature of PH road where they manufacture machine tools and fabrication, to bring them to support our battle for the growth of SMEs in our environment, we look into PH road at this time. And going there shows that we have developed interest. I have asked some good contractors to look at it. Very soon, we will advertise that road. We will do it.

     

    Economic importance of the road project

    “If you have been following our strategy for development, we are running on five pillars of development. The first is trade and commerce and SMEs, you can see that our priority roads are the ones that either lead to the markets or give access to the market or give access to the SME centres. And Faulks road is an example; you can talk about access to Ariaria market. 60% of those who come to Abia State from outside visit Ariaria, that’s why for the passerby, the Aba indigenes, visitors and people coming for economic reasons, Faulks road is the key. Then, the cost of roads we are doing at Amamong, that’s where the shorts, gowns, shirts and pants. So, what we are doing is it to enhance the economic activities going on in that area.

     

    Complaints by landlords of demolished buildings 

    “You will be entitled to compensation if you have title documents. If not your compensation will only come from heaven. The people who erected structures in that area were not supposed to do so.”

    That is why we are where we are now and then draw milestones for where we will like to be in April because we are funding our contractors heavily from this month so as to take full advantage of the dry season window which is just a few weeks ahead and it is now imperative that we monitor them on day-to-day basis to make sure that they achieve the milestone that we desire so that we can put enough in stock for the dry season. I think that they are doing well. Construction in this part of Nigeria requires that you must be careful about how you plan your site so that you don’t lose the mileage that you have achieved when the rains come because the rains will certainly come. And that is why it is important for us to tie up our ends going forward. This is going to be regular than before. We just toured 1/3 of what we have to do today. There are projects that are as active as this in Umuahia, Abia North and we want to make sure that our contractors are at their best doing what they are supposed to do.

     

    Brass Street

    I am impressed by what the contractor is doing at Brass and Ifeobara Basin. Setraco is a very experienced hand and they work strictly according to specification. I think that our vision to do world class road leading into Ariaria and opening up to Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway is beginning to yield fruit. brass is looking like what it is supposed to be, which is a major access to Ariaria and I think that I am excited and I just hope and pray they will continue in that direction.

     

  • In Aba, a plea for dying languages

    In Aba, a plea for dying languages

    At the World Indigenous Language Day in Aba, Abia State, stakeholders made a case for saving Nigeria’s dying tongues. SUNNY NWANKWO reports

    In order to prevent some native tongues from dying, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) ratified February 21 as the International Language Day. Some stakeholders who gathered in Aba, the commercial nerve of the Abia State, to mark the day have suggested ways to keep Nigerian languages from going into extinction.

    The event was held at the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN).

    Over 500 Nigerian languages may die out because people who speak are getting fewer and fewer. Parents are blamed for accelerating the decline of those languages because they raise their children in other tongues rather than their native ones.

    The theme of this year’s event was, “Towards Sustainable Future through Multi-Lingual Education”.

    Stakeholders called on the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Education to make the teaching and learning of Nigerian languages compulsory in both government and private schools in the country.

    The Executive Director of NINLAN, Prof. Chinyere Ohiri Aniche, represented by the deputy, Prof. Obiajulu Emejulu said the institute decided to celebrate the day in order to push for the sustenance of indigenous languages and cultural values.

    Emejulu said children should be taught in their mother tongue in their first nine years, noting that children who were taught first in their mother tongue do better than their contemporaries who were first introduced to a second language (L2).

    “When a language dies, humanity loses a lot of wealth of knowledge and the case of Igbo language, I guess, is the most pathetic in terms of language endangerment/decline because by population, the Igbos are one of the most populous linguistic groups. We run into millions of people who are indigenous to the Igbo language and therefore, our language shouldn’t be in trouble at all. But unfortunately, UNESCO had classified Igbo language as an endangered  language with a number of reasons that the middle class parents don’t transfer the language to their children and so, there is a gap where in the next 15 years, we are going to have a generation of Igbo people who don’t speak the language.

