Not yet a dawning in Ikwuano LG, Your Excellency!

Situated in Abia Central Senatorial Zone lies Ikwuano local government, a strategic food basket of Abia state and beyond. The local government shares boundaries with Akwa Ibom state, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Bende, Ini and Isiala Ngwa local government areas. With headquarters at Isiala Oboro, Ikwuano LG is made up of four ancient clans, namely; Oboro, Ibere, Ariam/Usaka and Oloko. The local government was carved out from Ikwuano/Umuahia LG in 1991 to ensure further development and in recognition of its agrarian and geographical importance given its location.

Farming is one of the mainstay of the people and it produces in abundance yams, cassava, maize, pears and other abundance in African fruits like breadfruit, cocoyams among others. Cocoa is found in Ikwuano, and palm trees, raffia palm which produces the favoured raffia palm wine (nmanyi ngwo and nmanyi nkwu). It has three markets which receive buyers from farflung locations. These are Ndoro market, Ariam market and Amizi markets. Of these, Ndoro is better known given its location, and it holds on nkwo days in Ndoro. Kaolin also exists in large commercial quantities in parts of Oboro, specifically Ogbuebulla community, which could be used for the ceramics industry.

The famous Government College Umuahia is located in parts of Ikwuano, as much as an Abia state University campus and Michael Okpara University. Recently, a private university, Amadeus University has been opened in the local government. As such beyond its location, Ikwuano can be considered the education belt of the state. There is an estimated 275, 000 people located in the local government, most of who supported and gave a bloc vote to the current government led by Your Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti. Our belief is, given Ikwuano’s potentials in the state, the local government would attract more than a perfunctory attention and enjoy a more wholesome state and local government attention than has been the case previously.

The election of Your Excellency as the Governor of the state indeed brought reprieve and succour to Abians irrespective of location, political or religious orientation. Indeed all are experiencing good governance which seemed like a mirage in the not so far past. Rapid development efforts going on in Aba, Umuahia, Arochukwu, Ohafia are transformational and keep our hopes high that Ikwuano given its strategic location and falling within the state capital territory would sooner than later, receive the attention due it. Which would in the long and short terms be beneficial to the state and all Abians.

Indeed, historic efforts have been made with the reconstruction of the road that leads from Amawom to Ibere and Bende which had not witnessed any such effort since the colonial times. There are also a reassurance of intervention on the gully erosion that is cutting up communities in Ariam-Usaka, as much as the rebuilding of a broken bridge at Ibere. And recently, the state government announced that it would begin work on the Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene road, a major interstate road which links Abia to Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Promises upon promises have been made to rebuild the road which will ease transportation of goods and services to and from the two states, and help with transportation of foodstuff and livestock to more developed parts of the state, region and other parts of Nigeria.

These efforts are historic and commendable. In fact they have lifted hopes of the people that the light of a new dawn has reached Ikwuano people. Yet like Oliver Twist we call on Your Excellency for more. There are more roads constructed by the colonial government which are broken down and have made living a sacrifice for the people. The Ndoro to Ibere road is unmotorable just like that from Okwe to Obuohia Ibere. This becomes more important given the strategic economic trees such as cocoa which are in abundance in Ibere. Reconstruction of those roads will ensure an inclusive growth that will impact positively on thar sector while ensuring that cocoa farmers and buyers receive fair compensations in their interactions. Trunk C roads which lead from Ndoro to Olori, Umuigu, Ntalakwu and other communities need attention as much as that from the Expressway to Nnono community. Other such important roads which need attention include Umuigu to Ogbuebulla road, inner roads to Obbunta, Amizi, Awomukwu, Obuohia Oloko among others need attention. Lastly is the need to fight the gully erosion ravaging parts of Ibere, Ogbuebulla and Ariam-Usaka.

Your Excellency, indeed the needs appear insurmountable but with the dedication you have shown so far to turn Aba to a model town, more can be achieved when attention is paid to Ikwuano LG. And to further enhance the standards of living, locating or encouraging companies to situate in Ikwuano LG would ensure for a more rapid development and growth of the area. And as you observed, the creation of another local government from Ikwuano will further fast track the development of the area, while increasing the earnings accruable to Abia state.

Indeed we have all witnessed the sun rise over Abia, and we’re certain that it is overhead and shining brightly, yet Ikwuano is yet to feel the heat of this dawning.

Okiyi, writes from Abuja