Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Assessing the performance of Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, in over seven years of his eight-year tenure is one that will surely divide the citizens of the state. While many of his party members are blowing the vuvuzelas for the governor, his political opponents, and indeed the general public, think his scorecard is nothing to write home about. In this Special Report, Stephen Ukandu, Ikengaonline’s News/Features Editor, provides a bird’s-eye view on the matter.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu mounted the leadership saddle of Abia State in 2015 amid high expectations and promises some of which he has met, and others he has less than 365 days to meet, or ‘carry over’ to his successor.
Despite opinions, claims and counter claims about his performance so far, there is no doubt that Ikpeazu has made some imprints in some sectors while he has failed or needs to step up in some others.
SMEs
So far, the promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, appears to be Ikpeazu’s best selling point.
Even his critics can attest that Ikpeazu has performed impressively in promoting Made-in-Abia products.
His deliberate engagement in the sector has helped to solve some of the challenges of automation and power that hitherto slowed down growth within the sector.
Abia’s recognition as the SME Capital of Nigeria is attributable to the Governor’s focused interventions which have seen Abia shoe makers and other craftsmen enjoy more patronage.
He facilitated the return of Bank of Industry to Abia with huge economic impacts.
Ikpeazu who patronises made-in-Aba shoes and fabrics since he came to power, has aggressively pursued re-branding and promotion of Made-in-Aba products which have today become a global brand.
He sponsored some enterprising shoe makers to China to learn automated shoe-making, and upon their return, he imported equipment and established the Enyimba Automated Shoe Factory in Aba. Today, the company is already producing for Nigeria Railway Corporation and such other corporate clients.
Similarly, Aba shoe artisans produce foot wears for military and some paramilitary agencies in the country.
Made-in-Aba products command large market share in the West African sub-region resulting into more profits in the value chain and creation of more job opportunities.
At the peak of COVID-19 outbreak, Aba entrepreneurs took the lead in producing locally made PPEs such as face masks, protective gowns and hand sanitizers.
In 2021, the National Bureau of Statistics reported that Abia received the 3rd highest foreign investment in Nigeria only after Lagos and Abuja.
This is seen by many as a culmination of the efforts of the State Government to make the state investment friendly through improvements in ease of doing business and provision of durable infrastructure although not much has been seen in terms of infrastructural development.
Nonetheless, more needs to be done particularly in the area of improved power supply and road infrastructure.
Aba artisans still complain of challenges in accessing funds despite Government’s claims of intervention in the sector.
A shoe artisan at Shoe Plaza Aba told our Correspondent that they were “tired of filling forms for loan without success.”
The artisan who preferred anonymity said they would be happy to obtain loans to procure modern machines they need to improve their products but regretted that most of the promises by Government are yet to be fulfilled.
He added that some few beneficiaries are those who have connection with those in power.
But the Chairman of Aba North Shoe Plaza, Hon. O. Obioma, applauded Ikpeazu for fixing the link roads to the plaza such as Umule Road, Umuode, and MCC Road which have made traffic in and out of the plaza much easier.
While appreciating the Governor for some of his efforts to make things better for the artisans, he identified power challenge as one of their major predicaments.
Therefore, the Governor should spare no efforts in resolving the impasse between Geometrics Power Plant, and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, to improve power distribution in Aba.
Education:
Ikpeazu has taken some steps to improve the education sector but many believe much ground is still uncovered.
Besides establishing a teachers’ continuous education institute, the Governor engaged some international education service providers from Australia and India to re-train Abia public school teachers.
Statistics from Education Ministry show that the Governor has so far constructed 586 new classroom blocks across the state and four new model schools.
These efforts have helped in shoring up school enrollment in the state from less than 15,000 in 2015 to over 650,000 as at 2021 according to statistics from the Ministry.
The launch of the Education for Employment (E4E) scheme in the state to support technical/vocational education aimed at imparting relevant skills that will drive industrial growth is visionary.
Interestingly, Abia State has maintained first position in the performance ranking for West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), back to back for five years.
Kudos also goes to private school owners whose collaborative efforts have tremendously contributed to Abia’s enviable height in the education sector.
Many believe that the successes so far recorded in the education sector is attributable to private schools.
They argue that Ikpeazu’s administration could not justifiably take the credit for the identifiable achievements in the sector when teachers in public schools – both primary and secondary – are currently on strike following non payment of wages.
Both primary and secondary school teachers are being owed salary arrears of many months in the state, a sad development that is adversely affecting their output.
One of the affected teachers who did not want to be mentioned for fear of victimisation, told Ikengaonline that Senior Secondary School teachers were being owed for 10 months.
The source added that the affected teachers were only paid their basic salaries without any allowances for October, November and December 2021.
For primary school teachers, the source said that they were asked to forfeit their November 2021 salary while they were paid half salaries for January and February.