    “Some of them who can’t speak the language because they don’t even understand cannot also transfer it to their own children and so, if nothing serious was done, we are going to face serious catastrophe for the Igbo language. I am afraid that we may not be able to reproduce the generation of the Achebes, Wole Soyinkas and others who were steeped in their mother tongue and when they were introduced to the English Language were very quick to grasp all the nuances of the English Language, and they did extremely well. We have nothing to lose in exposing our children to our mother tongues, but we have a lot to lose if our children grow up, not being able to speak our mother tongues fluently, they will become hybrid human beings.”

    Speaking further, Emejulu said, “It is apt because research has shown that children will thrive in a multi-lingual society as it exposes children to different languages and as they are growing up, they can pick these languages and as such enhance their communication even amongst people that are not of the same tribe with them.

    Emejulu while calling for proper funding of the institute in order to achieve the purpose for which it was meant, also called for a review of the education policies of the federal government on the teaching and learning and teaching of mother tongues in various schools and institutions in the country by mass producing teachers with degrees that will be employed in schools to help teach the dying indigenous languages.

    HRH Eze Young Nwangwa, the Oko I of Ehere autonomous community, HRH Eze Okey Ananaba, Okahia I of Okahia autonomous community and Eze Onwunali Wilson from Akumaimo Ancient Kingdom regretted the drastic drop in the teaching and learning of mother tongues in schools nowadays.

    Eze Okey Ananaba said he and his royal counterparts left their palaces to support the activities of the mother tongue day as a sign of support for what NINLAN is doing to create consciousness amongst the people of the need to promote and speak their respective dialects.

    Eze Ananaba said it is good that parents from the cradle introduce foreign language to their kids against the use of their mother tongue at the early stage of their childhood, stressing that it is better to use the mother tongue to raise a child so that when he or she grows, he will not forget the language even when the person learns another language that’s outside the mother tongue.

    He said parents should speak their indigenous languages to their childen and inculcate in them the cultural values for which their communities were noted.

     

  • Fresh hope for electricity in Aba

    Fresh hope for electricity in Aba

    After some false starts amid residents’ groans, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, as Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu launches another bid for 24-hour power supply in Aba, SUNNY NWANKWO reports

    The paradox of Aba, Abia State’s commercial hub, is gripping. It hosts arguably the most creative artisans in the Southeast, if not the entire country. Aba’s markets are not just patronised by the locals and others from nearby states; some clientele  also come from various countries. Yet, the city parades a horrible network of roads. Electricity in Aba is just as woeful.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the twilight of his administration, visited the city to inaugurate the phase I of the 504 Alaorji Power Plant Turbine Station under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) off the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway. That plant has yet to put Aba residents out of their power nightmare.

    There is also the Geometric Power Transmission Line located at Osisioma Local Government Area, which Jonathan inspected after launching the Alaorji project. The transmission line site, a short distance from the heart of the commercial city, is one of the independent power stations in the country and the only one privately owned in the southeast. It was built by a former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji.

    The professor and Aba residents thought it would solve their electricity problems. It has not.

    The ex-President seemed aware of the political and bureaucratic bottlenecks that had hindered the project, which had reached 95 percent completion, and promised to bring to a roundtable all the stakeholders to resolve the problems.

    Dr Jonathan also lamented the inability of the independent power plant to distribute the electricity it generated to consumers in the city, adding that it was not in the interest of the state or that of the federal governments.

    Jonathan described Aba as the economic hub of Abia State and the country, expressing optimism that the trade and economic activities would  be boosted if the stakeholders (EEDC and Geometrics) in the power sector would sheathe their swords.

    He said, “Power is key to development and without power our small- and medium-scale businesses cannot survive and that is why this government has decided to set up Nigeria Development Bank to support small businesses because if they are allowed to provide their own power, their income will not be enough for them to survive.”

    The electricity profile is still woeful despite Dr Jonathan’s assurances. Geometric power plant is yet to take off, leaving Aba industrialists in the lurch,with everyone including factory owners and residents alike at the mercy of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) which issues outrageous electricity bills apart from its erratic power supply.

    A visit to Ariaria International market, Eziukwu and Ahia Ohuru (New Market) including various industrial locations in the commercial city reveal that they depend on traders, small and medium-scale entrepreneurs and industrialists to power their machines while offices rely on power generators, at a huge cost.

