Orji Uzor Kalu many woes... Putting up assets for sale

This is not the best of times for the ex-governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu. Kalu is broke and he is not hiding it any longer.

Investigation by this online news revealed that Kalu's posh house in Gambia is now on sale . The house whch was built four years ago it was learnt was put at a ridiculous price as Kalu is in dire need of money as his trial by EFCC begins. Kalu is also facing serious problem in Gambia where he cited his businesses following his face off with Obasanjo. The Igbere born politicians Slok Airline has been grounded for months having failed to pay airline charges running into millions.

His bank is also collapsing as workers are being owed 10 months salary. The SUN newspaper is not spared as staff are owed salaries. No bank in Nigeria is willing to assist him. His house in Maryland USA which has been on sale for one year has witnessed no buyer. He is in a big financial mess, it’s factual.

ACHIEVEMENTS MADE IN WATER AND ELECTRICITY FROM MAY 29TH, 2011 TO DATE BY GOVERNOR T. A. ORJI

 Abia State government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Chief T. A. Orji (OCHENDO) has made tremendous achievements since the inception of his second tenure which commenced on May 29^th, 2011, in the area of Water and Electricity through the Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources/ an arm of the government saddled with the responsibility of provision of portable water to the citizenry and ensuring the availability of Electricity in the State.

In the area of Water, a comprehensive consultancy services has been carried out on how to rehabilitate the Umuahia Regional Water Scheme that has been old and integrate the surrounding schemes. The state through the Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources had liaised with the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta for the Regional Water Schemes in the State to be captured in Federal   Government’s   Subsidy   Removal   Reinvestment Programme (SURE).

This will involve the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and expansion of the Water Schemes. Also, rehabilitation and reactivation of Umuopara Water Scheme; Water Scheme at Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat, Nnono Oboro Water Scheme was also executed.

In the area of Electricity, the timely intervention by the State Government facilitated the inspection and pre-commissioning tests of the completed 132KV network from Alaoji – Umuahia and the 2 x 30MVA, 132/33KV injection sub-station at Ohiya by the relevant Federal Government Agencies. The 132KV lines network were subsequently connected to the National grid and the 2 x 30MVA, 132/33KV injection sub-station equally energized.

Consequently, the State Government in 2011 awarded contract for the construction of 5 No 33KV High Tension Feeder lines for the evacuation of power from the Ohiya 2 x 30MVA, 132/33KV injection sub-station.

The 5 No 33KV High Tension Feeder lines radiates from Ohiya injection sub-station to the following locations:

Afara

Ubakala

Nkwoegwu

Ntigha

Umungwa

Construction work along Afara/Ubakala, Nkwoegwu, and Umungwa has been completed while work on the Ntigha axis is in progress. Meanwhile, PHCN has inspected, tested and connected the completed 33kv Feeder lines from Ohiya – Afara, Ohiya – Ubakala, Ohiya – Nkwoegwu, Ohiya – Umungwa to the energized Ohiya sub-station and with the progress made so far in the construction works/ the electricity supply situation in Umuahia metropolis and its environs has greatly improved.

In addition, government initiated and completed the installation of Solar Energy streetlights in the following areas of Umuahia metropolis:

(i)     House of Assembly Junction to Bende Road

(ii)    Ndume Otuka Road

(iii)   Road 3, Low Cost Housing Estate

(iv)   Health Centre Road, World Bank

(v)   Adelebu street

(vi)   Bende Road which is about 80% completion.

The Ministry is committed not only in ensuring that more projects will be realized but that the realized ones will be sustained for the benefit of Abians, To this end, sustenance and maintenance of streetlight powered by generator that covers from Federal Medical Centre (FMC) round about, Ibiam Road – library Avenue – branches to Government House at 1^st Bank Junction – back to Okpara Square – Club Road – Uzuakoli Road – Uwalaka – Owerri Road backUwalaka Road – Ugwunchara – Amafor Junction – Tower at the

Raising Abia from bended knees

 

THERE comes a time in the history of a people when God blesses them with a leader with a particular mandate. For the people of Abia, aptly called God’s Own State, there is every indication that the supplication of the people unto their Maker for a divine lifting of afflicted yoke caused by long period of political and economic slavery has attracted divine intervention.