According to the source, primary school teachers in the state receive staggered salaries getting paid one month and skipping the next month.
The source further lamented that teachers in public schools do not receive the full payment commensurate to their grade levels.
“Another thing they do to us is that they don’t pay us our full salary. If you are in grade level 10 they pay you salary of someone in grade level 7.”
According to the source, the state has also removed the Teachers Enhanced Salary Structure for junior secondary school teachers.
The source bemoaned the plight of teachers in public schools in the state saying they are passing through hard times following salary arrears owed to them.
The inability of the state to conduct the Junior Secondary School Examination due to industrial action by teachers in the state, has brought to bare, the sorry-state of affairs in the education sector.
Despite Government’s claims critics believe that Ikpeazu’s administration has not performed creditably in the critical education sector.
They strongly believe that more needs to be done to improve education in the state particularly by ensuring regular payment of teachers’ salary.
More attention also needs to be given to infrastructure in public schools especially in the rural communities as some of them are still in bad shape.
The state of infrastructure in some public schools is not conducive for learning.
Just like many public schools in the state, weeds have overtaken the gate of National High School Aba as a result of the protracted strike action.
There is need to provide support for private schools considering their pivotal role in improving education in the state.
Entrance Gate of National High School Aba overgrown with weeds due to protracted strike action by teachers in Abia public schools
Agriculture:
With the procurement and distribution of over 4 million high yielding tenera species palm seedlings to farmers, Ikpeazu has demonstrated passion for agricultural revolution that will jump-start a new oil economy in the state akin to the Michael Okpara era if successfully executed.
When the palms mature, Abia is expected to re-bounce as a leading palm oil producing state.
The Governor who has always stated his preference for farmers to process their primary products to enable them benefit more economically from the value chain, is currently installing palm processing cottage plants in seven LGAs.
The establishment of a 150,000-bird capacity poultry cluster at Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa LGA; and mushroom production facility will further boost agriculture in the state.
However, the objectives of these projects which also serve as a training centre for young entrepreneurs seeking to go into poultry farming need to be fully maximised.
Beyond the usual fanfare at the flag-off ceremony, Abians need to see them work.
Gov. Ikpeazu has launched Abia into rice production map of Nigeria with the debut of ‘Osikapa Abia’ (Abia rice) as a brand in the food market.
But the rice needs of the state is still not being met by local production, thus casting doubts on the claims of the State Government in the sector.
The established of cottage rice mills in Ofeme, Acha, Bende, Uzuakoli and Abam will assist rice farmers in processing their products and improving quality.
But the activities of herdsmen have remained an albatross to farmers in the state, and Government must find lasting solution to this.
There is also need to build more feeder roads for easy evacuation of farm produce from the rural communities to urban areas.
There is also suspicions in some quarters that the much-acclaimed ‘Osikapa Abia’ (Abia rice) is a paper tiger with some alleging that larger chunk of the rice is imported from the neighbouring Ebonyi State and bagged in Abia.
Infrastructure
The enormity of infrastructural decay following years of neglect by successive administrations has made residents who expect nothing less than a quick fix grow impatient, and rightly so.
Nonetheless, Ikpeazu’s administration has taken steps to change the narrative although they are like a spoon of salt in an ocean.
There is a general perception across the state that Ikpeazu’s administration has not delivered on road infrastructure although a few roads particularly in Aba have been fixed by the administration.
With the introduction of cement technology with a certified lifespan of 30 years, Ikpeazu has demonstrated commitment to end what he called “the era of Dubai roads” (low quality roads) in Abia.
“My focus, beyond aesthetics, is on durable and productive infrastructure that can drive rapid economic development,” Ikpeazu recently declared.
His former Information Commissioner, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, once boasted that Ikpeazu had built more roads than any previous administration in the state but Abians still ask if the roads were built in air.
According to him, “Governor Ikpeazu has completed 108 road projects in the state using rigid and flexible pavement technologies, delivered five new bridges, implemented eight gully erosion mediation projects and is tackling two massive flood control projects at Ndiegoro and Ifeobara axis of Aba valued at over N30bn.
“He is also actively working at 49 other project sites in the state and has vowed to complete them before handing over in 2023.”
Some of the key road projects already delivered by the governor in Aba include: Osusu, Ehere, Umuola, Ukaegbu, Milverton, Eziukwu, Kamalu, Umuatako, Faulks, Brass, and Aba-Owerri Road.
Others are: Ngwa Road,MCC, Samek, Umule, Ochefu, Okigwe, Ebenma, Egege, Obikabia, Ururuka, Park, Ovom, Emelogu, and ABSUTH, roads.
Construction work on Ngwa Road before it was delivered.
Nonetheless, many roads in the state particularly in Aba are still in a sorry state.
