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From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Eze Monday Ugbor (Ezeukwu Emereoha II, king of Aba-Ukwu Ancient Kingdom in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State, has expressed concern over the insecurity in Abia and the country and believes that the Federal, State and Local Governments must work in synergy to redress the situation. He also spoke on the deplorable condition of Aba, the commercial city of Abia and the people’s expectations from the Gov Alex Otti-led government in the state.
What are your views of the Gov Alex Otti-led administration in Abia State?
There’s this saying that nothing is as good as change because change has a way of making everybody feel good, especially when it is on a positive note. I can’t sit here to condemn the former administration led by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu but from what the incumbent government of Dr Alex Otti said and from what we are seeing, he came for a positive change in the story of Abia, which is what every citizen of the state wants. The people of Abia State want our state to move from good to better. As a traditional ruler, I advise that we follow and support him 100 per cent to see what he has for us.
As the traditional ruler of Aba-Ukwu, how has the new administration impacted your community?
Aba-Ukwu is one of the foremost communities in this city and the location of my community which is mainly around the Port Harcourt Road axis. We have our unfortunate share of bad roads that have made Aba something else for several decades. I was happy when the new governor, brought the construction giant, Julius Berger, to look at the situation of Port Harcourt Road, which covers many parts of my community. I’m happy so far, because if Port Harcourt Road is reconstructed, my community will bounce back to life. I pray God helps him to accomplish what he has in mind for us.
How has the several decades of decay of Aba, affected your people and what is your vision for Aba?
It is good that you are aware that the decay of Aba did not start today. Several governments/administrations have come and gone and none of them transformed Aba.
The decay didn’t just start in 2015, or even a year or two before it. I was born in Aba; I went to school in Aba so I know what Aba used to be. From 1999 and even beyond, the decay has been enormous. Our businessmen and women have relocated from Aba and ran to places like Uyo in Akwa-Ibom State. Ariaria International Market had been abandoned by people from neighbouring states like Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River, who earlier saw Aba as the centre for commerce. These people didn’t abandon Aba voluntarily, they abandoned Aba because there was no access road to the commercial city from the main entrance via the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt highway to other adjoining roads. It is indisputable that majority of Nigeria’s top importers, reside here in Aba. What the decay of Aba’s infrastructure has done to their businesses is unprecedented. Whenever I see these things, I remember the glory days of Aba before I became a king. These importers will clear their goods from Port Harcourt or Lagos, but on getting to Abia State, the goods will perish after the vehicle must have fallen. The decay of Aba, affected all of us – indigenous people, settlers, traders and importers- when business people leave Aba in droves, nobody will blame them because that Aba to which someone will come with nothing and go with many things, is no longer what they see. Several decades of the mass exodus of business people from Aba has affected the economy of this great city. However, it seems that the prayers of the Aba populace have been answered. So, I want to see a progressive Aba. The Aba that made all Nigerians proud in the economic community of Africa, the Aba where the ingenuity of the people pushes everybody into creative modes that makes us who we are. I want to see the Aba where hard work pays, that old Aba where people come and wonder if we’re super humans because of what we can create. I want an Aba where the importers will bring their goods safely and our neighbours will still come in and buy.
I will plead with Gov Otti to intervene in the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) which seems to be out to make life uncomfortable for business people and importers in Aba. I will advise that these Customs people, remain in the borders, seaport or airport, or wherever the law has stipulated they should stay and not go about, harassing traders in the markets and streets.
I urge the government to look into it seriously because such extortionist activities affect our traders and have huge negative impacts on prices of goods.
How do you think traditional rulers like you can help improve the security situation in the state and country in general?
It’s very clear to everybody that without security, there’s nothing anybody is planning that will be successful. Security gives investors confidence and a sense of safety at all times. Thank God, I’ve been hearing police talk more about community policing. I’m advocating that community policing be institutionalised in Abia State and implemented through the traditional rulers. If all necessary materials meant to fight these criminals are made available to us, I believe we know our communities better and can help put an end to some of the security challenges we have around today.
My community has an outfit in place and I monitor them. I call on all traditional rulers to equally checkmate what is happening in their areas to curb crime,
Do you think granting local governments autonomy will help in this fight against insecurity?
There is a need for every local government to have some autonomy because it will reduce the gap in governance. Some states that have done well did so because their local governments were allowed to function properly.
It will also be good if the allocation and grants given to local governments are published so that the communities through their traditional rulers can begin to ask questions about what impacts the funds are making in their communities.
Gov Otti has said his administration will ensure that traditional rulers in the state get their statutory 5 per cent of local government allocation, what is you take on that?
Governor Alex Otti promised to ensure that the traditional rulers in Abia, are paid their statutory five per cent allocation of the local government fund. If it is given to the traditional rulers, which I believe will be done, we’ll use part of that money to fund security in our area. So, I again call on traditional rulers again who have not formed neighbourhood security watch to do so. It feels bad that when one community chases away criminals, such criminals find safety in another community where they regroup.
So, I think local governments should be given their funds and proper supervision and monitoring put in place.
How has the removal of petroleum subsidy affected the most vulnerable ones in your community?
My community consists of predominantly traders and farmers, so we need complete decentralisation especially regarding aids from the Federal Government. We know our people well and we know the vulnerable ones better. It is disheartening that whenever such things come, our people will keep asking us questions, while the politicians and their cronies smile home with what is meant for the vulnerable people.
