Regenerating Abia Cities



Now in the twilight of his administration, the Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, continues to change the vista of his state, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes

For the different communities in Abia State, it was a week-long celebration heralded by series of commissioning of none other but some of the legacy projects kicked off by the present administration of the Governor Theodore Orji, popularly addressed as Ochendo (shelter from the sun).


It was fanfare at its best at each commissioning as the different communities revelled in the transformation and laudable legacy projects of the state government.


On Monday, the unveiling of completed projects began with the internal roads at Ohiya Mechanic/Spare Parts Village, the Luxury Bus Terminal, and Ohiya, both in Umuahia South Local Government Area
The next day being Tuesday, the governor and his entourage went to the Ndume Otuka Model Primary School, then the Afugiri Model Primary School, both in Umuahia North LGA.


That was not all, the next event which took place on Friday was to unveil the internal roads that lead to the Nigeria Navy (NN) Finance and Logistics School, in the Owerrinta area of the Isiala Ngwa South LGA.
Then on the final day of the tour, the governor unveiled the Abia Specialist Hospital Annex Amachara, the admin block, the house officers' hostel, the call duty room and the 100 bed ward, all in Umuahia South LGA.


Promoting Education
In line with its policy of promoting education in the state, Orji also unveiled some model primary schools. According to him, the essence of providing model schools for pupils and students in the state was to embolden and give them a sense of belonging.
While unveiling the Ndume Otuka and Afugiri Model Primary Schools in Umuahia North LGA, he said education remains a priority in his dispensation, adding that the government has provided a better environment for learning and teaching in the state.


From the picture of the old structure, the school had received a total overhaul as it bears the semblance of a university.
On the rationale behind siting model schools, he said he is encouraged to do more because the students and the pupils in the state have done the state proud at various fora, adding that no resource spent in education will be counted as a waste.


The newly commissioned model schools will go a long way to compliment the already existing ones located in each of the 17 LGAs in the state apart from other schools being refurbished by his government to enhance the quality of education.
Infrastructure wise, the model schools are equipped with desks and chairs for pupils and teachers, borehole, generating set and a modern library among others.


Earlier, the LGA Sure-P chairman, Chief Joseph Ogwo said the two model schools are among the many built by Sure-P and scattered in the 17 Council areas of the state, and pointed out that Sure-P has also constructed 100-bed hospitals in the three senatorial zones of the state.


Boost for the Military
It was not only civilians that had a taste of what the government of the day had to offer. The military also had cause to rejoice. Their morale received a boost owing to the fact that the governor had constructed some internal roads for the Nigeria Navy Finance and Logistics School, in Owerrinta, promising to do more for the naval school.


Calling on Nigerians to fully support the military in its fight against insurgency in the Northern part of the country, he made this disclosure while receiving the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and other officers of the NN at the Government House in Umuahia.
After the commissioning, the governor presented the navy with a Certificate of Occupancy, as well as furnished a guest house for them in appreciation of their effort in the fight against kidnapping in the state. This was after he had rehabilitated and asphalted internal roads in the school.


While applauding the military for sustaining the fight against insurgency in the Northern part of the country, Governor Orji urged Nigerians to encourage the military to succeed in the operation as the combined team of security agencies in the state have done well in in maintaining peace and security.


He described the Navy School of Finance and Logistics, Owerrinta as a blessing to the state in terms of security and training of military personnel, noting that it adds to the security network that collaborated with other security agencies in their moments of insecurity.
In his reply, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin thanked the governor for supporting naval officers in the state to perform in the fight against insecurity and uplifting the standard of the Navy College, Owerrinta.


After the commissioning, the governor headed to the event to commemorate the memorial foundation laid for the first indigenous military Head of State of Nigeria, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, built by his son Ambassador Johnson, so many years after his death, where he donated N5million.


Healthcare Provision
In addition to the already existing 710 functional health centres in the state, as well as other healthcare facilities, the governor recently extended the lifeline health wise for the Umuahia South LGA community.

