Aham Uko is a banker, economic expert and currently a regional staff of United Bank for Africa. He was recently in his Ohuhu community in Abia state during which he donated some projects, including the inauguration of an endowment for widows in the area. SUNDAY NWAKANMA takes him up on some national issues as well as those bordering on development within his home state of Abia
Living life for humanity
Today is a special day in the sense that I believe I owe the life I live today to God and all His mercies upon my life and I feel I need to return to him by completing that parsonage built by the church. I started that exercise in 2012 and completed it in 2013. I have to furnish that complex between 2013 and today. I felt that man is in transition and because man is in transition, all God has given us on earth is for us to use it for the benefit of mankind and I think I need to make some sacrifice by committing myself to the completion of that project in the church today.
Projects for my people
Yes. If you come around Nkwoegwu, you see the difference. The solar lights in Nkwoegwu, I imported them from directly from Europe and I had to install them across the four autonomous communities in Okaiuga Nkwoegwu. I had to extend it to Afugiri, Umuda, and nine other communities in Ohuhu land, particularly around the market square or where the less privileged converge at night. I felt I needed to illuminate all of those areas. I have done also roads, a crescent, linking Egwu-Na-Eleke, linking Umuohuru, Umuafiaka, and we are also going to do more. Incidentally, on Friday, we handed over to a contractor that he should completely renovate the primary school of Okaiuga Nkwoegwu. That is on-going. We are doing a water scheme that will completely give water to all the communities in Okaiuga Nkwoegwu. That is also on-going. We are billed to do more.
Today, we are distributing 3000 mosquito nets. I realized that one ailment or what is prevalent in our area is exactly malaria and typhoid. Anybody that goes for a medical test will be told he has malaria and typhoid to that extent that I got 3000 Mosquito nets which we today commenced the distribution across the communities in Ohuhu. And I felt I needed to also have to do an endowment for the widows which the governor also supported me with N1.5 million and the PDP National Vice Chairman, South-East, Col Austin Akobundu also supported me by giving N500, 000.00 so that the widows will have a cooperative society where they would run to, to be able to access fund to develop their projects. Usually prior to this time, I gave them bags of rice at Christmas and I felt that this was not enough and felt the need to have an endowment for them. So I registered and opened account for them and today I gave them N1.5 million to run that cooperative society. I have a scholarship scheme that is particularly targeted at the less privileged and the indigent. About 15 university and secondary school students are under the scholarship and as the Lord pleases, we will continue to do more.
Donating a bus to the state government
I felt that the governor has done very well and anybody that has done well at the state level should go to the federal level. What I did was practically to give him that endorsement and by that all the people from my area, particularly Ohuhu will know where I stand. i felt I need to make the world know where I stand and should come out early to do so before his declaration, urging him to go ahead. i told him clearly that he is now is at the point of no return. He must declare to go to Abuja, because I feel he has gathered much experience to be able to speak for us Abians and that was what I did by that show of a token with the bus to encourage him that we are behind him and urging him to make the declaration that he has to go to Abuja.
Development in Abia
Development is not achieved in one day. What he has done and what he is doing is to lay the foundation. These are building blocks which others will build upon. If you know what is going in Lagos today, Fashola didn’t start that overnight. It was Tinubu that laid the foundation upon which Fashola is building. So we want Ochendo (Gov. Orji) to lay the foundation upon which some other persons would come and then build up. For me, he has commenced by the renovation of primary schools, agricultural ventures that would create employment and make Abia the food basin within the south east. He has commenced some road projects and a lot of other things which I feel are projects that others would build upon. I think what he has done is relatively a departure from what it was in the past. They are foundation upon which somebody else can continue after him.
Do you have any political ambition?
I am not a politician, but man is a political being so we cannot completely exclude ourselves from the happenings within our environment. Why should we complain if you don’t stick out your neck to have your voice heard about the happening within your environment? Man is the product of his environment, therefore we will go out to look at what is happening outside and ensure where we come from is developed in such a manner that our youths and ourselves will be able to compete favourably with others from other states.
Assessing President Jonathan on security
Security is a collective responsibility. We cannot say Jonathan has failed. We all should support him and being agent of own security as well. So collectively, we should be our brother’s keeper by noticing happenings in our environment and alerting the authorities to take action if we notice unusual events around us. For instance, the state governor has done well and the security in the state has considerably improved and everybody moves around without fear. So I think that in the cause of time, there will be tranquility in this country. So I will not say the president has failed, but I would say that people should have increasing awareness about what is happening in their environment.
World bank rating of Nigeria and Chibok girls
There can be no development without security, granted that it is a reflection of GDP that puts us ahead of South Africa. But for you to attract foreign direct investment, there has to be security. So we must work for security and a stable political environment for that to attract the needed foreign investment. It is gratifying to note that both the World Bank and the United Nations have undertaken to re-integrate the Chibok girls upon their release. Yes it is not giving us a good image and representation, but it is one of those things and I believe we will overcome . In the cause of time, I know that those that have abducted them will have a re-think and will have those our daughters released to be re-integrated into the society.
