by Kingsley Maduforo
The Governor of Abia State Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is currently running at a high developmental speed and Abia indigenes have come to appreciate his efforts toward making Abia the power-house of SMEs in Nigeria.
Governor Ikpeazu is not just a work-man with a brand, he is a quantity vector with magnitude and direction. Despite the general economic downturn, the Governor has laid a solid foundation that is serving as a springboard for the rapid development of the State. He is driving a revolution in Abia and the State can only get better.
The issue of youth employment is a first case in point. In this regard, the Governor has launched the Traffic and Indiscipline Management Agency of Abia State (TIMAAS) through which over 200 Abia youths have been employed with the mandate, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to control traffic and regulate vehicular movement within the State. The agency has achieved considerable success in restoring sanity to the rather chaotic and insane road situation specially in Aba and Umuahia.
The Governor also adopted another strategy in tackling youth unemployment by initiating the Education for Employment (E4E) Programme which has skill acquisition and vocational training in its curriculum. The idea is to prepare students so that they would become self-employed, even employers of labour, after training.
The health sector has also received a boost recently through healthy partnership. The Governor identified two tertiary health centres in each of the three Senatorial zones of the State and brokered a public private hospital management firm that will take help equip the hospitals.
The health centres are: The Federal Medical Center (FMC) Umuahia,General Hospitals in Okpuala Ngwa, Isuikwuato and Amachara; Arochukwu Cottage Hospital, Owaza; Abia Health Office and 68 Primary Healthcare Centres as well as the Modern Chest Clinic at the Specialist Hospital, Amachara.The State has also reviewed its health policy with a view to reactivating and strengthening the health sector for greater efficiency.
Abia is on the speed lane towards increasing its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). This became possible through the effort of Governor Ikpeazu who engaged the services of reputable consultants who would harness the huge IGR potential of the State with the aim of increasing it from the #400m monthly to #1.5billion monthly. One step towards achieving this goal is through the harmonization and integration of the State tax system. The establishment of the Abia State Economic Advancement Team (ASTEAT) is also another Governor Ikpeazu’s effort towards achieving the economic blueprint that would drive a new economic initiative, set and initiate new agenda, new methodologies for the drive towards the new State IGR mandate.
This vision has led to a concerted war against multiple taxation and the eradication of touting and illegal revenue agents. The government has therefore blocked the leakages and conduit pipes through which state finance is siphoned. These drastic measures have yielded results in the recovery of government finance from illegal agents.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has also raised the bar in quality and innovation in road construction by introducing the Rigid Pavement Technology, popularly known as Cement Technology into the lexicon of road construction in Abia State. The various roads that have been constructed especially in the commercial city of Aba has engendered a good road network which has brought a positive effect on economic activities in the State and a boost in her IGR. At the moment, work is ongoing on over 30 roads spread across the State while 32 roads have been completed.
The Governor emphasized on quality which is why the roads are being constructed with high quality cement technology, good drainage network and street lights. The Governor engages in this kind of high quality road construction in order to ensure a lasting legacy. The load-bearing capacity of these roads is strengthened through this technology which will also boost the quality of the finished work.
In the area of diversifying the State economy, the Governor has created a conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) are seen to be pivotal to State economic growth and development. In order to achieve the required economic growth through the establishment of SMEs, the Governor provided the innovative marketing, financial and management skill that are useful for business operations. He also initiated favourable policies that would help in attracting funding for the SMEs.
Governor Ikpeazu is a man who understands the importance of SMEs and he has given it the proper attention required to help boost the economy of the State and also increase its IGR. Right now, the “Aba Made Goods” are regaining its lost glory. The Small and Medium Scale Enterprises are running at a high velocity because of the platform laid down for them by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
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