The developmental stride of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has attracted so much recommendations. The latest is from the media after a recent media tour of some projects just before the APC special national convention to elect its presidential flagbearer. AMARA CHUKWU EGWUAGHA reports.
Just as human beings fall in love with the opposite sex, in the same way Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state is in love with the construction of projects. No wonder he has executed so many exciting projects in the state.
Umahi though rounding off his eighth year tenure as a governor still indulges in the construction of projects, such that people wonder if he would finish them before he bows out from office.
Of particular wonder is from the media who saw the infrastructural strides of the governor.
Recently, the state played host to the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) who were in the state for a meeting. The visit gave them the opportunity of going round some of the projects. The media people visited the King David Medical University of Science Uburu, the Ultra-Modern Shopping Mall, Ecumenical Centre and flyover at Edda still under construction among other projects.
After this visit, the negative narratives they had on Umahi and the state changed such that one hears something like, “When this man came out declaring for the Presidency I had said does he think that Presidency is an all-comers affair; who is this one? Today, I know it is not good to speak wrong of anybody, thank God I came for this meeting. Nigeria needs people like this, see talents untapped,. We have solid material in this man ooo,” and so on.
NUJ speaks
The national president of NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo while addressing the governor during an audience said, ” Having been in the state for the past 48 hours, we have come to the state specifically to hold our quarterly Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting. Since our emergence for the second time, this would be the first time that we are holding this kind of engagement in Southern Nigeria. Yesterday we took out time to go into all the nooks and crannies of Ebonyi state and at some point, we discovered that we have not even scratched what you put on the ground. From what we saw, I must tell you clearly that you have done very well as a governor.
“As the president and indeed by extension national leaders of the media industry in Nigeria, we’ve had the opportunity of travelling across the country. There is no state we have not visited and had time to look at the array of activities in the state. What we saw yesterday were outstandingly remarkable. Going through the complex of the University of Medical Sciences in Uburu, in fact, if you blindfold anybody and drop the person at the complex, it would be difficult for the person to know where he/she is, and you may not understand the import of what you put down there because Nigerians especially our political leaders appreciate what you put down there. You have succeeded in selling medical tourism. Because what people travel across Asia, America and Europe to seek, you have brought to Ebonyi state.
“While we were traveling around the states, flyovers were dropping like papers at every point and we felt the impact of your administration. The one that endeared me so much is the ambitious project you have in Edda. From what we heard and how much you have put into it, if it where in some other places what would be used to execute that project would gulp the resources of that state for the next 20 years.
“Apart from putting these people-oriented projects, you have also excelled in the prudent management of lean resources because by the time somebody looks at the things you do, the person would be wondering whether you have started minting money.
“From what you have done, I think Nigeria should unite and come to Ebonyi and plead with you to come and replicate what you have done at the national level.
NAWOJ too
Also speaking at the same event, the national president, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Ladi Bala extolled Umahi’s performances saying, “Your Excellency since yesterday that we went around, I saw a massive transformation that you have brought to bear in Ebonyi state, something came running through my mind and I began to search how you were able to do this. I said your name is David that even God acknowledged that David is a man after his heart, not just a man after God’s heart but a man with the heart of the people.
“The president talked about the University of Medical Sciences; we were all blown away with what we saw on the ground and I see a man that is not concerned about riches; a man who understands the principle of vision, the vision of writing his name in gold and I said this is the kind of leaders that Nigeria needs at this time. What you have done is not just for yourself, it’s not just for the people of Ebonyi state but you are so futuristic in your vision.
“I see a man that wants to transform the whole of the society to make it habitable, and prosperous such that would attract outsiders to come and say this is where things are happening. Somebody said it is like the media have not projected enough what you have done. We are all marveled and we wondered where you been all this while that you have not even stepped to the central level to see that Nigeria is taken beyond what it is today.
“Our consolation is that God has given you the vision to step out; with what we saw, we are the ones to come and ask you to please come to the centre to rescue this country from where it is.”
NGE corroborates others
The president, Nigeria Guide of Editors (NGE), Mallam Mustapha Isah, who was in the state with his members for a meeting a week before NUJ and NAWOJ said after touring Umahi’s projects that the governor was fully qualified to succeed President Muhammad Buhari.
According to him, “All of us are here and we have seen what he has done. For a governor to embark on this kind of project, it’s not easy and we should give kudos to such a governor. I know what it takes to erect this type of bridge. I believe that when completed, it’s going to open up this place to more economic activities.
“I understand that this road leads to Abia and Cross River states. We give kudos to the governor. We have seen other projects he has done, I think he is finishing strong. This project costs about 3bn naira and it’s on direct labour, not through any contract. I’m sure if it were some other states, they would be quoting incredible figures.
“If you say you would create one million jobs if elected president of Nigeria, how many jobs have you created in your state? This is the time for us to ask the right questions for us to get it right in 2023. So, all of us including the media should play a critical role in asking questions to the aspirants and maybe later, the candidates, otherwise, we are doomed. Why I’m saying this, is that currently, you see what is going on, maybe in 2015 and 2029, we didn’t ask these questions.
“So, all of us should get it right this time around because we are passing through a lot and we have to play our part in ensuring that democracy benefits the people and all of us. If we make the wrong choices, all of us would suffer, but if we make the right choices, all of us would be happy about it.
“You know, as media, we are supposed to be neutral, but in bringing out the facts, we allow the people to be the judge. As media, we put the facts before the people so that they will make informed choices.
“We are going to report what we have seen in Ebonyi state. We are going to report what the governor has done here and based on that, the people would decide whether the man should replicate this at the centre. The governor is a performer. He is a man that can do something with the little available to him. He is eminently qualified to be the president of this country.”
