Before I delve into addressing the issues Mr. Nwebonyi raised in his article that is now being circulated by some people on social media, may I quickly remind us that Ebonyi State was not created yesterday, Umahi is not the first Governor of Ebonyi State.
GOVERNANCE IS A PROCESS…
Here are the list of administrators and Governors of Ebonyi State. Ebonyi State was created in October 1996 from the old Abakaliki division of Enugu State and old Afikpo division of Abia State.
1. Navy Commander (retired) Walter Feghabo served as the first Military Administrator of Ebonyi State between October 1996 and August 1998. His leadership in the State witnessed a lot of setback and success in getting the newly created State running….this was during Abacha, the rest is history..governance is a process..from 1996-1998
2. Simeon Oduoye of blessed memory was an administrator of Ebonyi State, one of his achievements was to set up a committee to restructure the state civil service to ensure order, seniority, observance to rules and regulations. In an October 2009 interview, Senator Julius Agbo cited Oduoye’s administration as an example of a very well organised person who tried to establish civil service in Ebonyi state…governance is a process from 1998-1999..
3. Dr. Sam Egwu was Governor of Ebonyi State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. Dr Egwu is noted as pillar of educational development in Ebonyi state and Nigeria. Been a senior lecturer at Enugu state university of technology (ESUT) Enugu and served as commissioner for education in Ebonyi state contributed to the successes recorded in education sector during his tenure as governor. Egwu’s major achievement as a governor is in education, leading to his appointment In 2008, President Umaru Yar’Adua appointed him Minister of Education, position he held till April 2010.. governance is a process..1999-2007..
4. Martin Elechi was the Governor of Ebonyi State from 2007 to 2015. Elechi administration recorded the highest setback in all ramifications. His government was run and controlled by small “circuit” including the the youth leader Chinedu Ogah and his cronies. His administration enriched Chinedu Ogah and some of those parading themselves as current APC Ebonyi State….2007-2015 governance is a process..
5. Dave Umahi entered into office as the governor of Ebonyi State in May 29 2015.
Umahi first position ever in a public office was when in 2007 he became the acting chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party. From 2009 to 2011, he served as state chairman of the party. During that term, he served a year on the governing board of the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba as its chairman.
In 2011, Umahi became deputy governor of Ebonyi State on a ticket with Martin Elechi. In 2014, Governor Elechi supported Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, as his successor, which Umahi stated violated an understanding that he would take that role. Umahi defeated Chukwu in the primaries. The remainder of Elechi’s term was chaotic, with arson hitting the House of Assembly in February 2015 and motions taken to impeach him later that month over alleged unconstitutional gross misconduct, misappropriation of funds and anti-party activities. Umahi was elected to the role of Governor on 12 April 2015 in an election that has been challenged by the Labour Party the rest is history…
Within 3 years of recession in Nigeria Umahi has changed the face of Ebonyi infrastructure wise.. it takes a highly skilled leader to do that magic.
Now, enough of the history of Ebonyi, let me quickly delve into my rejoinder.
Mr Nwebonyi wrote;
“When it comes to Road infrastructure and image-making of Abakaliki City, I give it to Dave Umahi. I love him for what he is good at. I cannot undermine the importance of roads in socioeconomic development.
That notwithstanding, roads are just one among the many infrastructures required for socioeconomic wellbeing and progress.”
What is Infrastructure? It is the fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or other area, including the services and facilities necessary for its economy to function. Umahi has build infrastructure, road, facilities necessary for Ebonyi economy to function, and the state has been revamped from its dilapidated state Elechi left it, that is the fact that no one can dispute!
Mr. Nwebonyi wrote;
“Economics tells us that amidst many human wants, resources are scarce and have alternative uses. This means that choices must be made between the alternative areas to which to channel the scarce resources. Economics also tells us that the areas or projects neglected become the “real cost” of the ones to which attention is given.”
What Nwebonyi forgot to tell us is that the same economics tells us about the alternative forgone.
