by Ubani Newman Ubani
#AbiaOnline
The nexus of Governor Ikpeazu’s development strategy in Abia has the economy at its centrepiece. It was well articulated and drafted even before his ascendancy to power, thus it was part and parcel of his campaign promises to coordinate and improve upon the economic potentials and prospects of God’s Own State – a viable tool to better the lives of Abians in all facets.
Interestingly, Abia is home to renowned entrepreneurial, industrial and inventory geniuses, all that was lacking was a serene business-operating-conducive environment which will serve as a springboard and catalyst for their explosion. It will not be out of place to adduce that the life wire cum prosperity of Abia is heavily attached to her commercial strengths.
Considering the backdrop of improved IGR which, inarguably will make us less dependent on a diminishing Federal monthly allocations, thus decoupling our dear State from taking begging bowls to Abuja.
Another attendant benefit is in provision of job opportunities, a beehive of commercial activities such as Abia’s will eventualize into the absorption of our teeming unemployed youths which will invariably decrease crime rate and juvenile delinquencies in our contemporary society.
Incontrovertibly, the nucleus of Abia’s economic prowess and reference point is Aba, christened the “Japan of Africa”. Thus any serious and responsive government such as Ikpeazu’s will prioritize and drive its development to ginger her inherent ingenuity and can-do posture of her inhabitants. Aba, has grown overtime from an Ngwa city to cynosure and a place for meeting the hope and aspirations of the lgbo man cum Nigeria’s generally, hence the crucial benefits attached to the determination and vigor of Governor Ikpeazu’s administration to fixing the myriad of challenges of the Aba metropolis for people of different class and creed.
Before the advent of the Ikpeazu’s administration, dearth of infrastructure and social amenities were holding business activities at the jugular, companies, industries and businessmen left the city in droves to perceived safer and conducive havens. This prompted this government, on assumption, to flag off different road projects to discourage this drift which was really telling on government coffers as a result of reduced IGR accruals. Furthermore, there was no clement business environment occasioned by obnoxious laws and practices leading to so many bottlenecks for businesses. It was also within the purview and confines of the then nascent Ikpeazu’s government to redress those anomalies to ensure ease of doing business.
Commendably, roads leading to economic strongholds and major markets are being constructed, many on the verge of finishing in Aba, Umuahia and across the length and breadth of the State calculated to spur commercial activities.
Agencies that will improve on the ease of doing business established like ABSAA etc, will have brought orderliness and coordination of our business terrain. It is thus attributive to the inflows of investment and investors into Abia State.
Cardinally, Governor Ikpeazu’s blueprint of the “Made in Aba” is a laudable initiative, first of its kind in our history, it is thus a red letter legacy that is meant to promote and project our indigenous products to the national and international corridors, having gained wide applauds and commendations from notable Nigerians, thus a ploy to elicit patronage of our home made products which will stop the drain on our national reserve as a result of mindless importation and high dependency on foreign goods.
Cheeringly, trade fairs have been conducted in Abuja and plans are in top gear to replicate same outside the shores of Nigeria, thus marketing and showcasing our production quality. The benefits of this tactful economic approach will greatly push us to the international radar.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s contingent economic strategy is in tune with Abia peculiarities as such, a signpost to a prosperous state and a reference point of industrialization among the comity of Nigerian states and the world over.
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