We have come across a spiteful sketch paraded on the Social Media Space as a Press Release from the opposition People’s Democratic Party with the theme “DELIBERATE MISPLACEMENT OF PROJECTS FOR SELF ENRICHMENT AND IMPOVERISHMENT OF EBONYIANS: HOW BAD IS BAD ENOUGH”
In the ill-fated junk, the IDPs of the depleted umbrella paraded a letter allegedly written and signed by His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State, addressed to the Minister of Aviation seeking a facility to complete the ongoing Airport Project.
Ordinarily, we would have trashed the astigmatic snippet to the bin where it belongs, but we have elected to make the following clarifications to guide discerning minds.
First, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Ebonyi State Government asking for assistance from the Federal Government to finance a megaproject like the Airport. This is because Airport of Ebonyi quality and sophistry are gargantuan projects that require coordinated financing, otherwise, every State of the Federation would have afforded to have their Airports.
Ebonyi State was lucky to have gotten the approval of the federal government for the construction of the project and from day one, the Governor has maintained that the federal government has been a great partner in progress for the many transformations going on in the state without exception to the ongoing International Airport.
In a sensible society, Governor Umahi should be applauded for always making effort for the betterment of Ebonyi State.
Recall that Mr. President on his visit to Ebonyi for a campaign in 2019 had explained that Governor Umahi “don’t talk about a party but the development of his people”.
Second, there is also nothing wrong with concessioning the Airport to the Federal Government to run through the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. The most important thing is, who is the Project managed in trust for? Who are the beneficiaries of the Project? and whose economy is being improved as a result of the management be it by the Federal or State Government?
The same applies to the King David University of Medical Sciences, Uburu which has been handed over to the Catholic church to run. The government over time has proven not to be good managers of such Institutions and as such, the Government decided to partner with the Catholic Church who has proven track records in effective management of sundry Institutions. As usual, there is nothing wrong with that given that in the end, our people have quality education, quality health care, and our economy bubble with proceeds from the Institution.
The only thing wrong with the foregoing is the fact that the remnants of the house of Saul in Ebonyi State have been inundated with senseless criticisms of the programs and policies of Governor Umahi administration to the extent that they no longer see anything right in their blurred lenses of antagonism.
Otherwise, why have they not for once taken time to applaud the Governor for his ingenuity in conceiving these life-changing projects which have continued to attract National and International admiration but are bent on finding faults where none exist?
The General Public is enjoined to disregard the lone voice in the political wilderness of extinction which has engulfed the once populous party in the State only aimed at distracting the purposeful governance of Governor David Nweze Umahi.
Francis Nwaze Is The Special Assistant to the Governor On Media and Publicity.
