Reading John Okiyi Kalu’s aka Nwandugbom or JOK revisionism with the title “Between Peter Mba and Alex Otti: When Experience Makes A Difference” which contained several lies ,concocted figures and evil thoughts did once again throw one into deep thoughts about the evil master minds that dished out lies and painted glorious pictures of the State while it was being looted under the Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu infamous regime. For the untutored, John Okiyi Kalu was the Chief Propagandist of the Ikpeazu regime as the Commissioner of Information of that infamous era. One thought that came to my mind on reading that trash was to ignore it as it was not worth the paper on which it was written but it is often said that lies repeated severally often acquires the semblance of truth. It is this axiom that informs this rejoinder. The summary of JOK assumptions in the said article was that the Enugu State 2024 Budget proposals which he watched on TV according to him has turned Enugu State into an Eldorado. He limped from there to do a hatchet job of dishing out fictitious figures about Abia State public expenditure as well as a feeble attempt at a comparative analysis of the six month old administration with past administrations in Enugu State. He went further to cast aspersions on the personality of Dr. Alex Otti. The main kernel of the distasteful write up was to denigrate and insult the Government of Abia State as well as the personality of His Excellency Dr Alex Chioma Otti. The curious thing about John Okiyi’s half-baked and ignorant treatise is that he did not mention any of the past government of Abia State in his comparison with Enugu State or the personalities involved. Again, JOK displayed crass ignorance about Public Policy Analysis basic principles when he failed to understand that objective research data is usually the basis of such comparative analysis he set out to do and not information that is derived from Budget proposals that one watched on Television Sets. Research efforts based on verifiable Budget Performance is usually the basis of such comparative analysis in Public Policy Analysis. How well a government has done or is doing is derived from verifiable facts and figures and not imaginary and concocted figures. Again, his escapist tendency to compare previous Enugu State Governments with the Present one in Abia would have made more sense if he did such comparison with their past counterparts in Abia including the one he served as the Propaganda Chief. JOK comparisons has no tail or head. It was a concocted tale of an evil mastermind whose mission was to bring into disrepute the popular performing Governor of Abia State or at worst bring confusion and bickering between the people and Government of the two sister States of Enugu and Abia State who have for long enjoyed very peaceful and cordial relationships irrespective of partisan differences. It must be stated however that both the Governor and people of Abia State have deep respect for their Enugu State counterpart and there has always existed a very cordial relationship between the two sister states and their Governors. I can equally assert that nothing will break this cordial relationship. Not even the evil thoughts and machinations of characters like the said John Okiyi Kalu. Be that as it may, it is good to put Dr. Alex Otti’s ascendancy and performance in office in its proper context. Dr. Otti’s inauguration into office on May 2023 could be metamorphically be likened to Chinua Achebe’s tragic hero “Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart” who started out in life with nothing due to the character failure of his father “Unoka” who was a drunkard and a lazy man whom Achebe would describe thus “in his days, he was a lazy and an improvident man and quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow”. Achebe further categorized Unoka thus “if any money came his way as it seldom did, he immediately bought gourds of palm wine, called round neighbors and made merry. Unoka was of course a debtor and owed every neighbor some money, from a few cowries to quite substantial amounts. That was years ago when he was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at him because he was a loafer and they swore never to loan him any money because he never seldom paid back”. The net effect of Unoka’s physical and mental altitude was that his family was plunged into poverty and people laughed at them and his son Okonkwo started life from ground zero. It its exactly this Achebe fabled scenario in “Things Fall Apart” that played out in Abia’s recent political history. A State that is rich in human and material resources was plunged into debt and abject poverty and made a laughing stock due to the mental and physical laziness of its rulers. The tragic thing about the Abia situation is that it is the jesters and evil master minds like John Okiyi Kalu and Eze Chikamnayo who dished out lies and painted glorious picture of achievements as the information commissioners while the state was being looted. However, it is often the case that every day is for the thief and one day is for the owner of the house. In Abia the day of reckoning was 22nd April when Dr. Alex Otti, their chief nemesis was announced as the winner of the Governorship Election. Dr Alex Otti like his literary metaphor “Okonkwo” inherited nothing on assumption of office. Rather what he inherited were humongous debt and a government whose activities had long been grounded by the mental and physical laziness of his predecessors. In fact as at May 29th 2023 when Dr Otti was inaugurated into office, all the government offices in Abia State were under locks and keys as a result of the strike action embarked upon by public sector workers on account of salary arears amounting to over N70B that was owed to them. Most of the physical infrastructure of the state were all at various stages of decay and dilapidation. Most state contractors had pulled out of sites on account of debts owed to them. His Excellency Dr Alex Otti started from ground zero and it is against this background that any objective assessment of his six-month-old regime can be based rather than a nebulous comparism with the budgetary estimate of a sister government in a far away Enugu State. The truth of the matter is that His Excellency Dr Alex Chioma