    Some respondents at Ariaria and other markets including Mr. Dominic Chimezie told our correspondent that they have been relying on private electricity vendors to power their shops and machines for the past 10 years, adding that it was cheaper for them to patronize them (Electricity vendors) than using the public power source and paying electricity bills that doesn’t reflect their monthly electricity usage.

    Mr. Chimezie who said that several efforts to get “the much hyped prepaid meters” failed because the officials of the EEDC told them that they (EEDC) were supplying hotels at the moment further stressed that the reason why goods produced in Aba seems to be costly was because of the cost of production.

    The predicament of Chimezie and so many other traders in Aba and its environs must have inspired the state governor Okezie Ikpeazu, in collaboration with some private sector investors to fly out to Egypt seeking an end to the problem.

    Prof Nnaji,  the CEO of Geometrics Power, was on the flight, as were Mr. Darl Uzu, MD Crown Realities Plc., the lead promoters of the Enyimba Free Trade Zone project and Dr Pascal Dozie, Chairman of Diamond Bank Plc. They went to honour the invitation of Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah the President African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Cairo, Egypt.

    Founded in 1993, African Export–Import Bank, also referred to as Afreximbank, is an International financial institution with its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. Its primary objective is to promote and finance  trade in Africa as well as between Africa and other continents.

    Though the governor is already back to the state after the one-day visit, it is expected that the visit would help to see the dreams of the Geometrics Power Project which has incurred a huge amount of debt over the years.

    According to a release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Enyinnaya Appolos, the Cairo meeting is therefore a major step forward towards realising the project while the Geometric Power Project, which is 95% completed, was identified by the Ikpeazu led Government as a key driver for Aba and Abia economic growth.

    Appolos added that the meeting was also used to discuss partnership opportunities in the development of the Enyimba Free Trade Zone Project and completion of Geometric Power project at Aba, amongst others.

    Appolos added that Governor Ikpeazu at the meeting discussed investment opportunities in Abia state and also highlighted the resources his government has put in place to support business growth and expansion in the state.

    The Governor emphasized that it was the vision of the Abia State Government to re-ignite the Industrial potentials of Aba, leveraging its competitive advantage in trade and commerce with centralized location that makes access to all Southeast and Southsouth cities easy.

    The governor said, “The planned Aba Industrial Park Project aims to help Aba capture available windows of opportunities by achieving quick wins in the Leather, Garment, Metal Fabrication industries and also attract export oriented light manufacturing firms that will ultimately create a snowballing effect in the re-ignition of the Nigerian economy.”

    In his response, the President of Afreximbank, Dr.  Oramah stated that the development of Industrial Parks and constant power supply were in line with the bank’s strategic investment thrust.

    Oramah affirmed that good infrastructure is critical to manufacturing and promised that Afreximbank will partner with Abia State in the development of Industrial Parks and Electricity Infrastructure.

    The Afreximbank president also stated that the bank is in support of the emergence of Export Trading Companies and development of standard certification centres to support export promotion.

     

  • Aba: A city after everybody’s heart

    You don’t need to be an Ukwa/Ngwa or Igbo man to speak glowingly of Aba. Aba, also known as Enyimba city, is the most popular commercial town in Eastern Nigeria. It is a town after everybody’s heart.

    There is hardly any successful man or woman in Nigeria today that does not have an Aba story to tell. Little wonder Aba is called the Japan of Africa because of its manufacturing prowess, strong entrepreneurial orientation and the “can do” spirit of the people.

    Sometime last year, I was in Abuja with my principal, the Governor of Abia State, for an event that had other governors in attendance. After the event, I decided to introduce my colleague, Malam Imam Imam to my boss, Governor Ikpeazu. Imam is Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s Spokesman.

    “Sir, this is Imam, Governor Tambuwal’s media man,” I said.

    “Oh my brother, how are you?” Governor Ikpeazu responded as he shook hands with Imam.

    “Your Excellency, I’ve read about the things you’re already doing at Aba and your plans to rebuild the city. Please Sir, rebuild Aba for us. When I was a little boy, I used to come to Aba on holidays. My uncles are in Aba. I used to enjoy Aba and I want to come to Aba again.” Imam said.