He unveiled the ultra-modern 100 bed ward, the administrative block and other projects completed at the Amachara annex of the Abia State Specialist and Diagnostic Centre, as well as donated an ambulance.


The projects include the administrative block, house officer's hostel, 100 bed ward housing an intensive care unit, a cardiac centre and a modern laboratory and an accident and emergency department.


The governor who said he was interested in the elongation of the lives of Abians added that it was for that reason that he was moved to replicate what he saw during one of his trips to United States of America where major medical facilities are located in one place.
The governor disclosed that his administration has expanded health centres in the state from 250 to 710 scattered all over the state, adding that his government has successfully built 100 bed-hospitals in nine LGAs of the state.
Expressing happiness that the Amachara Specialist Hospital has completed the training for the first batch of medical interns, he said they are now set to admit new medical interns.


At the unveiling of the projects was the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, who said the hospital hopes to pursue postgraduate residency training programme in general and family medicine in the near future disclosed that the government has approved the recruitment of specialists and other health care workers to ensure the objective.


He also said the government has partnered Chevron to construct chest clinic and Millennium Development Goals to construct the TB, HIV, AIDS, malaria treatment and research centre located within the Alachua hospital.


Also, the Chief Medical Director of the Abia Specialist and Diagnostic Centre, Prof. Augustus Mbanaso, who thanked the governor for transforming the health system of the state as shown by the numerous health centres, said the changes in the general hospitals in the state and the transformation in the Amachara Specialist Hospital are there for the whole world to see.


The specialist centre which is a public private partnership between Abia State Government and Mecure Laboratories of India is furnished to taste with up to date health equipment that is of international standards.


The Amachara specialist hospital which was formerly known as the Amachara Methodist Hospital, was started by missionaries in 1929 and has from then till now, undergone changes and its present state, boasts of the best equipment with the Chest unit, hostel for House Officers, modern pharmacy and spectacularly, a research centre that will focus on HIV, Malaria and the Ebola Virus Disease, among others.


Infrastructural Development
Infrastructure wise, the state cannot be said to be lacking in that regard. But in addition, the governor in an effort to decongest the capital city, the main market at Ogwumabiri Umuahia, was transferred to Ubani, a suburb of the capital city, while the industrial market and timber dealers were also moved to Azueke Ndume, another suburb.


Asides that, the governor also moved to bring order to the proliferation of motor parks in the state by building another ultra-modern motor park at Ohiya, which has the capacity to accommodate luxury buses too. It also has multiple shops of all sizes and decent spaces for food vendors and restaurants.


The bus park also has modern conveniences and an executive office for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). With the construction of the park, the city was decongested and was buoyed with the Ochendo Youth Empowerment cars which transport people round the city.
Also, Orji had gone to the Ohiya Spare Parts Market and built internal roads to allow the spare parts dealers and mechanics ease of movement within the market.


Meanwhile, as one of its policy thrusts to synergize with the private sector to boost entrepreneurial activities, the governor also moved to Mgbarakuma, a subunit of Ubakala, host of the Umuahia South LGA headquarters to cut the tapes of a modern petrochemical industry with multiple industrial projections owned by Etugo Oil and Gas concerns, an upcoming business initiative.


One of the residents of the state who was merely repeating what was in the minds of almost everyone was forced to ask, "The difference is clear. People of Abia and visitors keep asking if Ochendo is going for 3rd term? If not, why is he still building and constructing?"
He went on to say, "It is nothing new to us in Abia. The Ochendo giant stride demonstrates the vow of a man who came to make changes that will improve the lot of greater majority rather than self-aggrandizement."


While the construction of these legacy projects is laudable to say the least, the governor has also put measures to sustain the huge projects and ensure it doesn't become a waste. While the communities are still revelling in their new projects, there are still more to come and this includes the International Conference Centre, E-Library, JAC building, ASUBEB building, second wing of the Workers' Secretariat, Shoprite complex among others.