Gov Umahi is passionate about empowering Ebonyi people

Hon (Barr) Uchenna Orji is Ebonyi State’s Commissioner for Information and State Orientation. In this  interview with Editors of Champion Newspapers; Barr Orji  x-rays how the state governor  Engineer Dave  Umahi’s administration is building economic blocks in Ebonyi while tackling security challenges as well as the governor’s strategies to ensure youth empowerment  amidst the  drive for more investments in the state. Excerpts

The issue of unemployment cannot be separated from insecurity in the country. What is Governor of Ebonyi Sate doing to reduce unemployment among the youths?

The governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency Chief David Umahi is conscious of the fact that youths constitute the majority of the population and their issues must be addressed for us to have peace and development in the state. So, currently he has rolled out recruitment opportunity for 5,000 number civil servant, 2000 in the local government level and 3,000 at the state level. A committee was set up in August 13, 2021 to really fine tune the modalities for equitable distribution of the job opportunities to various local governments. It is an opportunity for young Ebonyians from the ages of 18 to 35 years to be employed in the civil service. That is going to help a lot in injecting more young blood into the civil service. But beyond this; the governor thinks that white collar jobs is not all that our young youths really need to develop themselves. It is really empowerment that they need; there is mental financial, moral and emotional empowerment. Mental empowerment in the sense that the youths needs quite  a lot of capacity through formal education, from primary to university and non formal education like vocational training. That is why our governor privatized   some schools by giving it to missionaries to handle and this is In line with our policy of partnering with the private sector for quality education and participation. Through this means we have quite lot of vocational colleges handed over to the Catholic mission for them to handle. Of course we know the importance of that; we will sure of quality education, discipline and teachers that are separated from this problem of incessant strike here and there.

We are pretty sure that it will add value to the education system in Ebonyi State. But beyond this the governor thinks that those that could not have opportunity of going to school but have got some vocational activities like craft men , artisans and technicians , that they should have the opportunity of formalizing their trainings through certifications after a training of between two to four years . And that is why the vocation college is established, it now running and working training artisans, craftsmen and even those in entrepreneurship programmes. So that after that they can have the certificate to go for financial empowerment that will come from state government, development partners like the Bank of Industry, CBN and other donor agencies. That is when the people will be self-reliant and self-sufficient.

Again, the governor is thinking that youth empowerment is very key in helping to reduce restiveness and criminality in the state. As a matter of fact some of the youths engaged in some agitations are doing it ignorantly.  And the governor felt that empowerment must be done from time to time. Recently, the governor rolled out N5 millio  grant for about 20 women. The idea of the governor is that if they can do very well with that, the government will also roll out another phase of the empowerment grant . This is in line with the governor’s #Endsars empowerment progamme agenda where he rolled out about N3 billion empowerments for our youths and women.

The idea is that any one that can have a bankable proposal /business plan that is very viable, government could assist the person with grants. So he  started  N5 million for 20 persons , in addition to that , 200 youths and women drawn on equality of local government are  being profiled now to access the 3 billion naira empowerment programme and they are actually going to pass through a process . a process of their business plan being vetted and they are going to be monitored and will be sure that they are going into business before the money will be given to them.

These are the things that the governor is doing in addition to numerous other empowerment programmes he has embarked upon including the civil servant empowerment programme where he gave about N4 billion empowerment baskets. People can access from N200, 000 to about N1 million depending on their age and when they will retire. And so this has really helped to make for what we called second address system. Second scheme is a situation whereby, if you as a civil servant, public servant, even journalist,  you can now fall back on the alternative to that your profession and that is by going into agriculture either at the primary, secondary or tertiary level. This is actually to ensure we are making for self-sufficiency and self-reliant among our teeming youths.

Please give insight into these empowerments schemes; are they all loans or grants which do not require repayment and collaterals?

Some cases are loans and some are grants. The one I called grant are really grants. The N4billion civil servants empowerment scheme is a loan facility. That they are meant to repay back after a period of time depending on the time they are going to retire from civil service.

Kindly help us to know the selection process of the 20 persons that benefited from the empowerment programme.