    Trust Governor Ikpeazu, he promised not to disappoint Imam.

    Not too long after that meeting, Imam joined his boss, Governor Tambuwal to Aba, when the Number One Citizen of the Caliphate State came to commission roads built by Governor Ikpeazu at Aba. The roads includes Ehere, Umule, Umuehilegbu and Chima Nwafo, all at Aba. Governor Tambuwal also flagged off the reconstruction of MCC-Samek Road that leads to Ariaria international market. All through the events, I spotted my colleague Imam beaming with smiles of satisfaction that something positive is indeed happening at his beloved Aba.

    At various meetings of Governor Ikpeazu with former Governor of Central Bank, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the renowned economist consistently appealed to the Governor to fix Aba, and reminded him that Aba has the capacity and potential to reposition Nigeria’s dying economy.

    In fact, Professor Soludo, knows Aba to the extent that he tells the Governor how goods from Aba are sold in other African counties. To him, Aba holds the key to making Nigeria great and self-reliant

    Just recently, the Governor was informed of a planned visit of the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo to Aba. Initially, the message wasn’t clear. “Acting President? Coming to Aba?” Since the Governor didn’t invite him, he was taken aback until it was officially communicated to him that the Acting President was indeed coming to Aba, the SME capital of Nigeria, to launch the Federal Government’s Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Clinic, (MSME Clinic).

    How did Aba become the first choice for this program? Governor Ikpeazu wondered, until he was told that it was the Acting President himself that chose Aba for the launch of the event.

    That choice wasn’t fortuitous. Apparently the Acting President knows a lot about Aba and must have fallen in love with the city even before visiting. The recent promotional campaigns for Made-in-Aba-Products which Governor Ikpeazu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe are championing must have also reached his intellectual ears. It must have been their effort that influenced the choice of the Acting President for Aba.

    It will be recalled that President Mohammad Buhari, in his 2017 budget speech stated inter alia: “We will buy ‘Made in Nigeria’ goods. We will encourage garment manufacturing and Nigerian designers, tailors and fashion retailers. We will patronize local entrepreneurs. We will promote the manufacturing powerhouses in Aba…”

    While at Aba for the MSME Clinic, Professor Osinbanjo re-stated that Aba is the “manufacturing power house of Nigeria”

    He also said that “Aba is important to the country as a place where wonderful things are made. “ He added that Aba business people exemplify the attributes natural creativity as Aba remains the manufacturing and business centre of Nigeria, stressing that “made in Aba products are not bad as previously thought.”

    A review of Governor Ikpeazu’s campaign manifesto for the 2015 election explains why Aba is a city after everybody’s heart.

    Governor Ikpeazu, even before his election, had concrete plans on what to do to get Aba and Abia right. According to him, “Industrialization has historically been a core driver of modernization and job creation. The private sector is the platform that drives industrialization. We will therefore develop the state economy applying the following economic anchors.

    “Systematic consultation with the organized private sector will promote a private sector-led Abia economy.”

    Governor Ikpeazu stressed the need for the establishment of a functional small and medium enterprises (SME) centre to render critical, non-financial business development and support services to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing SMEs business operators.

    For Governor Ikpeazu, the issue of Aba Re-Development Plan, is an issue that must be dealt with no matter whose ox is gored, because he believes that to get Abia right Aba must be fixed.

    Constantly he said: “The axiom, “get Aba right, and Abia is right”, shall continue to be the pivotal development philosophy and the nexus upon which to hinge development policy for Aba. Aba is home to virtually all Abians, Ndigbo and has a strong attachment to many others.

    “Re-developing Aba into a modern commercial hub; with functional infrastructure, stable power supply, reliable and decent public transportation system, urban traffic management system, structured and planned industrial layouts, clusters and parks, will release her revenue potential that can be leveraged upon to develop the rest of Abia State.

    “Aba with its strong entrepreneurial setting, which attracts business operators from across the nation and most ECOWAS countries, has the potential to become a commercial and entrepreneurship hub of West Africa.

