By Ernie Onwumere
The taste of freedom is sweet, especially the kind of societal freedom from many years of disastrous leadership that held a people captive in abject poverty, stagnancy and underdevelopment. It is no surprise that, after all the intrigues and shenanigans attending the Saturday March 18 governorship election in Abia State, the eventual declaration of the rightful winner attracted spontaneous, wild jubilations on the streets of Umuahia, Aba and villages across the state. Ndi Abia of all ages poured out to the streets chanting “Happy Independence Day!” and “Freedom at last!” These frenzied scenarios and expressions of feelings by the people only confirm the widely held opinion that citizens of God’s Own State have been in Egyptian-like captivity for too long and Abia has been the worst governed state in Southeast Nigeria, if not in the whole of Nigeria!
Naturally, the declaration of Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party as the governor-elect brought immediate relief that there is hope after all and that no matter how long the night, joy comes in the morning. Ndi Abia as well as the governor-elect deserve warm congratulations on this fresh chapter just opening in our history. As all the erupted euphoria of jubilation cools down, the reality of high expectations also beckons on the incoming government. Election campaign has been done in the poetry of promises, and it is now time to govern in the prose of pragmatism. Having been chosen by the people to lead them towards a brighter future, all eyes will be on Dr. Otti to hit the ground running to rebuild Abia and change our bitter narrative. The urgency of rebuilding is so high that there is no luxury of time.
On taking the oath of office by May 29, there will be multifarious dire challenges awaiting the attention of the governor-elect. But no one is in doubt that Otti is very much aware of the many challenges and equipped for the enormity of the task ahead. This piece is just to further stoke up the consciousness of the multiple challenges crying for urgent attention. At a glance, the challenges include scandalous accumulated salary and pension arrears owed, heavy state debt burden, crumbling and decadent infrastructure, high unemployment rate, inadequate healthcare facilities, environmental degradation, struggling education system, insecurity and dearth of enabling opportunities for businesses, among others.
It is reassuring that the governor-elect himself, in his post-acceptance speech interviews, acknowledged the priority of clearing all backlogs of salary arrears owed the state’s civil servants. This will definitely alleviate the protracted suffering of many people, and give the new government a human face that cares. But beyond that, the civil service in Abia State is overdue for holistic reforms to ensure the delivery of quality services to our people. For instance, the state Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been long entrenched in rampant corruption, which is a drawback on progressive development. Some civil servants are known to be nonchalant, weighed down with debt and lack motivation to do the right thing in the discharge of their duties. Some have a dogmatic mindset that a new government will come with initial “gra gra” and with time, it will be business as usual. The incoming government of Dr. Otti must deal decisively with this culture of corruption and mediocrity-promoting ‘business as usual’.
Also, perhaps the greatest challenge awaiting the new government would be mustering the financial management ingenuity to handle a depleted state treasury with its scary implications! Ours is a sad case of an oil-rich state languishing in acute poverty due to the criminal mismanagement and brazen siphoning of state funds by successive administrations. Now that the incumbent profligate PDP government is leaving office, it will probably be leaving behind an empty treasury along with convoluted debt burdens for the Labour Party government. But there is implicit confidence in Dr. Alex Otti that he can leverage his extensive experience as a former MD of a national bank to manage the damaging impact of an empty treasury on his ability to deliver campaign promises.
Along with instilling high levels of transparency, prudence and accountability in government, it is advisable for the new administration to clear accumulated salary arrears and pensions, while optimizing available resources and devising new strategies of financial solvency for capital or infrastructure development. Everybody knows that the state’s infrastructure is in dire need of repair and upgrading. Good roads, bridges, and public transportation systems are either nonexistent or in bad shape in our commercial centers and communities, and this is negatively impacting the state’s economic growth. So, the Otti administration must prioritize infrastructure investments, including repairing existing infrastructure, building new infrastructure, and investing in clean energy to guarantee sustainable development.
Another issue that needs critical attention is job creation for our teeming jobless youth. As the state’s economy has been struggling, many young people are out of work and tending towards criminality to survive. The new administration must focus on creating jobs by resurrecting our diverse dead industries, supporting existing industries and attracting new businesses that can place Abia in the loop of a digital economy. All these economic stimulation actions can be achieved by offering reasonable tax incentives to businesses, extending interest-free loan facilities to small-scale enterprises, investing in vocational and ICT training programmes, and creating a business-friendly environment.
Yet, education is another critical area that needs considerable improvement in Abia State. We boast some of the most educated personalities that can be found in diverse disciplines in the world. How can we then still be educationally retrogressive at home? The state’s education system is underfunded and deficient. Teachers are randomly owed salaries. The coming government must focus on investing in education, providing funding for state-owned schools, and supporting teachers with all the encouraging facilities and welfare packages. This will help create a better-educated workforce that can attract new businesses and industries to the state.
Of course, we cannot also afford to have educated minds in sick bodies. Thus healthcare is as paramount as other sectors that need immediate attention. The state’s healthcare system is grossly inadequate, and many of our people do not have access to affordable quality primary healthcare. Therefore, healthy investments in our healthcare system are non-negotiable, and can include expanding and upgrading current health facilities, investing in accessible rural healthcare, and creating a robust statewide healthcare system that serves all citizens.
And what about housing and urban renewal? This sector also needs critical attention! Abia State currently experiences a deficit of affordable housing options, particularly for low-income individuals and families. This deficit results in overcrowding, informal settlements, and inadequate living conditions. To address this issue, the Otti government can consider implementing reform policies and programs that promote the development of affordable housing. Just like housing, urban areas in Abia State also suffer from deteriorating infrastructure, outdated buildings, and inadequate urban planning. Urban renewal efforts can help revitalize these areas, improve living conditions, and enhance the overall quality of life for residents via initiatives such as infrastructure upgrades, building renovations, creation of green spaces, and improved transportation systems, among others.
All said, the success of the incoming governor will be ultimately determined by the quality of team that he chooses to work with. Since he cannot do it all alone to deliver the much expected good governance, Dr. Otti is trusted to assemble the best of Abia brains which are not in short supply. Reassuringly, his Excellency has taken the right pre-inauguration step by constituting a Transition Council of 100 brilliant professionals assembled from diverse walks of life to generate policy and execution strategies to transform and mainstream his manifesto for successful delivery. Thus, a new dawn of hope is here for Ndi Abia but nobody is under the illusion that the road ahead will be an easy ride. It will be a long and difficult journey, but with the right progressive agenda, capable hands, collective determination, inspiring leadership, prioritizing critical issues and the supportive goodwill of Abia people, our long-time lame sobriquet of ‘God’s Own State’ can become a living experience in Dr. Alex Otti’s time. Good luck!