Governor T.A Orji is weeping over the comments on Abia state by his friend Prince Arthur Eze. As if what Arthur Eze said was not enough , residents joined issues and said not only that Abia stinks, Aba its commercial center stinks too caling for the head of T.A Orji hence it is no longer at ease in Abai state .The story goes thus:
Prince Arthur Eze said ,“Right from the Abia Tower in Umuahia, the rot hits you,” the oil magnate continued. “Abia State is now the dirtiest in the country. Garbage everywhere, along with bad roads. The people are really suffering, and you see it in their faces. Are there no elders in Abia again? If so, what are they doing? What are the senators, the members of House of Representatives, and other elected people doing? Nothing.”
It was a bad day for Gov. T.A Orji as he assembled a battery of illustrious personalities to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the creation of Abia State in Umuahia last Wednesday.
Rather than effusive praises, what came the way of the governor were censure and excoriation from no less a person than multi-billionaire, Chief Arthur Eze, who told the gathering dead pan: “Abia State stinks.” He then dropped the microphone, and walked out.
Venue was the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, where the governor had gathered illustrious citizens of the state, some of whom were to be given awards to mark the 23rd anniversary.
In the sessions of comments that preceded the awards ceremony, Chief Eze was recognized to speak. But what he said sent cold chill running down the spines of majority of the people, particularly the governor.
“Abia is stinking,” Eze, believed to have the largest oil bloc in Africa, bellowed. The audience was stupefied in shock, but more was to come.
“Right from the Abia Tower in Umuahia, the rot hits you,” the oil magnate continued. “Abia State is now the dirtiest in the country. Garbage everywhere, along with bad roads. The people are really suffering, and you see it in their faces. Are there no elders in Abia again? If so, what are they doing? What are the senators, the members of House of Representatives, and other elected people doing? Nothing.”
Then, pointedly, Chief Eze told the governor: “If you do not know what to do again, please write to President Goodluck Jonathan, and let him come to your aid. Abia State needs help.”
Having given the gathering a piece of his mind, Eze dropped the microphone on the floor, and walked out.
It was a dazed Gov Orji who jerked himself out of stupor, and tried to rationalize what Arthur Eze had said. He said the man was referring to the collapsed Port Harcourt to Aba Expressway, which was a federal road.
But the explanation sounded hollow to the governor himself, and after some time, he left the venue of the ceremony, without taking questions from journalists, as such occasion would have demanded.
Confirming the story to Daily Sun, an associate of Chief Eze, said the state of Abia State was really dispiriting, with decay and despondency everywhere. ” I am sure most of the dignitaries quietly agreed with Chief Eze, only that they could not do so openly. One must commend Chief Eze’s courage for being bold enough to speak out. Not many people can do so today. In Abia State today, there is the son of one of the elected officials, called The Wind, who is like terror. He silences all opposition, and deals ruthlessly with anyone in opposition to the government. So, not many people can speak out. But we must commend Chief Eze for his boldness and conviction.”
Among dignitaries at the Abia anniversary event were Austin Akobundu, vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-East, who was to receive an award, immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, PDP chairman in Abia State, Emmanuel Nwaka, party chieftains, and others.
Abia State was created in August 1991 by the Ibrahim Babangida administration alongside others like Osun, Delta, and Jigawa.
Meanwhile , Residents of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, have expressed concern over the filthy condition of the city and the possible health hazard it could cause.
Some of the residents who spoke with reporters on Tuesday in Aba, expressed concern over the unhygienic condition of the commercial city which now has overflowing mountains of rubbish.
James Onuka appealed to Governor Theodore Orji to reprimand those responsible for the situation, adding that further delay in sanitising the environment might be catastrophic.
Mr. Onuka called on the chairmen of the Aba North and Aba South local government areas as well as the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) to be alive to their statutory responsibilities.
He noted that the filthy state of the city had not changed for a long time, adding that the rains have worsened the situation.
“There is nothing to show for the several arbitrary levies imposed on residents of the city towards ensuring a healthy environment,” he said.
Another resident, Onwuka Eke, noted that heaps of refuse packed by roads sides two weeks ago after a clean-up exercise had not been evacuated.
“We heard they are trying to levy us to remove the dirt scooped from the drains over two weeks ago.
“At the same time, they are sending us demand notices to pay ASEPA fees or go to jail; yet the city is filled with filth.
“I think most of us have chosen the latter option should things continue to go this way,” Mr. Eke, a trader, said.
He said it was the responsibility of the local government to de-silt the drains and cart away the rubbish.
“But it is a shame that more than two weeks after the drains were de-silted, the rubbish from there are still lying on the road sides,” the trader complained.
Mr. Eke expressed concern over the state government’s recent directive to council chairmen and revenue generating agencies to harmonise taxes levied residents of the city, while urging those concerned to painstakingly carry out the directive.
Last week, the state governor berated the council chairmen of Aba North and Aba South local governments over their inability to clean up the city and shore up the revenue base of the state.
He ordered them to stop demanding unauthorised and indiscriminate taxes and levies from traders at the Ariaria International Market
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