    “We shall enhance international marketing opportunities for made in Aba goods and services by ensuring quality control and showcase the made in Aba brand in the economic capitals of the world.

    “As part of the Aba re-development plan, we shall undertake the establishment of Obuaku Industrial Zone. The components shall include, but not limited to, a sea port, housing estate, etc.” Governor Ikpeazu said.

    It will be recalled that recently, Abia State Government signed a public private partnership (PPP) agreement with Crown Realties PLC to build the first  Enyimba Free Trade and Industrial zone at Aba.

    The project is expected to be strategically located within the Aba zone with world class anciliary facilities and infrastructure.

    Under the arrangement, signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr Eme Okoro, on behalf of the State, Crown Realties will conceptualize, design, finance, develop, construct, operate and maintain the industrial economic Free Trade Zone that integrates industrial production, marketing, warehousing, Logistics, leisure, residential accommodation, schools, Hospitals and entertainment centers among other facilities.

    Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony at the Government House Umuahia, Governor Ikpeazu, who has repeatedly called on Igbos to come home and invest, said that the economy of Southeast states will be better developed when the indigenes themselves contribute towards its development by bringing home their investment.

    He pledged his administration’s commitment to the project and assured that the project, when completed, will serve Abia well.

    According to the Chief Executive Officer of Crown Realties PLC, Mr. Darl Uzu, the establishment of the industrial zone is in line with the call by the Governor for Abians to come home and invest as well as to key into his administration’s pillars of development.

    He promised to drive the project in the best interest of the state in order to further bring development to Abia state and the south east.

    Also, the Abia State Government has opened discussions with the management of Anchoff Strongholds Ltd, led by Chief Emeka Offor, for the establishment of an Inland Container Depot at Aba.

    Only recently, Governor Ikpeazu, as part of his drive for rapid development of Abia state and Aba in particular, led a powerful team of private sector heavyweights including Prof Barth Nnaji – the CEO of Geometrics Power, Mr. Darl Uzu , MD Crown Realities Plc., the promoters of the Enyimba Free Trade Zone project and Dr Pascal Dozie, Chairman of Diamond Bank Plc to a one day meeting at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) President in Cairo, Egypt.

    The meeting which was at the invitation of the  Afreximbank President, Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah, discussed partnership opportunities in the development of the Enyimba Free Trade Zone Project and completion of Geometric Power project at Aba, amongst others.

    The Cairo meeting was a major step towards actualising the Geometric Power Project, Aba, which is 95% completed.

    At the meeting, Governor Ikpeazu discussed investment opportunities in Abia state and also highlighted the resources his government has put in place to support business growth and expansion in the state.

    The governor emphasized that it was  the vision of the Abia State Government to re-ignite the Industrial potentials of Aba, leveraging its competitive advantage in trade and commerce with centralized location that makes access to all south east and south south cities easy.

    According to the governor, “the planned Aba Industrial Park Project aims to help Aba capture available windows of opportunities through achieving quick wins in the Leather, Garment, Metal Fabrication industries and also attract export oriented light manufacturing firms that will ultimately create a snowballing effect in the re-ignition of the Nigerian economy.”

    In his response, the President of  Afreximbank, Dr. Okey Oramah, stated that the development of Industrial Parks and constant power supply were in line with the  bank’s strategic investment thrust.

    He affirmed that good infrastructure is critical to manufacturing and promised that Afreximbank will partner with Abia State in the development of Industrial Parks and Electricity Infrastructure.

    Dr. Oramah also stated that Afreximbank is also in support of the emergence of Export Trading Companies and development of standard certification centers to support export promotion.

    So far, the Ikpeazu administration is doing a lot to reposition Aba infrastructurally, for the actualisation of plans for Aba as a modern commercial city and SME hub.

    In just 19 months, the government has fixed 15 roads at Aba alone, namely: Omeni road

    Adventist road, Kamalu road, Umuocham road, Umuehilegbu road, Umule road, Owerri Road, Weeks Road, Owerenta road, Umuola road, Ukaegbu Road, Ehere and Weeks Road. Many others have been reasphalted including Aba-Owerri road, George’s street, park road, East street, Umuatako road, Jubilee etc.