Otti has fully overhauled and reset the governance structure in the state since his assumption of office in May 29th 2023. His promise of paying public sector workers on the 28th of every month has been kept just as well as he is gradually tackling the backlog of salary arrears of the workers. It is also good to recall that Dr Alex Otti is not only very prudent in the management of the public treasure but also has imbued government processes with a lot of transparency and openness. Perhaps one of his greatest achievements may yet be reckoned to be his recruitment pattern into the top echelon of the Public Service where he has recruited top professionals from diverse fields to manage critical sectors of the Government. Governor Otti with his able managers has so far ensured that public policies and executions are conducted in ways that ensure not only quick service delivery but also that government procurement is achieved at minimal costs. Such innovative and prudent strategy has ensured the flourishing of the once moribund Government Ministries and Parastatals. In fact, the enthronement of transparency and due process in public sector procurement has ensured that the Abia public derives maximum benefit from government procurement activities. The resetting of all government tools by the Dr. Alex Otti administration has occasioned a quantum leap in the development of Abia State. This fact can be attested by a few significant checklists. All the internal roads in the major streets of Aba and Umuahia which were at various stages of dilapidation are now undergoing rehabilitation through the direct labour policy of the state government with its policy of “Zero Tolerance For Pot Holes”. This is just the same way that major arteries and link roads have been contracted out to reputable contractors who are delivering same at agreed time schedules. As at date, no state government in Nigeria can match Abia State in the quantity and quality of roads delivered and commissioned under the administration of Dr. Alex Otti within these past six months. This is also the same way that the hospital systems are being rehabilitated and wearing new looks. It is equally important to note that the free medical services being offered to people on weekends is still ongoing and have helped to ensure that a lot more people have access to quality healthcare. The “Light Up The City Project” which has led to the lightening up of our once dark cities of Aba and Umuahia is still progressing at a good speed. It is also good to mention that there has been an aggressive rehabilitation of public sector buildings and equipment of same in other to provide conducive atmospheres for government workers to carry their duties. This is a significant feat if we recall that most government buildings were at various stages of decay before may 29th 2023 due to neglect. Again, any one driving around the major streets of Umuahia and Aba and seeing how clean they appear may not remember that just six months ago, these cities were characterized by refuse and filth that filled out all its nooks and crannies. Dr Alex Otti has also been aggressive in laying the foundation of a meaningful industrialization drive in the State. The commissioning of the Abia Innovative and Industrial Park at Owaza and putting in place structures that will enhance “Ease of Doing Business” are just some of the measures that have seen the influx of Investors into the State. Indeed, Dr. Alex Otti has engineered a renaissance in Abia which has made the State the number one investment destination centre in Nigeria. All these feats have been made possible because of the transparency and honesty which has characterized government business since Dr Alex Otti assumed duty as the Abia State Chief Servant. The Governor himself leads through personal examples of hard work, humility, Christian Chastity, diligence, honesty, sacrifice and efficient deployment of scarce state resources. However, the likes of John Okiyi Kalu and his ilk who milked the State dry are blinded by these self-evident facts. They deliberately refuse to acknowledge all these positive developments. They are blinded by their evil thoughts. They had since loosing power engaged in acts that will undermine the Dr. Otti’s led achievement through various frivolous litigations and cheap propaganda. They will fail as it has been ordained by the divine powers that liberated Abia State from their iron grip through the Leadership of His Excellency Dr Alex Otti and The Labour Party. However, the times and the wicked machinations of the dark forces that held Abia State down for several decades calls for greater vigilance amongst Abians. The liberation which Abians are currently enjoying and which came through the blood and sweat of several patriots some of whom paid the supreme price should not been taken for granted. Abians should be vigilant and learn from the admonitions of the first Israeli Prime Minster Ben Gurion when he warned the Israelites in the twilight of their declaration of the Jewish State in May 1948 thus: “as Jews and more so as Zionist, we must forgo facile optimism and barren despondency. Basic fact are our allies. The tragedy of the Jews, the desolation of the land with it, our creativity. They have brought us thus far” And I will add to this admonition by stating that the struggle to liberate Abia State from the kleptomaniacs that held her down for several years took several years to achieve. Those who looted the State are still prodding around with their ill-gotten wealth angling for opportunities to scuttle the monumental developments that is ongoing and which has been engineered by Dr Alex Otti. Abians must resist them no matter what form they raise their head. They are a desperate lot and the times calls for greater vigilance amongst our people. I will end this write-up by abbreviating a favorite refrain that was popular during the civil war and which made a lot of impression on my young mind then and it goes thus: “Onye ndi iro gbara gburugburu neche ndu ya nche mgbe nile” Umu Abia, Unu e hikwala Ura. Hon. Jones Nnanna Ike General Manager/Editor in Chief Abia Newspaper & Publishing Corporation
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Abia Begins Disbursement Of Interest-Free Loans To Farmers, Set To Launch Project 10 Million’ Health Screening Initiative