The result today is a true reflection of the Biblical saying that when the righteous are on the throne, the people rejoice. For Governor Theodore Orji, under whose administration the state has seen the total paradigm shift in both governance and content of service delivery, the abundance of God’s mercy upon him and the mandate cannot be over-emphasised.

From a fluttering beginning due to known consequence of deceitful political alliance akin to the kind of marriage between the cow and the butcher, governance and service delivery in a democratic setting had a huge question mark. However, with determination and rare courage though not without pockets of adulterated opposition, the Governor was able to rescue the state from the chambers of dark forces. Then came his vow and promise to the people of the state to hold him accountable for all actions and inaction(s) of his administration. With just a year into his second term of office, Governor Orji has left no one in doubt that indeed some dark forces were the cogs on the wheels of the progress of the state.

Within the period under review, the proportion of infrastructural development in the state has witnessed a high commensurate yield which has also left few opposing scoundrels in the state with no other option than to merely haul sand to give the impression that it is fulfilling all righteousness. From the massive infrastructures being put up in the state capital city Umuahia, to the courageous tackling of the infrastructural challenges in Aba the commercial heart beat of the state and the entire East, the present administration has left no one in doubt of its mission.

Just recently, Governor Orji etched his regime’s name in gold when it took care of a perennial problem that had defied solution to previous administrations in the state in the last 20 years. The popular Ukwu-Mango leading into Ariaria which had before now turned into a forest due to its impregnable nature, has today become a beautiful thorough fare for commuters. Hate or like him, the impact of the actualised dream will for a very long time remain evergreen in the minds of the residents of the city. The glory, of course, knows its destination. The residents of Aba have never had it so good.

Under the same period, the Governor had rehabilitated the Ama-Ogbenna, Okigwe road, the Osusu- Omuma Road, which roads were in the year 2000 “politically” commissioned by the then Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. From Osusu, the story moved to Danfodio by East, to Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Old Express by Samek. The government in response to the welfare of students and staff of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, constructed an over-head bridge to reduce the rate of vehicular accidents in front of the campus.

Coming to the state capital, the story has truly changed. People of Amaeke where burials are held only during dry seasons have heaved a sigh of great relief. The non-existing Amaeke road that could better pass as a slave-trade route has been fully rehabilitated and commissioned. It is even an unbelievable story for people of Ukome and Mbom where Nwa-bekee (local reference to development) has eventually visited. For the years that they had existed, Mbom has never seen a tarred road since creation. Same story is now told in Emede who for many decades have survived through “jump and pass” infrastructural development. Still counting, it is positive turn-around for the World-Bank-Agbama Road, Umuafai-Lodu-Ahiaeke road, Okwuta-Isieke, Okwoyi-Iyienyi as well as the Nkata-Alike Umukabia-Ohuhu road.

In the Southern Senatorial Zone, the century-old adage that there is no short route to Aro (an acronym for Arochukwu) is no longer obtainable. Under Ochendo, the long stretch Arochukwu road from Ndi-Uduma Awoke in OhafiA Local Government is now being constructed.

This is in addition to the Amaekpu-Okagwe road in same Ohafia. It is equally a historic account from Ndi Okorie Abam down to Ndi- Itu. One striking feature in Abia is that the road constructions are carried out by contractors who upon the award of the jobs get instant mobilisation. This is a sharp contrast from the reigning college manual labour roads in some neighbouring states.

As we read this, the state government is very responsive of the need to ensure that all arms of government are functioning optimally, hence the need for human and capacity building. The state workforce is patiently waiting for the completion and commissioning of the State Secretariat with a complete over-haul of the old one. This is just as the two cities of Aba and Umuahia are seeing the eloquent presence of the judiciary made manifest with the dual construction of two gigantic High Court complexes.

The health sector record is a positive statement already made, hence it would be trite to begin fresh enumeration.

It is nothing to the residents of the State that despite all the efforts of the State government, the government is still under the attack and bad press of a few. It is also quite amusing that some whiff of criticism comes from some ignorant sections outside the state. This is essentially from those who felt they should join the fray because there is a bandwagon rush.

FEC okays N8.5bn for bridges in Edo, rehabilitation of Umuahia-Owerri road

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved contracts totaling  about  N8.5 billion for the construction of two bridges in Edo State and rehabilitation of the Umuahia-Owerri road.

