By Simeon Mpamugoh
Executive Governor of Abia State Dr. Alex Chioma Oti has been tasked on the need for transparency and openness, especially in the award of contracts, so that all Abia stakeholders could begin to see the government as “our government, not their government.” This is even as he was also charged for greater level of tolerance and inclusiveness.
Presidential Aspirant under the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections Mazi (Dr) Sam Ohuabunwa gave out the charge while addressing journalists at a symposium entitled: “The Current Government In Abia State, Is It The One To Come, Or Look We For Another,” organized by Abia Think Tank Association (ATTA) in Lagos. He said: “Every segment of Abia Society supported the government so it should be deliberate in ensuring that every segment is given a feeling that they are part of the government.”
Ohuabunwa who is also the president of ATTA stated that the conversation was to bring the current government of Abia State to speed on how well they have performed and areas of improvement adding that there was a need to prioritize citizens participation and inclusivity. “Our verdict on this event is that this Abia State government under Alex Oti has done well so far and better than what we have seen in the past 24 years but there are still areas of improvement such as entrepreneurship education, human development and greater level of transparency and openness in the award of contracts. Inclusivity in the sense that it should be our government, not their government.
“We believe that it is the responsibility of patriotic citizens to regularly appraise the governments that they elected to lead economic and social development in the State eventhough such mandates are not absolute. But Citizens in whom sovereignty resides with have a responsibility to monitor what the government is doing, express their opinions, give praise where it is deserved, make suggestions for improvement and offer rebuke where improvement is not coming.
“Every fair minded person will agree that Governance in Abia State since 1999 has been below par. For a long time, people wondered why God’s own State seemed to be under attack by the Devil. Development efforts have been tepid , not commensurate with the actual and potential resources. But in the last 22 months since the current government came to being in Abia, we are beginning to hear and see some new stories. And many are asking if this is for real or is it a mirage.
“So we have put together this event on non partisan basis to appraise what the Government has achieved in the various areas of the life of the state – Economic infrastructure like roads and rail, social infrastructure like schools and hospitals, human development indices, security and the general well being of our people.”
Veteran Journalist Dr. Chidi Amuta in a keynote address entitled: Abia:
Power, Politics and Progress and dissected by panel of discussants composed of Monday Ubani (SAN), Etigwe Uwa (SAN) and Mr Bright Allwell Madu noted that the State had, in the last 24 years been an unusual political experience among the states of the federation, adding: “While it was guided and governed by the general rules of the Nigerian constitution, it operated more like an enclave with peculiar characteristics of feudal and extractive colonies where the quantum of resources that accrued to the state could not be matched by the volume of development in the state.
“On the whole, Abia State between 1999 and May 2023 does not qualify as part of a democratic polity properly defined. Politics and the democratic process were only deployed as instruments for state capture by different factions of the Abia home based political elite but the task and business of government in Abia State today has been largely that of revamping the social contract that binds the people with the government.
“It has not just been a matter of building roads and bridges or running a bureaucracy as usual rather reestablishing trust, inspiring confidence and renewing the reputation of government. People have been a bit hesitant to own the government that they voted into power, Amuta said, adding: “The restoration of the bond and social contract between the government and the people would take a long time. Alongside the confidence building process, the government has proceeded with modest efforts to managing the state’s economy better and to address the scandalous infrastructure decay.
“The foundation of a new Abia should be laid now. It is a land of possibility. But it requires a delicate combination of political sagacity, clarity of vision and unusual courage. The present leadership of the state should bear in mind that the greatest of leaders are those who take their people to that place where they dream to be but have never dared to venture towards.”