My Dear Governor,
ABIA WORKERS AND PENSIONERS DESERVE THEIR PAY
Permit me His Excellency, to begin this letter by extending to you, a note
of felicitation on your recent victory at the Nigeria’s Supreme Court. I
am glad that going forward, you now can settle down and attend to the
all-important task of governance and providing leadership to our
beleaguered people. You will agree with me that our state has not been
entirely fortunate in matters of governance especially since the return of
democracy 18 years ago. Your predecessors- Orji Uzor Kalu and Theodore
Orji, the man who single-handedly railroaded you into the government house
were at best, mediocre leaders who cared less about the masses. The men
who came before you saw governance as a bazaar first and foremost.
Your Excellency, I know for sure that in your private moments, you will be
wondering where the over 2 trillion naira that has accrued to the state
between 1999 and present have gone into. When you visit Anambra and ply
through their good road network system, you will be wondering why Abia
state which got an even bigger share from federations account and IGR over
the years cannot boast of anything similar in terms of road network.
When you visit Onitsha and Awka and see the massive urban renewal projects
the state governor has embarked on over the last three years, you will be
asking why Aba and Umuahia have remained an eyesore and a testimony of the
endless rot that has been the lot of Abia state while other states made
progress. His Excellency, I am sure you will be burdened by similar
questions when you visit Enugu state.
You will agree with me that these states have done far better than Abia
when it comes to providing quality infrastructure for their people and
communities. Is it not shameful that while Enugu city ranks amongst the
cleanest cities in Africa, Aba without doubt is at the very top when we
begin to count locations with the worst waste and dirt management records?
You may also recall that the situation was not any better when you headed
the state’s environmental management agency- ASEPA. His Excellency, why
has Abia gone far behind states like Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi when it
comes to promoting and sustaining sound initiatives to promote governance
and administration? His Excellency, the Ebonyi state government is leading
the nation in rice production and other initiatives to mechanize farming
on the largest scale, Anambra is not too far behind. Enugu is remodelling
schools, empowering their people and preparing the state for the emerging
new world. Where is Abia in all of these your Excellency? As shocking as
it may sound sir, Imo state appears to be doing much better than the state
you now govern.
What has happened to God’s own state sir? As bad as your colleague- the
loquacious and dubious Rochas Okorocha is, he appears to have done far
more than you and your predecessor combined have offered to the people of
Abia. Go round Abia sir, what landmark structure has been constructed in
Abia in the last ten years? What grand initiative has been put in place to
promote youth employment, economic empowerment and quality education? Sir,
where or in what area has Abia led the way in our beloved Biafra land?
Enugug and Anambra lead the way in the provision of quality
infrastructure, Ebonyi and Anambra are ahead in agriculture, Imo has
something that appears like magic going on in education- yes, it does not
appear real but at least, something is happening, what exactly is going on
in Abia sir?
Due credit to you sir. I must tell you that I am deeply impressed with
your efforts to promote the Made-In-Aba brand.
I tell you that you are doing what is right and you are encouraged from
this quarter to keep up the good works. The best works of our people must
be showcased on a global scale and I am personally proud of what you have
started and strongly wish you to continue.
That brings me to the next and perhaps this letter’s key object of
interest. His Excellency, workers in the state are dying of hunger. I
don’t mean dying figuratively, they are dying real death. They are
chocking and starving to death sir- right under your watch. They can no
longer buy food to eat, majority have withdrawn their kids and wards from
schools, some have since been pushed away from their rented buildings by
their landlords who are also feeling the bites of the present economic
reality.
His Excellency, majority of Abia workers are becoming despondent,
depressed and are being pushed to extreme measures by the inability of
your government to pay salaries regularly and consistently.
His Excellency, why will Abia be owing her workers when Enugu and Anambra
states are paying as at when due? It is on record that Abia earns more
income than these states. Why can’t the workers in the state receive their
money as at when due? I know Federal Allocations have fallen but I am not
sure Anambra and Enugu states had their allocations raised. Please if you
cannot decipher how they are able to pay their workers as at when due from
a distance, kindly pay the governors a friendly visit to learn a thing or
two. Abia workers can no longer suffer the indignity of indebtedness to
almost everyone. They can no longer continue to live with the shame of
calling people all over the place to send them money. His Excellency,
these people are working and a worker according to the Holy Book deserves
his wages. The case of Abia workers cannot be different.
Kindly pay them whatever is due them at the end of each month. It is not a
privilege sir, it is their due right.
His Excellency, you may be shocked to realize that your made-in-Aba
promotion would fail woefully if workers in the state cannot patronize
what is manufactured in Aba because they are owed a backlog of salary
arrears. A man would need food in his stomach before he can start sampling
the latest flip-flop from Aba. I would tell you what your are not been
told by your sycophantic aides and carpet beggars. The workers in the
state wanted you to lose at the Supreme Court, not because they were so
excited about anyone else taking over. They just got tired of the quality
of leadership your political family offers.
If you permit me, I would tell you that the people just want someone who
has had no dealing with the government of Orji Kalu and Theodore Orji.
They wanted a face who is not use to being in government because your
folks and yourself have been nothing but total failures. They needed
someone who is not given to deceit and employment of the BCA for lies and
wrench gutting praise singing. They wanted someone who will pay them by
the 25th of every month, someone who will build their roads, build new
schools and repair existing ones, someone who will revive agriculture with
all sincerity and seriousness- not on BCA. They want someone who will show
that Abia is not cursed. They wanted to be lead by someone who has no
affiliation with Eunice Uzor Kalu or the Theodore Orji family.
You can reverse this negative perception Mr Governor. You can start today.
You can start by offsetting the salary arrears of the state workers and
pensioners immediately. His Excellency, cut off all ties to the Ochendo
political cult. Stop all payments to them and use that money to work for
the state. Ngige did it. Theodore Orji himself did it. You too should. You
must liberate Abia from the curse of greedy leadership. The workers are
dying and you have to stop them from going into their graves with curses
on their lips.
Do not take it for granted that one day when the people can no longer bear
the deceit and tomfoolery going on in the state, they will rise in their
hundreds of thousands and come for you, your family and anyone affiliated
to you. The sycophants who sing your praises on BCA will not save you the
wrath of the people if you do not change. If my advice is anything, let me
tell you this sir- be your own man. The men who today sing your praises on
radio- the traditional rulers and political jobbers all around the state
did the same to Orji Kalu and Theodore Orji. They will have no problem
moving on to the next person tomorrow when you are no more around to share
them the state’s commonwealth. Be wise sir.
God bless you sir as you listen to and heed my honest advice.
Reach me via mail- dodookafor@gmail.com