How would you access your performance so far as the governor of Ebonyi State?
On coming on board, I assembled a blend of bureaucrats and professionals in various fields of human endeavour to assist us in meeting the needs of our people. And together as a team, we swung into action by taking several practical steps to fulfil our promises to the people in line with our manifesto – The Peoples Charter of Needs. We are striving to exceed our expectations in serving the people of Ebonyi, because we believe in the words of the great American Author, O.G Mandino, ‘to always render more and better service than is expected of us, no matter what the task may be.’ We remain committed to our resolve of revamping our education system, by creating conducive environment for quality teaching and learning at all levels. Our target is to achieve entrepreneurship, skill acquisition and education for economic self-reliance.
To achieve these, we have been able to increase subvention to Ebonyi State University from N150 million to N200 million and paid two months arrears of the said sum. Also, we released the outstanding N300 million owed to Ebonyi State University, by the previous administration. We have understudied excellent education system of the United Kingdom and Federal Republic of Rwanda, for replication in Ebonyi State. We have approved and release funds for the site clearing of the University of ICT, Oferekpe Agbaja and approved the upgrading of Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo to University of Education. In line with our resolve to deliver quality healthcare services to our people, our administration has recruited 195 health personnel to man the 13 general hospitals in the state, approved the establishment of a Mega Drug Production Centre and a Mega Drug Distribution Centre, approved the establishment of an Ultra-Modern State Diagnostic Centre, established a Public Health Eye Committee to check visual challenges for Ebonyians, approved and released funds for the restructuring and equipping of our general hospitals and primary health care centres and established the State Anti-Quackery team to eliminate medical quackery in the state. In our avowed determination to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of our civil service system, our administration approved a monthly payment of N10,000 bonus to state and local government workers in the state, to cushion the adverse effects of the fuel subsidy removal. We have also approved payment of gratuities in the state from 1996 to 2021, amounting to N3.8 billion; approved payment of five months arrears of salaries to workers of the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke and approved the ongoing recruitment of 1,454 personnel into the state civil service.
What have you done in the area of human capital development?
In other to promote vocational and technical education for skill enhancement, self-sufficiency and sustainability, our administration has approved the training and mentorship of 1,500 Ebonyians doing menial jobs in various cities with N2 million each, amounting to N3 billion, approved and released the sum of N50 million to boost the capacity of small businesses in the state, encouraged the growth and development our youthful talents and the creative industry.
Some communities in the state experienced crises that led to wanton killings and destruction of property before you came on board. What have you done to resolve these crises?
Conscious that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity, our administration, in addition to appointing senior special assistants and special Assistants on Internal Security in all the local government areas, has moved to retore peace between Effium and Ezza Effium, Ishinkwo and Abaomege, Amana and Ohankwu communities, earlier ravaged by communal crises. We have also restored peace in Okworeka, Ebonyi Local Government Area, Enyim Agalegu, Edupfu Opeke, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Erimogudu Kingdom in Ikwo Local Government Area, Amana in Ezza South Local Government Area, Ojiegbe and Agaotu in Ishielu Local Government Area, Otikantiebo and Umuodida in Onicha Local Government Area, Amasiri and Akpoha in Afikpo North Local Government Area, as well as signing of peace agreements between Amaeze and Izzo communities in Ishielu and Effium and Ezza-Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
There is the multi-billion Naira International World Trade Centre that was built by the administration of Sam Egwu, which was abandoned by successive administrations in the state. What is your plan for the project?