Sincerely speaking; the governor interfaces with the stakeholders and some of them are people that started in different political offices but now they have resigned to go into business.  So they were given this N5 million to go into business. But the first point of call is that you must have a viable business plan to show what you are going to do. And the financial institution concerned will come and vet to be sure you have the capacity to go into the business. Then government will now roll out and give the fund.  Also, it is being done on equality of zones to ensure equitable distribution among the 3 senatorial zones in the state. We are also being careful that we start with people we know very well; this is to ensure there is no cock and bull story concerning the empowerment funds. Some of them could not make it to the executive council and they decided to go into business. And so, government really need to empower them, and it will come in phases . The second phase will have 200 persons from each local government and the amount is yet to be determined.  So, that 200 per local government is like 2,600 number of persons that government will empower. And I can assure you that it will not be anything less than N1 one million per person.

You alluded to the fact that the issue of insecurity has reduced in the state. How did the government achieve that?

Honestly, it is because of the proactive engagement of our dear governor; engagements with critical stakeholders across the various local government areas. When #Endsars came and issues of IPOB agitation came leading to serious violence across the state, the governor felt he has to do something different. One is to pray because everything depends on God. So, he declared some weeks of fasting and prayers to seek the face of God in the situation of violence we found ourselves and secondly he now had to go to the various rural communities to engage the stakeholders, town union leaders, the traditional rulers, the religious leaders and all the former and present office holders, no matter their political affiliations and he engaged them and that is really beginning to yield veritable dividend. But more importantly, the governor is holding office holders in various communities accountable. If anything thus happen in your community and there is no proactive action taken by the office holders , then they have to answer for it. That is why you will hear that we are having some discipline issues. We have in recent times suspended some office holders and others disciplined in one way or the other, for unfailingly refusing or neglecting to tame the issues of insecurity , violence and agitations in their various communities and that has really affected the situation. As I speak with you, when a committee came to present their report, there is no any community we have any communal disturbance as at today. All the communities are very calm and they have come to realise that never again will they shed blood on issue of land ownership. But don’t forget that we are an agrarian state and when the governor continues to develop the nooks and cranny of the state, the people had to show consciousness and that would from time to time result to clash.  However, orientation and sensitization is massively going own and that has really brought down the scourge of clashes and violence in parts of the state.

As you know sir, the governor is in the last lap of his administration. What is his charge to the new cabinets which he just constituted?

The governor expects renewed vigor, zeal and extra ordinary passion. The governor is looking at ensuring that he bequeaths to Ebonyi people an economy that will be virile and long lasting and so he feels that in making this selection of executives in this last lap of his administration that he needed people that won’t be bothered about contesting election or distracted by the problems of politics of the various communities or those who are not passionate about their jobs.  So, these are the considerations that made him reduce the strength of the executive council. Before now we have the highest number of executive council, over 110 number but by governor’s inspiration and his thinking he feels that this number will not work for him at this point and he is thinking something much less than the number we have. For now he has decided to merge some ministries and appoint smaller number to really make for seriousness. I concede that when there are too many hands in the pot, it spoils the soup. It could be the reason why the governor took that decision in reducing the number of his Exco.

But honestly, the appointee of his Excellency in the past six years has demonstrated passion, selflessness  that is the difference you are seeing in Ebonyi State more than any other state in Nigeria. For now he wants those who will not be distracted by the politics of tomorrow. for him any one that wants to contest for any post should start now and forget about coming to be part of the governance with his administration now.

You talked about handing over schools to the missionaries, is government footing the bills?

The schools are going to be run and managed by the private institutions who take over the schools. The mission schools will foot the bills but the governor sometimes gives subventions to the institutions even private institutions. If he feel there is need to do any form of partnership, like building of classrooms, hostels etc he will certainly do that.

But essentially, the mission schools are actually doing wonders especially the Catholic schools.  And I am sure it is safer in the hands of these missionaries. As you know education is not only in the concurrent list, it is also available for private investors to invest in.

What is the governor thinking of completing all the projects before he leaves office. Also, what is the current update on Ebonyi International Airport?

I want to say that so far so good. The ring road and the international airport are critical projects the governor is doing and he said he will deliver it gloriously.  For the ring road which cuts across so many communities will also have many ancillary social amenities being provided by the reason of the project. I want to inform you that so far contracts have been awarded. We have not less than three contractors who are on site for the various projects. Also, due diligence is being followed in the execution of the contracts. The contractors are working and the people are happy. What they did as a people was to do undertaking that all of these contractors will not have issues of violence or attack whatsoever. The people of the affected communities are taking it as their own projects and they are securing it .

