Ex-commissioner lauds Gov. Umahi’s achievements in Ebonyi

Fri, May 29, 2020
By publisher
3 MIN READ

Politics

DONATUS Aja, former commissioner for Environment in Ebonyi, on Friday, commended Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi’s achievements in infrastructural development, in the past five years in the state.

Aja gave the commendation Umahi in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, while reacting to the state’s ranking as the fourth poorest in Nigeria by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

He said that the Umahi-led administration had touched all aspects of the economy such as agriculture, education, health among others and ensuring quality infrastructural development across the state.

The former commissioner described the governor as very creative, hardworking, intelligent and determined.

According to him, Umahi works day and night to make Ebonyi what it is today, despite the little allocation coming from the Federal Government.

“Umahi is developing Ebonyi very well; previously, people nicknamed Abakaliki as “Wawa people’’.

“Whenever they come to Abakaliki, they will say they want to enjoy Abakaliki powder, which is the dust on the roadsides.

“But now, many people who have not been to Abakaliki in the last five years sometimes miss their way when they enter the city because everything has changed.

“Umahi is very wonderful, he is not even owing any salary; though there is no way everybody will be clapping for you if you are doing well.

“In Nigeria today, people prefer a governor or politician sharing money to them than the leader who tries to change the environment for good, and laying the foundation for the young ones.”

Aja described Umahi as the only governor with the highest number of political appointees, “as he wants to carry everybody along and make sure that families are touched.

“Our prayer is to get another person like him in the next dispensation so that development will continue, as he is serving his last term,” he said.

Aja noted that he had empowered no fewer than 100 people including women in skills acquisition across the state, in a bid to support the Umahi-led government.

“I did it through a cooperative society and interest-free loans.

“Okada (commercial motorcycle) riders benefitted from the same loan and most of them started their businesses with my assistance,” Aja said.

NAN reports that recently, the NBS released the poverty index of states, ranking Ebonyi as the fourth poorest state in Nigeria.

The rating also placed the state as the first poorest in the South-East, with regard to economic development. (NAN)

– May 29, 2020 @ 14:35 GMT |

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