That project would have been the signature of the administration of Dr. Sam Egwu. The project was subjected to integrity test by the last administration in the state and the result of the integrity test shows that it did not pass. I was the chairman, House Committee on Housing, when I was in the state House of Assembly, so I know that building very well. If you talk of the foundation, no government has ever laid such quality foundation in any building. That building you see is not sitting on any mud, it is not sitting on any soil. It is sitting on top of concrete 100 per cent for almost three meters. The government of Sam Egwu excavated everything and laid it on 100 per cent concrete. So, I have plans for that building but when we go into integrity test after finishing discussion with the contractor, we will still come to tell Ebonyi people exactly what the building is. On whether my administration will complete the building, the answer is yes. We said it during the campaign that if the application we sent to Mr. President, demanding the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, is not working, we will convert the building to Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
Some people are wondering why the stateowned airport, which was deemed to have been completed by the past administration of Dave Umahi who is now Minister of Works is gulping another N13.7 billion for rehabilitation, when it has no economic value to the state presently. What is your impression about that?
A governor called me and we discussed at lent on the approval of N13.75 billion on the airport that is deemed to have been completed and handed over. The question that governor asked me is the question every reasonable Ebonyi man is asking. The truth is that the mindset of those that started the airport is germane; but did we get it right? In the area of runway, we didn’t get it right because the runway is jumping and it is destroying aircraft tyres. Initially, we thought that it is the cause of the expansion joint. That’s what we believed initially and we said, okay, let us close all the expansion joints and know why it is jumping but it is still jumping and it has spoiled a lot of aircraft and that is why many airlines have refused to land there. And for us to get it right, we approached the Federal Ministry of Aviation and asked them what do we do. They told us that we need to do certification and put thyroids and start laying asphalt. I said wow, we are into trouble. When you look at the amount that was sunk into that airport, it is not something you get up and say you want to abandon. The former administration sunk N42 billion into that edifice. It is one of the best, biggest and largest airports in the country.
I said how to make a mark is doing something very difficult or challenging. We have been confronted with a lot of challenge on this matter and we must do something and get it right because our people’s money has been spent on the project and we must get the project right by putting what is right and what everybody wants. This is why we engaged so many contractors including CCECC, Julius Berger and so others to give us their quotations. Some gave N14 billion, some gave N15 billion, some gave N11 billion and N10 billion depending on what they do. But when we look at their schedules and the needs of the Ministry of Aviation, we gave it to them to see what they gave to us whether we can do with those that bided for N10 billion. They said the total area of this run way is 75msx3.1km and they have the extra.
The extra is before the landing and after the landing because when you land and if there is any issue with the aircraft, you must get to the end and go outside to the landing permit centre to park. The former governor of the state and Minister of Works has been visiting a lot of projects to see the one ITC did and that is the only contractor he has confirmed that is doing a good work. But Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi called me and said we have a good contractor who can give you what you want at a good rate and that the Ministry of Aviation can attest to it. I said my brother, this is what I am looking for and demanded the contractor’s details and I have the bill of CCECC which is very high for me to carry. So, when I saw this other people Senator Nwebonyi made mention of, they gave me a reasonable bill. I said this people have experiences and they bided for the project and their own is responsive and cheaper and that is why we said we want to take them. We didn’t just venture into the rehabilitation of the airport just to spend money but to make use of the value of our money that has been spent on that project.
A lot of lecturers left the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) for greener pasture before you came on board as governor, what have you done to stop the syndrome?
I agree with you 100 per cent on migration of lecturers of Ebonyi State University to other states. It is not good for a lecturer to struggle to have a PhD and it will not reflect in his or her level. The lecturers are not being encouraged and that is why they go to other universities. There should be opportunities for all the lecturers; give those that should be given promotion their promotion. There is noting that civil servants like than promotion. So, you can’t sit on their promotion and expect them not to migrate. However, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education has started addressing this issue by giving everybody an opportunity. Those who are qualified for promotion have gotten their promotion now, nobody is sitting on anybody’s promotion now and nobody is saying that the promotion is without financial backup. So, everybody is getting his/her right. The commissioner is doing what he is supposed to do because he is still a lecturer at that university. He too wanted to go. In fact, that was what necessitated his appointment as the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, so that I will hold on to him. So, I am very grateful for having him and also believing that he has all it takes to do what he is doing and he is doing it very well.