    Meanwhile, massive work is ongoing along Faulks Road, Aba/Owerri road, Emelogu/Ngwa road, Ibere road, Ururuka road, MCC-Samek Road, Ikonne Street, Aharandu Street, Onyebuchi Street, St Paul, Umuocham, Umuchichi road, St Paul’s street and Ibadan street.

    Also, the governor recently flagged off the construction of the first flyover in Abia at Osisioma junction in Aba.

    Bearing in mind that all Federal Roads leading into Aba, including Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene Road were left to deteriorate for many years, Abia state Government is already concluding plans to engage Setraco Construction that is already fixing Faulk Road to also move to Port Harcourt Road Aba.

     

    • Appolos, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor writes from Isiko, Abia State

     

  • Abia community protests high electricity tariff by EEDC

    Abia community protests high electricity tariff by EEDC

    Commercial and vehicular movements were on Wednesday obstructed in some parts of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State as the people of Umuode village in Osisioma Local Government Area of the state took to the streets to protest what they described as “obnoxious and unjustifiable” electricity tariff to electricity users in the community.

    The protesters bearing different placards with inscriptions like “We are tired of estimated bills”. “Give us pay as use meter”. “Enough is enough”. “Oh God, deliver us from the hands of the EEDC”. “52,000 is it for 2years?” and amongst others marched through Umule-Faulks road to Calabar Street where the distribution office of the EEDC is located to lodge their complaints.  

    The residents who brandished several of their February to journalists questioned why the EEDC would bill them excessively even when the electricity distribution company hardly supply power to their homes making them to power their homes and workshops with generator most of the days in the week.

    The protesters while bemoaning the attitude of EEDC staff and management in Aba towards their customers also demanded the supply of the much hyped prepaid meters to their home as measures to curb excessive billing by the electricity distribution company.

    Comrade Onyebuenyi Chimaobi and Mr Ibe Ihesinaulo said “We are protesting of the crazy electricity bills that the EEDC people are giving to us. It has been like that in the past, but the February bill is very outrageous. Some of us were to pay N106, 000 for three bedroom flats, some over N200, 000. The cheapest one is N38, 000 for three rooms. We are not happy with the way things are going because the issue has been happening in the past.

    The high rate of bill is unacceptable to us. That is why we are calling on Abia State and Federal Government to see that we are given prepaid meter. Someone who is living in a room should pay for the electricity consumed, but it must not be 3,000. The cost of paying for electricity bill is now higher than the cost of rent.

    The money you will use in paying for EEDC bills will be used to pay for three bedroom flats in three years which is unacceptable to us. We have made efforts and have even paid for meters several years ago but as we speak, the meters are yet to be supplied to us. With prepaid meter, this issue of overbilling will be reduced.”

    Officials of the EEDC could not be reached for comments when reporters made attempts to speak with them over the allegations made by the Umuode community.

  • Police recover foreign currencies, stolen vehicle in Aba

    Police recover foreign currencies, stolen vehicle in Aba

    Policemen from the Abayi Division and the Police Mobile Force 55, Aba, have arrested a suspect, Obinna Echerem following the recovery of a Toyota Corolla vehicle with registration number plate, Bayelsa, BYSJ-07-A and cash in assorted foreign currencies, suspected to have been stolen.

    Police sources told journalists that Echerem was arrested at Tonimas Junction on the Aba –Port Harcourt expressway when he could not explain how he came about the Toyota Corolla car and the assorted foreign currencies in his possession.

    Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, who confirmed the arrest, stated that the suspect failed to give a satisfactory account of items but offered two Thousand Thailand Baht currencies to bribe the Police team.

    Oyebade, who added the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigations are concluded, listed the foreign currencies recovered from Echerem to include; Ghanaian Cedi, US Dollars, French Franc, Thailand Baht and United Arab Emirates Dirham.

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  • Lawmaker tackles poor roads in Aba

    Lawmaker tackles poor roads in Aba

    Aba, Abia State, known for its high revenue generating profile, its commerce and small businesses, is also just as notorious for its horrible infrastructure. Its two federal constituencies, Aba North and South, host major industries and markets, Ariaria International Market, perhaps the most popular. But its roads are impassable. Other facilities are few and far between, leaving the people in pretty bad humour.

