A DEPENDABLE ALLY

Iyke Ogbonnaya writes that Ude Oko Chukwu, deputy governor of Abia State, means well for his people

Works do not lie and my imagination has been thoroughly beaten in the elusive attempt of wanting to reconcile what sense it makes for some kinsmen to blindly wage a needless war against a deputy governor who has not only remained consistently loyal and humble, but has deeply touched the lives of his people. But those who are naïve will indifferently sympathise with political merchants, whose unbridled desire to occupy one position or the other compels them to tactlessly promote their desires.

However, the futility of these despicable acts is anchored on the well acknowledged life changing templates on which the deputy governor has been operating.

Inherent in those path-finding platforms include but not limited to his being a distinguished statesman with a gentle demeanour, powered by a dogged drive to constantly put smiles on the faces of Abians and his Nkporo clan. Some of the developmental strides which the deputy governor’s administrative imprimatur has aided him to deliver to the people shall be manifested in this endeavour bearing in mind the constraints of time and space.

I was amazed beyond measure, on getting to know that for more than a decade, the Abia deputy governor undertook to faithfully defray the cost of periodically grading and managing the Etiti-Ama Nkporo road before the ongoing intervention of government.

On assumption of office, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu graciously replaced the contractor handling the construction of the road with a more competent one, resulting in the 80% completion of drainages, considered inevitable in roads construction.

In the days ahead, the patience, cooperation and understanding of the good people of Nkporo wil be duely rewarded as they roll out the drums to inaugurate the gateway Etiti-Ama Nkporo road, attracted by their illustrious son, Rt. Hon. Sir Ude Oko Chukwu.

I can also see that the deputy governor’s mud-slinging household enemies feigned ignorance of his spectacular empowerment programme, which held in September 2014 and during which innumerable vehicles including jeeps where given out to benefiting stakeholders including Ndi Eze’s across the length and breadth of the 17 local government areas of Abia State. Other items that were freely given out include garri processing machines, tricycles, hair dressing accessories, sewing machines, grinding machines, motorcycles, buses, etc.

The deputy governor had earlier built and lavishly equipped a comprehensive skills acquisition centre in Abriba and Nkporo which boast of barbing saloon, fashion designing, ICT centre and aluminum fabricating units.

Not minding that he has been taking the bills for payment of West African School Certificate Examination of all Nkporo students at the academic front, he has also at different times and seasons attracted the renovation of all the school blocks in Etiti-Ama high school and followed it up with construction of three brand new classroom blocks. Same was also done to Nkporo Comprehensive Secondary School,

FROM WHICHEVER PERSPECTIVE WE DESIRE TO LOOK AT IT, THE TRUTH REMAINS THAT OKO HAS CONSISTENTLY REMAINED A DEPENDABLE AND LOYAL ALLY TO GOVERNOR IKPEAZU IN THE ONGOING PROJECT OF RECONSTRUCTING ABIA

where two brand new classroom blocks were recently constructed.

As if that was not enough, the deputy governor, who knows the importance of allocating values, went further to attract the renovation of five classroom blocks and construction of three new ones at Nkporo Central School. This was followed with the supply of 30 new study desks in each of the seven primary schools in Nkporo.

In the health sector, available record indicates that more than five health centres built at Nkporo were achieved at the instance of the deputy governor. He followed it up with the construction of nursing quarters of two bedroom flats each to spare the natives the trauma of not having nurses on duty when they seek medical attention especially at odd hours.

This is why they must eschew being beguiled and conscripted into accepting that a son who regularly engages first class health practitioners including MTN foundation for treatment of their varying degrees of health challenges has done nothing, given the mindblowing financial implications of the interventions.

The team-playing spirit and kind-hearted disposition of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was recently put to work, when he approved and personally came to flag off the construction of big and ambitious Nkporo General Hospital.

There is no denying the truth that before long, the reward for believing will be the deserving portion on the whole spectrum of Nkporo clan as we earnestly hope that their implicit confidence in their go-getting son will not be truncated by few political chameleons.

They are at liberty to compare notes, and recall vividly that while some of their sons who held public offices in the past maximised it for personal gains, their son has attracted over seven electricity transformers to ensure that Nkporo keeps glowing.

Perhaps, it will be instructive to enjoin the youths to remember that at the end of every race, miles will be counted. During one of those stock takings, if nothing else counts for their brother deputy governor, it will be recalled that he single-handedly roofed the Nkporo Youths Centre, which situates at Etiti-Ama Nkporo. This is besides several halls he has built in Nkporo and the icing of having completed arrangements to deliver a massive hall that will shelter all Nkporo community when they congregate in thousands. It will also be remembered that through the instrumentality of Ude Oko Chukwu, throngs of Nkporo sons and daughters secured admission to study at various universities in Nigeria and he gave scholarship to many of them in Law School. Through his invaluable intervention, many sons and daughters of Ohafia LGA have been recruited into Abia State Civil Service and many others occupying elevated positions of authority.

I featured in the roll call of an official event, during which the deputy governor promised to provide Nigerian Bar Association Ohafia Chapter with an official vehicle. Memories of that promise were yet to be forgotten, when we were mobilised back to witness its fulfilment. Ogbonnaya wrote from Umuahia