This Analysis will cover 29th May to 29th November.
This Analysis will be based on publicly available information.
1) Accountability and Transparency.
In the first 5 months of Ikpeazu’s administration, a couple of initiatives that enhanced transparency were introduced;
State statutory allocations were openly declared by then Obinna Oriaku as an Aide or Commissioner.
Even before the first bailout fund was handed over to the state, A committee made up of trade union officials and Government officials were inaugurated to handle the disbursement of received fund.
Some roads awarded, the cost of the project, length of project and contractor were made public.
Under Dr Otti’s Administration Financial information are held at utmost secrecy.
With the performance of top Government officials at Arise TV the other day, it will be fair to ask if Senior Government officials are even aware of these financial information?
The Federal Government gave Abia State about 2 Billion as “Palliative” to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal. The Government informed us that a committee will be set up to manage the fund in designing a Transport system for the state. Till date, we do not know “officially” if such committee was set up or who populated the committee.
We need to remind the government that the fund was to provide “Immediate” transport relief to Abians.
Agriculture:
As at September 2019, Abia State Government had sent 200 Abians for an intensive 2 weeks Agricultural training in a hybrid farm in Nasarawa State.
Under the current government, the only thing we have heard about agriculture was when the Governor visited a hybrid farm in Nasarawa.
We do not yet know what has come out of that visit.
Aba:
Aba has played a big role in the politics of Abia. Dr Okezie Ikpeazu was classified as Nwa-Aba while Dr Alex Otti has sworn to rebuild Aba.
In all elections he contested, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has never won an election in Aba; either as a Governorship candidate or Senatorial Aspirant. While Dr Alex Otti has always won in Aba except in Aba North that he lost in the 2019 elections.
By November 2015, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has started the total rebuilding of these Roads with drainage:
Ukaegbu
Umuola
Ehere
Kamalu
Omni
MCC
SAMEK
Aba-Owerri Road
Old Express Road
Umuocham
Ururuka Road.
Under this administration, Dr Alex Otti has flagged off the building of the ‘Big Fish’ Road; Port Harcourt Road.
Rebuilt:
Emelogu
Udeagbala
Umuimo
Work is ongoing in:
Pepple’s Road,
Cemetery Road (why is that road called that)?
Education:
Within the first 6 months, the current Government has closed down 193 ‘Substandard’ private schools but has not renovated one public school.
We have been told that one school per senatorial zone is being remodelled into a Modern school.
The issue of salaries in all schools in the state seem to be a thing of the past (Primary, secondary and Tertiary).
Ikpeazu administration: with the bailout funds, the administration then, paid of salary arrears it inherited from the previous government.
Paid off the 2 Billion debt AbiaPoly was Yorked down with.
Health:
Okezie Ikpeazu’s Government concentrated more in the Primary Health Care Sector.
Dr Alex Otti’s Government is concentrating on the Tertiary Health Care Sector.
Waste Management
Dr Okezie Ikpeazu’s Government was totally Blind to what was effective Waste Management. He converted a Serious Sector as Waste Management into a family heirloom.
Dr Alex Otti’s Government has taken the initial steps in effective Waste Management with the unbundling of waste collection and involvement of the private sector..
SME
Dr Okezie Ikpeazu invested so much into SMEs. He was the SME Governor. In everything he did, he announced that. Even to his dressing.
He introduced a lot of SME initiatives, Free registration, Training, start off kits etc.
In his own way, he introduced a system that ensured that wealth is trickled down the Chain with the appointments of numerous personal Aides. Many of these aides were able to start their own SME companies, Salon, Photo studios etc.
Dr Otti’s Government is said to very elitist. Interested in the big multinationals.
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