We allThe Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba has right to opinion and he is entitled to his opinion. This is as well as the presidency. So we of Ebonyi State extract in the comity of States in Nigeria won't hurl pebbles at Agba as a minister and the presidency as the superstructure of the Nigerian government because we recognize individual and institutional rights to hold opinions in a democracy.
However, while we don't hold brief for other states in Nigeria, regarding the opinion of Agba and the presidency, considering the generalization of the opinion, we can only speak for our dear Ebonyi State in this regard.
First and foremost, the opposition in Ebonyi State which glories in the opinion of Agba and the presidency, thinking it's a goal in its favour; only bask in monumental majestic glory of opposition ignorance of the history of the poorest communities that were knitted from Enugu and Abia States on 1st October, 1996 to form what is today known as Ebonyi State by the Gen. Abacha military regime.
We need to understand history, particularly the one that affects us before we can draw valid conclusions. These poorest communities, having been knitted by the the army to become Ebonyi State with capital at Abakaliki, the next bold step by the pioneer leadership was to foster infrastructural development which is a fulcrum of economic posterity and riches because they do not fall from heaven. But unfortunately, the pioneer administration didn't see critical infrastructures as priority. Most unfortunately, this retrogressive perception was carried over by successive administrations, thereby making our dear State to be totally bereft of all forms of development.
Nevertheless, a ray of light shone in the dark tunnel with the coming of our dear Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Dr. David Nweze Umahi, Fnse, Fnate, CON on 29th May, 2015. Governor Umahi identified the core problems of the State and the bane of her development as the total absence of critical infrastructures and set the ball rolling.
Today, Ebonyi State boasts of the indices of economic posterity courtesy of our dear Governor. Hence, it is safe to aver that Ebonyi State match to economic development started with Governor Umahi's administration in 2015. Remember that infrastructural development begets economic development. No nation or state can attain economic development without first building critical infrastructures. Remember again that economic development is not a short term accomplishment; it is a long term plan that spans several years to actualize.
So, if Agba and the presidency opine that poverty is commonplace in Nigeria because governors built roads, flyovers, etc and generalized it to encapsulate Ebonyi State, shows that the Minister and the presidency do not understand the peculiarity of States in Nigeria, particularly as it concerns our dear Ebonyi State.
Our dear Governor deserves commendations for having the political will to invest in Ebonyi State of the future with the building of critical infrastructures that shall usher in wealth and riches in the nearest future. Beyond building critical infrastructures, the administration of Governor Umahi still carries out massive human empowerment in the State for men, women and the youth. The records are there for anybody who so wishes to verify to so do.
The opposition in Ebonyi State should therefore stop rejoicing on the opinion of Agba and the presidency because ignorance is a shame; it's not a thing to celebrate. The life touching nexus of Governor Umahi's strides shall resonate years after he had left power. Recall that when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana positioned his country on the path of economic posterity by building critical infrastructures at independence in 1957, he was called names as the citizenry cried of poverty and labelled Nkrumah a dictator and tyrant. What later happened in Ghana several years after Nkrumah was ousted in a military coup d'etat, exiled and died, successive administrations in Ghana, begining with the military regime of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, began to harvest bountifully from the seeds Dr. Nkrumah sowed during his time and it was acknowledged that Ghana had began to reap the benefits of Dr. Nkrumah's developmental strides in Ghana. So shall it be in Ebonyi State of the future as laid by Governor Umahi.
So while we appreciate Agba and the presidency for the opinion made on States, we categorically exempt Ebonyi State from their generalization because Governor Umahi's priority focus is infrastructural development first. No one starts the making of a basket from the top and expect to succeed, you must start from the bottom if you are desirous of making a headway. This is what Governor Umahi is doing in Ebonyi State and he deserves our support and encouragement.
May God bless our infrastructural genius Governor, Amen!
Directorate of New Media
APC Campaign Council
Ebonyi State.
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