By Anayo Okoli

AFTER 20 years of democracy, Abia State in all sincerity has not fared well in the areas of development. Simply put, good governance has eluded the state. Put on the same scale with other states in the South-East zone, Abia clearly comes last. The dearth of infrastructure across the state is glaring despite pretences by the leaders.

Ikpeazu

And the state cannot be said to be the poorest in the zone. Rather, it is one of the richest with abundant natural resources and markets to harness and boost the economy. A lot needs to be changed.

According to the state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, in his second tenure, must be able to clear the arrears of workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities and join other states to pay the new N30, 000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government. He should also complete all the projects he started.

The Governor in this second coming should show seriousness in governance, spend time in the state to know the problems of the people. The economy of the state is not working; it needs to be worked on to improve. The people are suffering and it is glaring on the faces of Abians on the streets of Umuahia, Aba, Ohafia, etc., something serious needs to be done to keep the people out of abject poverty.

Governor Ikpeazu needs to sit down, think out workable poverty alleviation programmes that will ameliorate the suffering of the people. This will also reduce criminal activities in the state.

Social amenities are absent. It is embarrassing that Umuahia, Aba and indeed, no city in the state enjoys pipe- borne water. Borehole business is booming in Abia. This needs to be addressed. Street lights are epileptic and criminals leverage on this to operate.

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However, he has made serious attempts to improve on the roads in the state, particularly in Aba. He should do more this time, especially in other parts of the state and grassroots development to halt rural-urban migration.

Touts that operate freely in Umuahia, Aba and other cities, intimidating and embarrassing people, including visitors, need to be checked. They are portraying the state in very bad light.

In achieving any of these agenda, the Government must tackle insecurity in the state, without which nothing will work.

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Credit, however, should be given to him in the fields of healthcare and education where appreciable progress has been made.

It may also be beneficial to the state if the Governor in this his second tenure, could engage in total reconciliation of the Abia people; that is rallying the opposition to partner with the government by bringing their ideas on how to positively move the state forward.