Tag: Ngige

On Monday, April 17, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige featured on Odenigbo 99.5FM and took an unnecessary swipe at the Obiano administration. While one is not surprised at his position, during the programme because as an opposition figure, he must be seen to be living up to expectation, especially as an election is in sight, one must however point out the litany of half-truths which he spewed during that show to set the record straight and to properly guide public discourse.
Dr. Ngige described Chief Willie Obiano as “Governor-do-nothing”; that the three magnificent flyovers in Awka are “bus culverts and monstrous obstructions” on a federal highway; that the state government has no right to put a barrier in the bridge. That the flyovers would soon collapse and that an APC state government would “pull them down”.
It is unfortunate that he only succeeded in confirming the perception of many Nigerians that the APC government is a ‘pull down government’. He should be told that this is the time to build up and not to pull down.
Ngige was only trying to be clever by half when he scored Obiano 50 percent only on security, saying that his administration between 2003 and 2006 had a “better and more efficacious security initiative”. But is he denying that today Anambra State is one of the most secure states one can think of? Is it not known to everyone that throughout the month of December during the yuletide, there was no single shot fired by armed robbers, and no single case of kidnapping and other crimes in the state?
Ngige argued that Professor Soludo’s high rating of Obiano’s government is “politically motivated”. This is to say the least preposterous.
Ngige said he was the one that first came up with the idea of an airport in the state at Igbariam. That Obi abandoned the idea and that the one Obiano wants to build at Umuleri is overpriced, and shouldn’t have been a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
This is at best laughable! Because if he is asked why he did not build the airport, he would readily hide under the fact that he was removed from office. Then the next question should be: why was he removed from office?
In describing Obiano as “Governor-do-nothing,” Ngige has again shown to the world that he is an unrepentant spoiler of good works. For it has been roundly acclaimed that Obiano has taken governance to another level in Anambra State with a plethora of viable and credible projects scattered across the state.
Currently, there are 181 projects going on in each of the 181 communities in the state under the do it yourself scheme involving N20 million investments to each community. And by June this year, another N20million naira worth of projects would be awarded in each community under the second phase of the scheme.
No doubt, in the next one or two months, the governor would be busy commissioning these 181 projects across the state. This is one major reason why the people are bent on re- electing Obiano to the chagrin of the likes of Dr. Ngige. But the good thing is that they cannot change the reality.
Those who visit Anambra State easily see that things are working and the people are happy; workers are being paid as and when due, roads are being constructed and re-habilitated, security is being beefed up, health facilities are being provided, and bridges are being constructed.
Last December, the Anambra State government paid the workers’ salaries on the 20th of the month, all leave allowances and pensions were paid on the 20th of the same month. So, there was no liability brought forward into 2017 and every civil servant in Anambra State received a bag of rice produced in the state.
It is this local production of rice that Ngige is now trying to rubbish.
Is ex-Governor Ngige blind to the fact that as at the time Governor Willie Obiano came into office, the production capacity of rice in the state was 78, 000metric tons, but that today, Anambra produces 230,000 metric tons of rice? The records are there for all to see! Is he also oblivious of the truth that in the next two to three years, Anambra will become a net exporter of rice?
Ngige further argued that Obiano’s claims on foreign investments and vegetable exports are “bogus and over exaggerated”. Good enough, his expression of bogus and over exaggerated betrays the fact that he acknowledges some progress made in that regard, but instead of giving the administration kudos, he must try to attack it for puerile political reasons.
Is he not aware that agriculture has received a major boost in Anambra State? Why is it difficult for Ngige to believe that Anambra now exports Ugwu leaf, Spinach and bitter-leaf to Europe which are now fetching Anambra solid foreign exchange?
Anambra State capital, Awka, now wears a new look as three brand new flyovers have been constructed in the city and there is street lights everywhere, beautiful roads in the state capital and what used to be a local government headquarter has now become a real state capital, courtesy of the wisdom, ingenuity and integrity of Governor Obiano.
Recently, the administration completed two long bridges at two different locations in the state. Despite the economic crunch, the government is still fulfilling its obligations to the people.
It is also important to note that the Anambra State government has awarded contract for 111 roads that will be ready in the next few months, before serious rain sets in. These are apart from the ongoing existing roads projects across the state.
Almost all the nooks and crannies have been lit up, all the major cities in Anambra are lit up at night that wherever you go, it’s like day break at night in Anambra State. This is courtesy of the wisdom and understanding of the governor.
In the area of health, the state government has awarded contract for 326 health centres, one in each ward in the state. These are being done seamlessly as if there is no recession in the country.
The governor had promised the people that they would glide through economic recession without any serious impact on their lives, and this is coming to pass. So what is the justification for the “Governor-do-nothing” sloganeering of Ngige?

•Okpala, a political analyst, wrote in from Awka, Anambra State.