So, what is Economic? Economics is a social science that examines how people choose among the alternatives available to them. It is social because it involves people and their behavior. It is a science because it uses, as much as possible, a scientific approach in its investigation of choices. It is within the context of scarcity that economists define what is perhaps the most important concept in all of economics, the concept of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative forgone in making any choice. On this note, he claim that…
“On this, Dave Umahi is gravely missing it! He has failed to scale the preferences and priorities of Ebonyi people. He is channelling and over concentrating our scarce resources to areas of less priority.”
I totally disagree with his position on this, there is nothing like “less priority” in governance and moreover, you agree to what infrastructure mean and come again to contradict yourself by saying it is of less priority…that is out of context.. governance is a process..
“Among such projects are; the ecumenical centre, fountain roundabouts (which came to be, after several demolitions upon demolitions), glass tunnel, flyovers (more than is presently necessary), proposed shopping mall, etc.”
If you sees these projects as a waste of resources, then I will advise Ebonyi people to never allow someone like you “smell” the seat of power, you will be worst than Buhari and Okorocha, and Okorocha I was told that his interest was protected in Ebonyi APC in the just concluded APC convention by the way..
“Education and health sector are seriously neglected….”
This is worrisome, your submission here is nothing but a display of desperate APC affiliate, who is hellbent in discrediting anything from opponent. Is the hospitals and schools in Ebonyi State not functioning? What Umahi needed to do is human empowerment and focusing on scholarships, since the power house of a functional economy which is infrastructure has been solved. Umahi will focus on scholarships in his second term… governance is a process..
“Very painful is the truncation of Egwu’s legacies in Education through gross neglect. Public schools that were free or at least near-free and no longer so. Most public schools are presently in shambles…..”
Remember that during Egwu administration, they were no recession in Nigeria. Your APC led Federal Government killed the economy and as at today 26.6.2018, Nigeria overtake India to become the most poorest country in world, just from 2015 to 2018 of your APC even if you claim not to be affiliated, but by their fruit we shall know them.
“Korea understood that education was the best way to pull itself out of economic misery…”
It is quite unbelievable that you are equating, comparing and making reference to a whole country and Ebonyi State of 1999, that was how your President promised to make 1naira to 1 dollar… people of misery economic policies.. governance is a process..
“….This because while Abakaliki-city is speedily being refined, the it’s people are not actively and strategically being refined…”
Your assertion here prompted me to ask you, did you remember when Governor Peter Obi of Anambra threatened to deport Ebonyi People? Was Umahi the Governor of Ebonyi State then? When Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola deported Ebonyi people from lagos, was Umahi the Governor then? If you are not being mischievous what is the big deal? Governance is a process, and today those States are envious of Ebonyi..
“The average Ebonyian out there is not yet catching up quite significantly with the average Anambrarian. The gap remains wide, and would require radical and a very strategic approach to get closed. We must know that respect is earned and not demanded. You cannot have a population that are still predominantly less-privileged hard-labour men, petty-hawkers, micro- ogbonor-sellers and poverty-stricken fellows and expect to be highly esteemed out there.”
Ebonyi people are becoming the most educated and hardworking people in South East, if you hold yourself in that low self esteem, that’s your problem, as far I as know, Ebonyi are overtaking many, considering where they are coming from… Governance is a process..
“Fellow Ebonyians, especially young people, should wake up and reason beyond their stomach, beyond the euphoria of politics and the excitement of the city’s night-beauty. They should, as Fr Felix Uche Akam would say, separate politics from their future.”
By the way there is a rejoinder on Fr Felix, you may wish to read that too by clicking on this link
“Like I always say, my criticisms of Umahi’s policies is not on grounds of political opposition. It rather flows out of my deep concern for the welfare of all Ebonyians.”
Your submission here and the names you mention suggest otherwise, thus let me quickly repost the reason APC can never be an option in Ebonyi State..for more information on the reasons. please read the gathering of vultures in Ebonyi State and the need to dismantle them by clicking on this link
“God bless Ebonyi State, as I wish Umahi well, praying that God may fill him with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that he’ll walk worthy of his calling, and so that he will not be thrown out in 2019, in Jesus name Amen.”
Finally, Umahi will not be thrown out in 2019 and your prayers shall come to pass whether it is from the bottom of your heart or not but for the fact that you’ve said the prayers here, so shall it be in Jesus name. AMEN!
Hon. Simon Ekpa