There are also reports that some of the roads renovated by Ikpeazu had shown signs of collapse at some portions.
A portion of East Road by Ahia Udele collapsed in 2020 even though it has been re-fixed.
The deplorable condition of Port Harcourt Road Aba, Ohanku Road, Omuma Road, Amukwu Road as well as some other streets has remained a source of public outcry.
Although Port Harcourt Road Aba is a federal road, it is a general view that the State Government could fix the road and later demand reimbursement from the Federal Government considering the strategic and economic importance of the road.
There are also feelings that the N25 billion Work Bank largesse for infrastructural development in Aba has not been properly deployed.
Member representing Aba South state constituency in the state House of Assembly, and the Leader of the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Hon. Obinna Ichita, has severally challenged the State Government to publicly account for the largesse.
But, regrettably, instead of addressing the challenge, the state Government procured a court injunction to stop him from “unguarded utterances” against Government.
Although coming late, Ikpeazu’s ability to construct a ‘fly-over’ at Osisioma junction which at a time almost became a campaign issue in the state, is commendable as it will help to ease traffic flow in and out of the Enyimba city.
The Governor has continued to receive knocks from critics who think it is rather abnormal and undignified for an administration to spend a whopping seven years to deliver one single ‘fly over’ when a smaller state like neighbouring Ebonyi has at least eight of such projects within the same time frame.
But Ikpeazu’s defenders boast that at least he has delivered on his promise, the time not withstanding.
In Umuahia, few roads have equally been delivered by the Ikpeazu administration such as the hitherto impassable Aba Road, Ossah-Umuagu Isingwu, Ukaegbu Estate Road, Agbama Ring Road, among others.
But many residents believe that the infrastructural signpost of Ikpeazu’s administration is almost absent in the state capital.
Critics accuse him of abandoning Umuahia for reasons best known to him. Many see it as a big minus and an unpardonable sin that with less than one year to leave office, Ikpeazu is yet to fix the Umuahia/ Umukabia/Aba Old Road that transverses through his Community.
In Abia North, he delivered Abiriba-Etitiama Nkporo and Ugwuezi Roads, built Okonu Aku bridge in Ohafia LGA, in addition to phase one of Ohafia Ring Road while Nneato Road in Umunneochi LGA has been completed.
But the people of Abia North say that Ikpeazu’s administation has not been fair to them in terms of road infrastructure more so with the realization that the zone produced his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, who played a key role in their electoral victory in 2015.
He also constructed the Abia Investment House in Umuahia to support improvement in ease of doing business for investors, and the new corporate headquarters of Abia State Independent Electoral Commission.
Similarly, he built the headquarters of Abia State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, ASOPADEC, and also completed Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB headquarters started by his predecessor.
He constructed and equipped an ultra modern zone 9 police headquarters in Umuahia.
But his critics say that more roads are still in deplorable condition across the state and need urgent intervention. They also believe that Umuahia has not been given the needed facelift as a state capital.
The delay in completing the New Government House project initiated by his predecessor is still incomprehensible to many Abians irrespective of the Governor’s excuses.
Many believe that it is too shameful to note than more than 30 years it was created, Abia is still operating from a temporary apartment as Government House.
Not few Abians including some members of the ruling party feel disappointed that Ikpeazu abandoned the Government House project more so considering the fact that it does not cost so much to erect buildings unlike road construction.
Security:
Abia under Ikpeazu has been relatively calm until the recent rise in the wave of insecurity across the South-East following the advent of the dreaded’ Unknown Gunmen.’
Ikpeazu’s administration had on several occasions donated patrol vans and communication gadgets to security agencies to boost their operations and combat readiness.
He has created a new Ministry – Homeland Security – to boost security in the state.
But more needs to be done in this critical sector considering the escalating insecurity in the country occasioned by the activities of bandits, killer herdsmen and of late, unknown gunmen.
The menacing activities of kidnappers particularly in Abia North by suspected herdsmen have made Abia an endangered state in the South-East.
Kidnapping for ransom has almost become a daily occurrence around Umunneochi/Uturu/Okigwe axis since after the abduction of the Methodist Prelate, Dr. Samuel Uche and his fellow-travelers, and payment of N100 million ransom for their release.
The Governor needs to step up efforts on the security sector.
Health:
Some of Ikpeazu’s efforts in this sector include the launching of the Abia State Telehealth Initiative, with more than 20 medical doctors providing medical consultancy services to citizens and also linking the over 772 Primary Healthcare Centers in the state.
Ikpeazu’s administration claimed it equipped and made functional four new General Hospitals in the state, but residents still say that the health sector is still a far cry.
Recently the Governor inaugurated a Mother & Child Hospital in Umuahia, a development that is being applauded by residents.
The launch of Abia Emergency Medical Health Services, plus free home care services for elderly persons in the state who are above 70 years, and home bound are quite commendable.