    A resident of Ngwa Road in Aba South Local Government Area, Mr. Godwin Onyeka described their situation as unfortunate, stressing that apart from food they eat, “life at Ngwa Road could best be compared with life at various IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps across the country”.

    Apart from making life miserable for the inhabitants of the two local governments especially while trying to access the city centre, the impassiable nature of Aba South, Obohia, Ohanku, Umuogele and other parts of Ngwa road has contributed to the high level of crime in the area.

    This has also adversely the response of security agencies to crime in the area. Even the fire servive struggles when responding to emergences in the Aba, no thanks to the worful roads.

    A trip to some of these areas during the rainy season would make one shed tears as residents whose shops and offices are within the city centre are subjected to all manner of stress on a daily basis because of the deplorable nature of their road.

    It was gathered that some of the Aba South residents especially those living at Ohanku, Obohia and amongst others pay thrice of the normal transportation fare to get to their homes while those at Nkwo Ngwa or Umuogele have to pay able bodied men to ferry them through the flood or stagnant water or risked being carried away by the flood.

    Recounting a 2015 experience during a heavy downpour that left many family homeless with property being swept away in the flood, Mr. Kingsley noted that they are still suffering the effect of the loss till date.

    Worried by the situation facing his constituents, the lawmaker representing Aba North and South Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ossy Prestige has acquired a grader and since moved into the affected areas to begin massive grading of internal and bypass roads across the constituency.

    Some of the streets and roads graded in Aba North Local Government area until the time of this report are Garden Avenue off Okigwe road, Uzonkpa/Umuobu, Railway/Salad Market avenue, Cemetery, St. Eugene, Anya Umunna off PZ, Osusu, Chibuike streets, Samuel Njoku and Imo Avenue, among other locations where work is ongoing.

    Joyous residents of Aba North including Samuel Njoku, Osusu, St. Eugene inhabitants who spoke to newsmen could not hide their joy.

    They recounted how for over a year they have resorted to using public transportation, leaving behind their luxury cars because of the impassable terrain of their residences due to the neglect from both state and local governments, even as they said that they have been paying their taxes and other levies from the state and local government authorities respectively.

    One of the residents who simply gave his name as Ifeanyi blamed past governments in the state and representatives of the Aba North and South at the Green Chamber of National Assembly for their woes, stressing that apart from Orji Kalu’s administration that tried asphalting and grading some of the internal roads in the area, subsequent government administrations were concerned with collection of revenue and failed to engage on infrastructural development project in the last  eight years, living them to groans in penury.

    Ifeanyi and others who spoke thanked Prestige for remembering them and urged him to extend such gestures to other parts of the constituency.

    They hoped that the efforts of the Abia lawmaker will go a long way in complimenting the efforts of the incumbent Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration in alleviating the sufferings of road users in the commercial town.

    In an interview, the lawmaker said that after a need assessment survey, he discovered that a lot of his constituents find it difficult to access the city center due to the impassible nature of their roads, stressing that in order to alleviate their sufferings ahead of the rainy season; he decided to embark on the project.

    Prestige who told reporters that he would have loved to asphalt the roads after the rehabilitation sighted paucity of funds as a barrier because he was using his personal money to fund the ongoing rehabilitation exercise, but added that Garden Avenue off Okigwe road, a 7.5km road project which he attracted through the federal government intervention funds would be asphalted with a good drainage system to channel water to the appropriate water channel.

    He used the opportunity to solicit his constituents’ continued prayers and assured that he old never relent in his efforts in making sure that he keep using his personal or government funds to improve their lives and attract government presence within his tenure as Aba h and South legislature.

    He said, “Aba must be fixed. In the next couple of days, I shall be bringing an investor from Korea who will come to partner shoemakers in Aba. Mr. Jacky Zhang will be coming to inspect what the shoe makers are doing in Aba, see how is going to help them improve technologically and as well, take their wares to the global scene for marketing and attracting investors with like minds.”