Umahi's Three Years Of Quantum Leap; Pious Act And Inlocoparentis To Ebonyi People

By Okeh Chidi Celestine

The Administration of Engr David Nweze Umah, has within three years of it existence achieved innumerable feats, spanning across all sectors of human needs such as infrastructure, human capital development and empowerment, health , Education, Agriculture, peace and security among others.
Before assumption of office on 29th may, 2015. Engr David Umahi was faced with heinous task of salvaging the total breakdown of infrastructural facilities and other needs that are ineluctable in the state. He quickly swung into action, turning the entire state into construction site. He started and completed three flyover bridges within the capital city, constructed all major roads within the capital city and ensured that one or two major road (s) is (are) constructed across all the thirteen (13) LGA of the state thereby, linking all the LGAs to the state capital. Majority of the roads constructed are on concrete base which guarantee its existence between 50 to 100 years.
The construction of water fountains in all the major roundabouts with decorative lights within the state capital has given aesthetic ambience to the city. The installation of street lights in the capital city and in all the LGA Headquarters has enhanced and promoted the socio-economic life of the people, improved security and facilitated local and foreign investment into the area. The ultra- modern Governor’s lodge, new government House gate and the overhauling of police Headquarters, were all geared towards giving the state a deserving infrastructural face-lift. The total re-construction of the state township stadium (PA Ngele Oruta township stadium) to word class standard , has boosted sport and sporting activities in the state.

Before now, Ebonyi youths were mostly and derogatively known to be hawkers on the streets of cities and towns. Ebonyi youths were better associated with menial and demeaning jobs, but the administration of Governor Umahi has definitely changed that impression and is now a leading light in youth empowerment and transformation. For those who are familiar with the past, there were instances where the only form of empowerment was for the youth was wheelbarrows and motorcycles. But being an exposed, urban and indeed a ‘digital’ leader, Umahi has taken youth empowerment to a much higher level. He has been able to engage the teaming population of youths in the state productively, so that the issue of social insecurity, crimes and criminality would be reduced. He is empowering the youth by creating wealth and job opportunities, to the extent that many youths in their hundreds are either serving as political appointees as Senior Technical Assistants and Technical Assistants or are proud owners of business investments. This development has helped reduce youth restiveness as the youths that benefited from this act of benevolence are now enjoying useful existence on their own. In the same vane, about 403 wives of security agencies in the state, irrespective of your state of origin have also been empowered with 250,000 each to enable them engage in small business so as to give support to their spouses. Similarly, within three years of this administration, over eight thousand (8,000) Ebonyi citizens residing within and outside the state has been adequately empowered in different scales and in their chosen line of business. For instance, over Four Thousand (4,000) youths and women within the state were empowered with two hundred and fifty thousand Naira only (250,000) each to startup businesses of their choice. Some selected widows were also placed monthly stipends to enable them cope with the harsh economic of the time.
One other key achievements of this administration in the area of human development was the procurement and distribution of over four hundred TVS tricycle to Ebonyi youths and women. Moreso, the expense of the sum of N135 million for the empowerment of 540 Ebonyi indigenes resident in Lagos, who were merely into street hawking and trading. The 540 indigenes were selected equally across all the 171 wards in Ebonyi State and empowered with the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira (250,000) each to enable them startup businesses in their areas of specializations.

Also, the administration of Umahi is partnering with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to provide loans for operators of small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME’s) in the State. The Government is providing two billion naira, while Bank of Industry is contributing N2 billion to make a total of N4 billion available as loan for business operators in the state. He said that the essence of the loan facility is to assist those who have business ideas to develop their business and reduce poverty among the people of the state. In order to assist those with business ideas to develop it in such a way that would be acceptable to Bank of Industry.

Umahi has revolutionalized agriculture in the state from the subsistence level into a huge commercial venture. Though an agrarian state with arable land, Ebonyi’s farm produces especially their rice; in spite of its rich quality was only celebrated at home. But today, with the deliberate and conscious efforts of his administration, the agriculture revolution in the state has placed Ebonyi rice on the world map and the state is on course to becoming the food basket of the nation. The Governor has invested billions of naira into the agricultural sector and as such soft loans are being extended to farmers. The plan worked and rice production tripled this year. The government also procured parboiling machines for its three rice mills. It is also partnering with the federal government and the central bank in this regard, with the objective of making the state the nation’s biggest producer of rice. Agricultural loan of N300, 000 per hectare is made available for farmers. Fertilizers are made available to farmers at the right time and quantities. Government has also purchased a new fertilizer blending plant of 40MT/h which is fully automated and equipped with self-loading device. One man one hectare agricultural policy of Umahi’s administration has yielded positive result as all appointees has become real farmers. The mushroom production factory is already in place in the state, it will make the state an exporter of mushroom in few months.

Umahi built and equipped the south east virology center Abakaliki to screen and take care of Lassa fever patient, Ebola and other related diseases. Procurement of 171 power generating sets to all the primary healthcare centers in the state, thereby bidding farewell to the era of Nightingale’s Nursing with kerosene lamps. He has also approved and distributed 171 Ambulances to all the health centers in the state. He has repositioned the 13 General Hospitals in the state for optimum performance, he has also equipped, landscaped and adorned the general hospitals with perimeter fencing. The welfare scheme of offsetting the bills of retained patients in various hospitals across the state is unheard of in the history of any government.
He has demonstrated leadership with the fear of God. He has given the men of God in the state the best opportunity to preach the word of God. The welfare of the clergy in the state has been enhanced. Umahi has constructed, reconstructed and still constructing major roads leading to some of the worship centers in the state. The ongoing construction of Christian Worship center in Abakaliki, the state capital is a clear testament to Engr Umahi’s pious act. The disbursement of various sums of money to some indigent people in various worship centers in the state equally lay credence to his benevolence heart, love for God and the things of God.
The status of the traditional institutions and the traditional rulers has been upgraded significantly. In addition to the brand new SUVs recently given to all of them by government of Umahi, their monthly salaries has been reviewed upward from meager 10,000 to not less 100%. They now rank best among their pairs within south east .
Apart from free and compulsory free and qualitative primary and secondary Education in the state, the remodeling of some public and other interventions in the public shools, Umahi has also reduced the tuition fee of the state owned university, Ebonyi state university with 10,000 to both indigens and non indigins alike in the institution. The university now receives 200million monthly subvention from the state. The infrastructural facilities in the institution has been upgraded. Workers welfare has got priority attention as they are been paid as and when due. The state college of Education, Ikwo is now affiliated with EBSU and can now award B.Ed to their graduate. The state also gives 50million monthly subvention to the institution as well, among other things.
Most importantly, the restoration of peace in some troubled spots in the state, especially that of Ezza/Ezilo which defiled all solution by the previous administration, has further confirmed him, leader with exceptional wisdom and special messenger sent by God to salvage Ebonyi people from the enclaves of backwardness, poverty, marginalization, underdevelopment and all sorts to a state where everything works for the good of the people.celplusmedia.blogspot.com