SENIOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS AND THE NEW STORY OF EBONYI.

By Ebonyi Amaka

When the French calls something "formidable" they mean tremendous, terrific, awesome. These are the words that come to mind in describing the team of Senior Technical Assistants and Techincal Assistants that brought back hope to Ebonyi people, just at the time the state was inching closer to an environmental crisis.

Appointed last year by Governor David Umahi, the STAs and TA,s  have left no one in doubt about their relevance in the current political equation in the state and have even been described at some point, as the governor's special elite squad with which to unleash the full doze of his promises to the people. The group is an enviable cast, made up of versatile men and women who required to have their energies harnessed and channelled towards productive ventures.

Any wonder the governor conceived the idea of injecting them into environmental management to concretize his intended revolutionary impact in the sector.

Before now the state government had concentrated powers to oversee environmental issues in the hands of the ministry of Environment. But, apparently, the ministry continued to falter and misfire. The
retrogressive effort triggered the suspension of its commissioner, a while back.

The town saw tremendous waste proliferation, uncontrollable littering in public places and the build-up of illegal waste dumps. The urban city was congested with filth that littered the streets, encroached on drainages and in open spaces due to lack of an effective and efficient waste management plan and strategies.

At a time, the ministry of environment seemed somewhat limp and simply couldn’t find a way through the tremendous pressure and volume of dirt in the metropolis. Consequently, the  environmental consciousness in d state hit a reverse gear. The state clearly suffered the misfortune of mis-alignment in the environmental sector.

Apparently in an effort to shore up what seemed to remain of our dwindling image – which had been
adversely dealt with by the seemingly dirty tag – and in order to create positive impression of the state, the governor drafted this formidable team of young minds and  to the task.

Whatever the reason for the ministry's limp performance, these appointees sensed an opportunity to drive home their relevance. They put a brave face to the task and, within the shortest possible time in human history, removed the inevitable tag on Ebonyi state as the dirtiest city in the south east. They took environmental campaigns to homes and neighbourhoods. They loved their work and enjoyed it. They
enlisted massively in the project. They gave it their all and were determined to leave a mark. They brought their A-game to the table and the result was fantastic.

Silently, but steadily, they made far reaching advances in the sanitation profile of the state. It was gathered that the number one citizen of the state, Engr David Umahi almost forgot that he still had a commissioner for environment as his achievements and relevance was temporarily dwarfed by the solid performances of the young lads.

The magic? Simple. The Governor had leveraged on the comparative strength of the youth, their entrepreneurial spirit and diligent budding talents to further enhance the environmental potentials of the
state.

Today, any visitor to the state capital returns with amazing tale. The evidences of their superb performance are visible everywhere. The gutters have become dry again. The foul stench that assault our
nostrils has disappeared.

Driven by patriotic zeal, they are turning the tide by their prowess and determination.

The message is clear. Ebonyi has got the human and material resources to excel, who shall therefore lead the way in the collective journey to our manifest destiny.

Despite the stern criticisms that greeted the appointment of STAs, and TA,s the Governor had always informed  anyone who cared to listen that the intention of bringing so many people into government was
borne out of passion, interest and commitment to nurture and develop future leaders.

The  STAs and TA,s have designated themselves as an asset of government which can contribute its strength to environmental management issues.

They have given impetus to the effort of government to arouse the consciousness of neatness again among the residents. Today there're interpreting the vision of Governor Umahi on waste disposal. They have averted an impending environmental crisis that nearly consumed us all in the state. Abakaliki, the state capital and its satellite towns could now pass for one of the cleanest cities in the country.

The testimony of the environmental miracle taking place in the salt city is not only heartwarming but also another plus to the numerous accolades already in the kitty of our amiable governor.

We commend this indefatigable team for showing the way to go. The history of modern Ebonyi cannot be complete without their invaluable achievements. Their undiluted commitment is indeed an inspiration to
new generation of young leaders in Nigeria. Their contribution in the state is a landmark. And as such, the activities of hired writers cannot diminish their invaluable contributions. This is indeed a worthy assemblage.