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed state House correspondents after the meeting said the council also approved for award, the contract for  the procurement of two high speed boats for the Nigeria Customs to aid the service to in surveillance of the nation’s waterways and fight smuggling.

According to the  minister,  the council also approved  for the coordination of the acquisition and deployment of all Information Communication Technology (ICT) intervention by Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

Speaking on the bridge contracts, the minister said they would be constructed  along Auchi Polytechnic-Ekperi-Agenebode road at a  cost of N1.3 billion  with a completion period of 12 months.

The construction of the bridge, Labaran Maku said, would create better access and help to alleviate the ecological problems in the area.

Minister of Works, Arch. Mike Onolememen, Mr Maku added, also presented another memo for the rehabilitation of Umuahia-Owerri road at the cost of N4.2 billion  with a completion period of 24 months, adding that the socio-economic importance of the road and its potential to reduced vehicle operating cost, travel time and accidents on the roads were some of the considerations taken before the approval.

The Information minister explained that the purchase of the speed boats  was necessary because of the increase in smuggling and piracy activities along the nation’s waterways.

He explained that the proposal for the purchase  which was submitted by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also included  the provision of surveillance equipment for the boats and training of  personnel that would man them.

Why we need more money in Abia

SIR Pat Mgbemena is the Special Adviser to Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State on Project Monitoring and Implementation. In this interview, he chronicles the state administration’s efforts in boosting infrastructure in the state and gives reasons why the government is also seeking external sources of funding for some projects. Excerpts:

THE administration has embarked on road construction and rehabilitation of existing roads especially in Aba. But  how do you plan to maintain them to last?

There is a map of the drainage system in the city and all of them are being de-silting and we hope to ensure that no refuse are dumped in to the drainages again. We have being educating Aba residents on the need to ensure that the drainages are free to enhance free flow of flood to keep the city clean.

Apart from roads, which other areas is the government working on?
Governor T.A. Orji is in a hurry to develop Abia state. He has embarked on the construction of an International Conference Centre; there is a twin secretariat for civil servants, which is nearing completion and rehabilitation of the old one.

New office block complexes are being built for the Judiciary, the state radio station, and the health sector has witnessed the greatest infrastructural revolution.  Abia is best described as a health tourism centre. These things are there to be seen not mirage. We are relocating two markets to two new international standard markets we are building.

At the Ubani Ibeku market where the present Umuahia Central Market will move to, we already have over 3500 shops ready and the target is 7300 shops. At the Industrial market, we have 1500 shops ready and the target is 5000 shops. We are also relocating mechanics and the luxury bus parks in Umuahia to Oyiha.

You are aware that water does not run in Umuahia, the capital city and of course in Aba, the commercial city. What is the plan of the Government to see that potable water runs in these cities?

We are working assiduously to see that water runs in these towns. We have concluded arrangement for the Federal Government to take over the Aba Regional Water Scheme and this we hope would fasten the provision of water to the commercial city. For the Umuahia Regional Water Scheme, the problem was that construction companies damaged the pipes. The government is replacing them. Even some pipes were cut and people built on them. We are repairing them and water would soon run in Umuahia.

Umuahia as a state capital is expanding and more people are coming in to settle there. This is stretching the existing accommodation in the city and it is evident on the ever increasing house rents, does the government have any plan to tackle this?

Oh yes, we have. We are doing a lot in the housing sector. We have the Amuba Housing Estate, where we already have about 100 units out of the 300 units target ready. They are made up of low and medium units.  At the Isieke Housing Estate, we have 25 Duplexes for the legislators. Our target here is 1500 and we have got 60 units to roofing level.

The government uses local contractors for most of its projects. What informed this decision?
Yes, it is deliberate. The local contractors go to site when you want them without waiting for mobilization. Foreign contractors demand 40 per cent mobilization. We brought a foreign contractor to Aba. They demanded 40 per cent mobilization of the contract sum before they could move their equipment to site.

The cost of the four roads was N9 billion and they wanted 40 per cent which is about N3.5 billion which we would use to do some roads. They are very expensive. By engaging local contractors we are empowering them and they are engaging our youths in their sites.

The state said it has no money, how do you people get funds for all the projects you have enumerated?
The governor is a very prudent manager. He manages the meager resources available very well. We have not borrowed any money from any bank. But we are still looking for where to borrow because we still have a lot of projects to do.