Lagos — Hon Chuks Agube, Chairman Abi LGA in Cross River State speaks on various on-going projects in the LGA and other activities for transforming the Council. He spoke to Tom Moses

Your Campaign for the Chairmanship of Abi Local Government Chairmanship centered on transformation. You are almost one year in office. What steps have been taken towards transforming Abi LGA?

The issue of transformation is a kind of global idea. What it simply means is transforming the life of the people, you are talking about transforming the environment, and you are talking about transforming the society.

So far, so good, from all indications under one year we have been able to touch the life of our people positively. Take for instance, in order to decongest the aging secretariat by the pioneer government of the local government and the need to provide a more befitting accommodation that will house political office holders, top civil servants, legislatures and traditional rulers council we have embarked on the construction of an ultra modern political block. The building will be equipped with modern amenities including internet facilities. As I am talking to you work has reached advanced stage and by October we are talking about roofing. Also the building will house all my supervisors, political appointees, chambers of the tradition council, the Vice-Chairmen of the Council and the Secretary. The entire political wing is going to be housed in the new building we are constructing.

And again, in the bid to reduce the issue of restiveness upon the youths, we have been able to establish a skill acquisition centre in the council area. As I am talking with you we have about 150 Youths undergoing various training in computer, hair dressing salon, soap making, sewing. By the end of this month we desire to get them empowered. All the necessary tools that they will be empowered with on completion of the program is in place. And again we have been able to put in place Abi Local Government Area Urbanization (Sanitation Agency) it is no longer the Chairman talking it is the people that are talking about steps that are being taken toward transforming Abi Local Government and the people in general.

You talked about various on-going projects. What is the actual state of these projects?

Okay, like I had mentioned earlier about the political block that we are into. The level of construction is almost 70%. We equally have what we call the Ultra Modern Health Centre in Igbo Ikpalegwa. The Igbo Ikpalegwa Health Centre is one of those areas that we feel that we must give priority attention to this period, because in the whole Abi LGA that is the only area that does not have a Health Centre. As I am talking with you it is already at the lintel level. It is expected that within the next two - three months the Ultra Modern Health Centre in Ikpalegwa is billed for official commissioning. There is also this renovation work that is on-going at Ekureku area of Abi, that is about six -classroom block, it was just at the foundation level that the Community came up with. So we are thinking that we should be able to complete that project for the Community.

Another important project we are working on is the water project. We are about awarding the contract by next week, the design, engineering aspect has been done by next week we will be the signing the contract for the project to begin. We had to commence on this project because the State Government is bringing in pipe borne water to the Abi LGA H/Q Itigidi and that will reach Ekureku and Adagama. We are only complementing the effort of the state by extending pipe borne water to other Communities.

Again we had renovated some markets in the area of particular mention is the Usumutona Market as I am talking with you, the place wears a completely new shape. Before now it was completely in a state of disrepair, it was nothing to write home about. But as I am talking with you it was nothing to write-home about but as I am talking with you we have given the people a face lift.

So far these are some of the projects we've carried out. I am not talking about the stalls acquisition, those one are equally there for you to see. When you go there and see then you will appreciate what the Council is doing.

In the Course of the Interview, you talked about the Supportive & the Complementary relationship between the State Government & Local Government.

What is the Council doing about road construction, agriculture, Women/Youth empowerment and other elements that could bring about the transformation you talked about?

I must confess we have a problem in that area. In Abi LGA we have three major roads, these include the 22 km Annong-Ediba Usumutong-Ebom-Igonigoni road, the Ikpalegwa -Imabana road and the Agbo Central- Adadama road these are the major roads we have in Abi Local Government Area. This is apart from the Ugep Itigidi Abaomege road that one is Federal Government which is under construction as I am talking with you.

The roads I have mentioned have been captioned in the State Government Budget for this year. We have a kind of partnership between the State and the Local Government through the rural development agency. The State Government set-up a rural development agency where we have to co-fund that agency to enable them bring massive road construction to all area.

The essence of the partnership is that if you allow Councils to do its roads, they may not reliably follow the specification or designs for the road construction; apart from the fact you may not even have money to complete the jobs. So the State Government within its wisdom established that agency and so all Council are contributing, the State Government is contributing and other donor agencies. They have come to Abi LGA, they have taken designs, and all they are waiting for is for the rainy season to end and the dry season sets in. I want to tell you confidently by next year the issue of road construction would have been resolved.

