By Lucky Agbo
Just last week, the Ebonyi state governor, Chief Martin Elechi, on the occasion of solidarity rally for President GoodlucK Jonathan’s second
term bid inferred that but for his choice candidate for the
governorship slot, the other aspirants are armed robbers. That was in
an event at the Abakaliki Township Stadium, broadcast live on radio
and television stations.
We, the concerned Ebonyi Youth Organisation (EYO), a coalition of
youth bodies for the Ebonyi 2015 governorship aspirants have since
the remark been thrown aback, recalling what our dear State has been
going through with a view to ascertaining who has of a truth robbed
our state.
The recount has put to question certain acts and schemes that had all
along been left asleep.
1.We are at a loss as to how the Ofurekpe water scheme embarked upon
by the Governor Elechi-led administration at its inception in 2007
flew from the estimated cost of one billion naira (NIb) to N7.8b. Even
as one could accept that there could be cases of variations, how could
it be that even with such differentials, there is no hope of drinking
water from the scheme till the end of this administration as nothing
again is being done on the project to justify such expenditure of the
Ebonyi people’s fund? The Governor had on the floor of the 24-member
Ebonyi State House of Assembly apologised for his failed promise that
our people would drink water from the scheme last year. Is someone
taking his people for a ride?
2. A multi-million naira rice parboiling machine meant for the
none-functional billion naira rice mills is still missing without any
admissible account but deceit that the machine was on the high seas
towards Nigeria. Can the ship arrive before May 29th 2015?
3.For what reason was the Abakaliki/Enugu expressway which the
federal government awarded to the renowned SETRACO construction firm
has a section of it terminated and re-awarded by a state government
that cries of porosity of funds. Now the project has been abandoned.
Is anybody playing games?
4.The NIGERCEM, Nkalagu, the foremost cement manufacturing firm in
the south East geo-political zone of Nigeria was at least operational
during the previous administration of Dr. Sam OminyinEgwu but went
moribund shortly after Chief Elechi took over as the governor of the
state. Those who laboured to rehabilitate the firm have been
unreservedly frustrated and traditional rulers who welcomed them have
been dethroned by the incumbent administration. What could be the
reasons for these but the intransient economic and political interests
of the government whose allies and siblings are believed to be the
Directors and benefactors of the death of the NIGERCEM?
5.M&J Construction firm has Handled about half of the contracts
awarded to local contactors since the inception of this
administration. A reveal of who own the company would explain why
shoddy jobs could have been granted certificates of completion and the
poor tax payers’ money released to them.
6. Worst still, the demand of N15billion from the Nigerrian Stock
Exchange by the Elechi-led administratiin has thrown spanners into the
wheels of the state polity degenerating to alleged impeachments and
counter impeachment in the state House of Assembly, merely because
some persons including the Speaker of the House have call on the
executive arm of the government to explain how the first Bond of N16.5
billion was spent without any evident success in the execution of the
projects it was tied to. Does anybody want to further mortgage the
state?
7.Obviously, answers to these few questions would tell us who is
robbing Ebonyi State as the quest to contest elections to serve a
people has remained a constitute, not armed robbery in any part of the
world.
God shall save us and bless us with the leaders we need.
Agbo writes from Abakaliki