From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

 

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Abia State Chapter, has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the poor state of infrastructure in the state.

In a statement by the State Chairman of the party, Augustine Ehiemere, the party expressed deep regret that at the age of 31, Abia has nothing but failure and retrogression to celebrate.

Ehiemere said when on August 27, 1991 Abia was created after painstaking efforts of the founding fathers, people poured into the streets to celebrate the birth of a new state with much expectations.

“Little did we know that after 31 years Abia State would still be crawling like a baby. This is more annoying with the realization that even younger states created many years after have since started running.

“Wrong drivers and opportunists who have driven the statecraft and leadership wheel of God’s Own State, have rather taken us back instead of moving forward.”

APGA wholly laid the blame of the state’s retrogression on the PDP-led administration, which has remained in power since 1999, eight years after the creation of Abia State.

The party said the PDP supervised the dilapidation, economic strangulation and near collapse of Abia State.

“Unfortunately, the current PDP-led administration of Okezie Ikpeazu is the worst of all governments so far witnessed in Abia. We wonder what this government will be celebrating as its achievements as Abia marks it 31st anniversary.

“It is disheartening that at 31 years, Abia is celebrating 25 months of salary arrears of doctors; de-accreditation of Abia Polytechnic, Aba following 30 months of unpaid wages of staff; de-accreditation of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba and 10 months of salary arrears of ABSU staff.

“At 31, Abia pensioners are still being owed four years of gratuities and 28 months of pension arrears; primary and secondary school teachers are being owed five months salary arrears and promotion allowances and many workers are being paid incomplete salaries.

“At 31, Abia is celebrating leadership failure and increase in debt burden. At 31, we are celebrating god-fatherism and imposition,” the party said.