However, despite these efforts, the health sector in the state still requires huge investment as many health centres lack the necessary facilities and personnel.
Sincere commitment is also required to defray salary arrears of Heath Management Board workers and their counterparts in ABSUTH.
Doctors in both establishments are owed for up to 25 months, and have been on strike.
Medical services at ABSUTH have almost been on pause following protracted strike action by unpaid staff.
Consequently, the Abia State University has lost its National University Commission, NUC accreditation for Medical School due to inactivity in the hospital which serves as a training centre for the students.
There are fears that it might also lose its Medical and Dentist Council of Nigeria accreditation if no urgent intervention comes from the state Government.
The National leadership of the Nigeria Medical Association NMA, has directed doctors in Abia to proceed on indefinite strike every Tuesday both in public and private hospitals to register their grievances over the backlog of salary arrears owed doctors in both institutions.
The local branch and NMA has since complied with the directive, a development that is telling on the health care delivery system in the state as medical services in hospitals across the state are paralysed on Tuesdays.
This, indeed, is not a good testimony for the state, thus the general feeling among residents is that the Ikpeazu administration has also not performed superlatively in the health sector.
Workers and pensioners:
Ikpeazu’s administation also needs to do more to ensure regular payment of workers’ salary as well as pension to retirees.
Despite Government’s argument that core civil servants are not owed, a number of parastatals and agencies including school teachers complain of many months of salary arrears.
Pensioners have severally embarked on peaceful protest but nothing has changed as they still bemoan their fate.
This has remained a sad commentary the administration must strive to change before its tenure elapses.
In April 2022, pensioners barricaded Abia Government House Umuahia to protest 38 months of unpaid pension arrears.
Addressing Government officials who received them on behalf of the Governor, the Coordinator of Concerned Abia Pensioners, Chief Emeka Okezie, decried the plight of pensioners in the state.
He accused the state Government of toying with the welfare of pensioners some of whom he said had died untimely.
According to him, an average of 15 pensioners die every month in Abia due to economic hardship and lack of adequate medical care.
He identified their grievances as: 38 unpaid monthly pension; non harmonization of pensions from 1998 to 2010; and unpaid accumulated gratuity for 20 years.
”We have been dehumanised and subjected to unimaginable suffering as death toll ranges to about 10 to 15 pensioners every month,” Chief Okezie lamented.
Sports:
Sports has received fair attention under Ikpeazu’s watch as Abia is currently the only state in Nigeria maintaining two male and one female premier league football clubs with at least one featuring at the continental level annually.
He renovated and installed an ultra modern Astro-turf and electronic scoreboard in Enyimba International Stadium among other sports infrastructure improvement efforts.
Speaking recently on what his administration has achieved so far in the state, Governor Ikpeazu declared that “my objective is simply to leave Abia much better than I met it and to the glory of God, we have recorded modest achievements that have improved the well-being of our people.
“We hope to do much more in the remaining years because the energy exists to drive our kinetic movement to excellence.”
But some believe that Ikpeazu has not performed creditably especially with the expectation that it will take ‘Nwa Aba’ (Aba son/son of the soil) to build Aba.
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, an umbrella body of youth leaders in the zone took a swipe of the Governor, scoring him low in many sectors.
President General of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, in a statement demanded accountability for the Work Bank largesse, while knocking the Governor over the welfare of workers.
The statement read in part: “The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the umbrella body of all the youth groups in the South-East geopolitical zone is totally disappointed over the abysmal performance of Abia Governor, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu. His seven years in office is nothing to write home about.
“His seven years in office has just been years of suffering for Abians as people have no good roads to ply on. It has been years of hunger and starvation as workers and pensioners are not been paid their salaries and pensions. Abia State polytechnic staff are owed salaries of 2 years and 4 months. Pensioners owed for 4 years, Abia State Teaching hospital staff owed for years and some months, gratuity not paid to retired workers. The list is endless.
“While the governor, family and some cronies are drinking and pouring their champagne, Abia workers and their families are going to bed hungry. Some workers are dead, while some are critically ill as a result of long years of not receiving their salaries and pensions.
“Abia State government under Governor Ikpeazu took a world bank loan of N27.4 billion naira to construct port Harcourt road, Obohia road, Ngwa road and drainage system within those areas and as we speak, nothing meaningful has been done on those roads. A visit to Port Harcourt road will tell you the true position of things in Abia state. Flood has sacked so many people from their homes. The people living in those places are suffering and businesses closed down as a result of unavailability of passable roads.
“We implore world bank to come to Port Harcourt road and see for themselves the extent of work done on Port Harcourt road which a whopping N27.4 billion was released for its construction.”
It is therefore, expected that the Governor would use his remaining 11 months in the saddle to give attention to the yet unaddressed areas of need.
