By Peter Okutu

SINCE Ebonyi State was created on October 1, 1996 it has  witnessed three civilian  administrations —  Dr. Sam Egwu, Chief Martin Elechi and  Engr. David Nweze Umahi.

These administrations have in no small measure provided democracy dividends to the people of the State and created a road map or Master Plan for the overall development of the state. Unarguably, the developmental plans of the present administration had over taken that of its predecessors as it has given Ebonyi State an usual facelift within the South-East geopolitical zone  of the country.

The present administration in Ebonyi State has outperformed it’s predecessors in infrastructural development, human capital development, employment of youths into political positions and resolution of crises both inter and intra-state.

Among the crises settled was the long standing dispute between Ezza/Ezilo communities of Ishielu Local Government Area of the State. In a case where both warring sides refuse to sheath their swords over a disputed land, the present administration will take over the land for peace to reign.

Notwithstanding, it was during the first  year of Umahi’s  second tenure that some Journalists were harrassed, intimidated and arrested in the State by the Police and a Local Government Chairman, now former, Clement Odah of Ohaukwu LGA. The former Council boss who lured the Vanguard reporter to Woodberry Hotel, Abakaliki, under the guise of wanting to be interviewed. As the reporter got to the venue of the Hotel, he was arrested by the Police on the instructions of Mr. Clement Odah.

The reporters of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Peter Okutu and that of Sun, Mr. Chijioke Agwu were both arrested and later released.

They were equally banned  from entering the State Government House and all Government facilities in the state for life.

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The matter, was however resolved following interventions by different groups including the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Nigeria Bar. Association, NBA, NGOs, various media organizations both Foreign, National and Local as the Governor in a live broadcast called for a truce and partnership with media operators in the state.

Following the incident, Governor David Umahi is presently working amicably with all the media organizations in the state.

The first year of the second tenure of Umahi has aided the consolidation of innovative governance which has turned Ebonyi State into a centre of excellence.  The state that was hitherto the most backward  is now regarded as one of the fastest growing economy and the most conducive environment for investment, due to the level of developmental actualizations, infrastructural and human capital developments it has attained in the last five years.

In terms of Infrastructural development, like construction of roads, the Governor has constructed many roads. This is made up of 25 km concrete roads done in each of the 13 local government areas with bridges, over 800 km concrete roads within the satellite and urban towns and over 300 km Federal Highway constructed by the State Government.

Apart from dualizing the Abakaliki/ Enugu and Abakaliki /Afikpo Federal roads, the State Government is dualizing not less than 23 km road along the locations of each of the flyovers that are being constructed in the state.

Ebonyi State is now reckoned with as the fastest developing state in Nigeria with numerous beautiful round about, CCTV Camera, digital LED facilities as well as street lights scattered in virtually all the streets of the capital city and each of the local government areas, measuring 20 km per LGA

Ebonyi has emerged today as the State with the highest number of flyovers after Lagos and Abuja and having the most beautifully adorned flyovers in Nigeria.

VANGUARD