Because of all these great projects and investments in the state, some people call him a miracle worker; others say he is a magician.  But for me I think he does miraculously wonders and the people are seeing that. For the international airport, I am sure that every other state started before him.  In fact he is the last to start but he said that before the time he bows out from the office, plane will land in the state airport. I don’t know the magic but I have severally visited the airport site and I want to tell you that even though the airport is fashioned after Abuja and Lagos , the governor said  it is going to be stronger , more durable and virile that Abuja and Lagos international airports. On Ebonyi Airport, every overlay is by concrete, the tarmac is by concrete.  I think it is more than eight inches thickness and it is with a guarantee of 50 years before you talk about maintenance.

Also, the kind of building infrastructures the governor is putting there, I am sure it is much better than anyone in current Nigerian airports. I am not exaggerating, you just need to come and see it. One thing I know about the governor is that whatever he tries to do, he normally gives his best.  He is challenged by the aspiration to bequeath to Ebonyi people a state that will never be neglected; a state that will never go back to inferiority complex and I am sure that he is really accomplishing that. Don’t forget, when he built the ecumenical center, it became the biggest ecumenical center built by any government in Africa, we are not exaggerating, I know that one of you who have visited the center can testify to that. When he built the shopping mall, even Senator Ben Bruce testified that he has traveled far and wide and he has never seen a shopping mall as big as that in Africa.  When he was building the flyovers, the people were like he promised six flyovers but under his administration the governor is doing 13 number of flyovers and the beauty of the flyovers are something that you cannot compare with any flyovers in Nigeria. These are strong indication that whatever the governor says he will do, God helps him to do that. He is a man who trusts God so much, he believes that whatever he does, that he needed the inspiration of God and with that he conquers.

With the type of projects the governor is doing, what is he planning for sustainability and smooth operation of those projects? Is there any form of partnership in site and what is the governor’s succession plan?

Actually, the governor is a man of inspiration.  Let me tell you, even before he became the governor, God has told him he will be a governor;  that was why everybody was amazed by his emergence. Because it has never happened to see a deputy governor succeeds a governor who never approve of him. But God made Umahi to be the deputy governor who became a governor when his master says no. Go and check the world history, it has never happened . The case of Zamfara; you know what happened. It is only in Ebonyi that God said touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm.  Before he became a party chairman he was already an accomplished Engineer and captain of industry. He was a millionaire at the age of 25 years . So, everything about him is full of quality and when he became governor , people were like how can you achieve all of this promises ,when there was economic recession and pandemic was at its peak. Even when the party he contested under failed at the center, when Ebonyi state is having the lowest revenue status in the country.

But god gave him the inspiration to administer. Today, we are singing songs of victory all over the place. What I am saying is that the same God that gave him the inspirations to achieve these great lots will give him the inspiration to know who will become his successor.  However, aside this, the governor thinks that he should not belabour the issue of who succeeds him. That it is God that gives. The way God gave him to the people of Ebonyi, God will also give who succeeds him. As an Elijah, God will give him an Elisha to succeed  him. But honestly, that is what is agitating the minds of the people as it is today because all of these long lasting infrastructures he built today, somebody really needs to continue where he stopped. I must say that he has other plans to ensure sustainability of the great legacies he built in the state. One of them is to ensure that all of these facilities are not run by government. He is looking at private sector participation in the running of those economic facilities, including the ecumenical center that will soon be handed over to the Christian association of Nigeria (CAN). Also the shopping mall is being arranged in a way that youths and business men can buy over spaces in the mall and it becomes theirs forever. He also made legislation on those projects so that no incoming government will rubbish the progress of the work done. Already, the international market is being given out to the market men and women.  The government is also planning that the international airport will be handed over to the people who will manage it. Also the university project will be producing dialyzers that will be used in treating patients .we are looking the hospital becoming center of excellence in medical tourism in Nigeria. The government is looking at private sector participation in managing the university hospital.

Funding these projects is huge. What is the state doing to improve on its internally Generated Revenue?

I concede to you that funding is a serious challenge and is only revenue generation that can solve the problem. The governor is thinking of increasing the revenue base of the state through automation of revenue collection process to ensure there are no leakages. And he is looking at doing more in the area mining and quarry sites and ensures there are no revenue leakages in those centers. He is planning of having direct interface with the companies. Also, he is planning improve on the ease of doing business in the state