“The measure of man is what he does with power”
Plato
Abia citizens heaved a long overdue sigh of relief yesterday as a brand, new patriotic government was enthroned under the ebullient watch of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, a seasoned technocrat that has serially contested for the governorship slot on three consecutive occasions.
Albeit, his insistence and consistency to vie for this plum post underscored his onerous determination to change the nauseating intolerable status quo .
It is glaringly evident that Abia state has mercilessly suffered in the hands of buccaneer administrations over the years that have left them economically impoverished, socially disoriented and politically dislocated.
Under their watch Abia state has been identified with negative inferences that have defined us a people.
Stagnancy in all our human endeavours were much pronounced that Abia state remained a bowl for public spittle all these forlorn years.
However, the inauguration of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti as the next Executive helmsman has been seen as the inevitable filip that will rewrite the deteriorating narrative.
In truth, a dispassionate appraisal of the Governor’s inaugural address yesterday brought to the fore, the yawning gaps that needed to be filled in order to realize the our collective socio-economic enterprise.
The address exposed, grosso modo our collateral failures, palpable inactions, lethargy, under- performance, lack of political courage and will and blatant negligence of governmental obligations.
The affable Governor enumerated areas of urgent attention as he takes office.
These exigent areas include education, youth empowerment, state of the workforce, economy, infrastructure etc.
Gladly though, the Governor is in the same page with High Chief Chris Akachukwu Nwa-Abia who has for sometime been advocating for the interest and wellbeing of the Abia masses.
In his own personal capacity, he has factored the empowerment of his people in his own way.
He has built schools, encouraged the pupils and students with uniforms, shoes, textbooks, and scholarship grants.
Also, he constructed water boreholes which reticulate water to the citizens and also upgraded/ rehabilitated some feeder roads for the evacuation of food produce.
Most of these laudable projects are the exclusive preserve of any responsible government, but he elected to execute it from personal resources to complement the efforts of the government.
The new Chief Executive of the state revealed that mechanisms would be engendered in no distant time to mobilize funds to extend soft grants to the youths to engage in small scale businesses to keep them busy and make engagement in crimes less attractive.
For the records, High Chief Chris Akachukwu Nwa-Abia has been in the business of extending grants to youths and women before now to pursue their respective business engagements just for the reasons of keeping the youths away from the streets and to de-market the attraction of harmful drugs and the evil consequences of drug intake and abuse.
Ultimately,of more recent is by facilitating the registration of more than 70 Ohuhu youths into the Smedan project and promise to release a capital grant of 100,000 to each of the recipient to start off their businesses.
These are all proactive, commendable gestures from an entrepreneur who has the interest of his people at heart.
Conversely,let us take a cue from Booker T Washington who enthused thus, “We all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance, narrowness and selfishness”.
In reality,to achieve our collective goals of securing better deal in the new administration, the Governor should look inwards and identify key players that would aid him in executing this important social contract of lifting Ndi Abia from dismal economic and social malaise.
Fair and square,High Chief Chris Akachukwu Nwa-Abia fits into this role,not only that his antecedents attest to this,but also patriotism running seamlessly in his blood and again,he is an avid campaigner for the prompt delivery of democratic dividends to our pe