Amarachi UzoukwuOctober 14, 2024

 

Abia State Government has commenced the disbursement of interest-free loans to 302 trained youth farmers under the state’s CSS Farms initiative.

 

 

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this while briefing Journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council Meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Prince Okey Kanu

 

Prince Kanu who stated that the disbursement follows the approval of the loan by Governor Otti in September, assured that the Ministry of Agriculture would oversee the process to prevent misuse of funds.

 

 

He said that the loans would be released in tranches based on the progress made by beneficiaries to ensure proper utilization.

 

 

“The Ministry of Agriculture will ensure a guided disbursement of the loans to ensure that there is no abuse of the scheme.

 

“The disbursement will be in tranches on milestones that will be tied to the level and extent of work done by the beneficiaries. 

 

“All these are to ensure that the loans are adequately utilised”, the Commissioner emphasized.

 

 

Prince Kanu further disclosed that the “Project 10 Million: Know Your Number, Control Your Number” initiative, aimed at screening 180,300 persons for hypertension and diabetes, is set to be flagged off on October 28, 2024 by Governor Otti.

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According to the Commissioner, high density screening locations in the 17 LGAs of the state has been identified through advocacy with the Roche Diagnostics agreeing to partner the state Ministry of Health by contributing ₦30 million.

 

 

“The project will be formally launched across the country and federation on the 28th of October. Government Alex Otti will flag off that project here in Abia“, Prince Kanu stated.

 

 

Prince Kanu while highlighting the present admissions administration’s commitment to improving the healthcare of the people said; “As at date, Abia State is free from any new cases of Cholera, Lassa fever, Diphtheria and M-pox.

 

 

“What that speaks to is the fact that the state Ministry of Health are alive to their duties and working round the clock to ensure that Abians and Abia residents enjoy good health and healthy living”.

 

Prince Kanu said that Abia will join the global community to celebrate World Food Day on October 16, 2024 with this year’s theme; “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future”.

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The Commissioner emphasized that the occasion serves as a reminder of the importance of food security and the ongoing efforts by the present administration to combat hunger and malnutrition.

 

 

 

He noted that road Infrastructure development across the state is in full swing adding that the Abia State Ministry of Works has completed the maintenance of 125 roads under the Zero Potholes Initiative through direct labour.

 

 

“These are not fresh construction works, they are maintenance works by direct labour from the engineers. 

 

“Today we have 125 roads and counting. We have lots of other road projects going on round the state. Obiora road in Aba is ongoing, the remedial works on Opobo road junction to Azumini-Obuohia-Akwete-Obehie road is in progress.

 

 

“Repair works on Aba North local government roads is ongoing. Reconstruction of IBB road here in Umuahia has commenced. The government is taking the issue of road construction seriously so on a weekly basis, we’ll keep reporting about progress made in road infrastructure“, Prince Kanu said.

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Dr Cliff Agbaeze

Contributing, the Commissioner for Agriculture Dr Cliff Agbaeze, explained that the interest free loan for the first batch of CSS Farm trainees ranges from one to three million naira depending on the Agric venture undertaken by each beneficiary, adding that the ministry will see them through the process.

 

 

He said that the world food day which is set aside to celebrate Agriculture would provide opportunities for farmers to showcase their Agricultural produce and interact with stakeholders.

 

The SA to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma was present during the briefing.

 

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