As per transportation, right now, Abi Transport Officials are waiting for a meeting. When we came on board, we discovered that there was no single vehicle carrying the logo of the Council as in having one vehicle for Abi LGA. We discovered that we were only living on commission from private individuals who were flying the colour of Abi Transport. Today we have brought for the company five brand new 18-seater buses. It is our expectation that after six months the number of Abi Transport Buses will be increased. The name of the company is ABITRANS Mass Transit Company.

On health care provision, we are having a synergy between the State Government and the Local Government based on the policy of the State. Like I told you earlier, we are building an Ultra Modern Health Centre and renovating others. It is also our desire to make sure that the Health Centre which was constructed by the past regime is going to be fully equipped by my own administration. What we are waiting for is when we officially commission the Ikpalegwa Health Centre we will at the same time equip the Afafanyi Health Centre.

Some weeks back, we went into another kind of free Medical Services to people. This was in conjunction with a member of House of Representatives from Abiakor Ahi Federal Constituency. Operations were carried on a good number of our people on free medical treatment. They started from Igbo Imabana axis and by next week we will enter Bahumono and Agho axis.

Remember when the wife of the Senate President, Dr. (Mrs.) Rosemarie Mark, visited, our people were heavily mobilised and the program was supported. When an NGO comes, we support them. All these are some of efforts the Local Government in trying as much as possible to collaborate with every NGO that comes to Abi for any program.

I had earlier mentioned the issue of Women Empowerment with respect to the skills acquisition centre that is actually interwoven because we try as much as possible to make sure that the women and the youths are put together in this skill acquisition centre so that we will be able to empower them. I had told you that they have been on three months training in various skills like computer operation, hair dressing, soap making, fashion design, block moulding. We expect that by the end of September 2008 materials needed will be handed over to them to make a living out of it. Basically the idea is a strategy to stem restiveness among Abi Youths. Before now one of the sources of their revenue was ferrying but ever since the bridge was completed, they now had to fall back to Council.

The Council then reasoned that the only way to stem the Youth restiveness and help the people to be on their own is to set up the skills acquisition which we have already done. It is our expectation that between now and next year more Youths will graduate from the Abi LG Skill Acquisition Centre. This is based on the fact that by September ending, the Youths will be passing out, and if this continues before we complete our term you can have an idea of the population that would have benefited from the Abi Skills Acquisition Centre.

On agriculture, it is one important area Abi Local Government Area is actually going out to do so many things. We have set up an agency, Agricultural Empowerment Agency. The law has been passed by Abi Legislative House for us to see how we can empower our farmers. Already we have procured fertilizers for distribution to our farmers. We have equally thought of how to empower the rice farmers in Abi.

You may not know that the Abakaliki rice is actually produced in Abi LG in a place called Ekureku. They then ship them to Abakaliki for processing, bagged and then sent out as Abakaliki rice, when actually the rice comes from Ekureku in Abi LG Cross River State. Therefore it is the intention of the LG to establish a rice mill in Abi LGA, we have the design already we are expecting the partners who are coming in very soon to look at the site.

On Security and Tourism to be fair to you since Friday, 14th December 2007 when I was sworn in as the 6th electedq Chairman of Abi Local Governing Council, the issue of security has been very wonderful. I must thank God for the types of security team from DPO, SSS and Civil defense. Maintenance of Peace and Security is one of the cardinal priorities.

Apart from inaugurating the Boundary Disputes and Conflict Resolution Committee and holding monthly security meetings with Heads of Security Agencies in Abi LGA, we have been talking to Ebom/Ebijakara, Usumutong/ Ijom Abayong. It is expected that by next week we are going to arrange another meeting of Youths. We want to come up with a report to his Excellency. This is the situation on ground concerning Ebom/Ebijakara people. On how to resettle Ebom/Ebijakara people for now in terms of general state of security in Abi LGA we are very okay because all decisions were collectively reached.

How Important is Abi LGA to the State and Nigeria in General?

Abi LGA to Nigeria; Abi LGA is the gate way to the larger part of the state.

Why I am saying so is that as you want to go Enugu, Abia, Anambra, you have to pass through Abi LGA and from there to other parts of Nigeria. So if you have a security network that is not good enough then life and property and Nigerians are not safe in that kind of area.

It is the only way out and way in. So it is very important that the Federal Government should come and complete the road project that is going on.

In addition, being a kind of gate way makes Abi LGA very primary to the Federal Government.

Secondly, Abi LGA is the food basket of the state. The rice, yam and cassava all come from Abi that is also Abi LGA contribution to the state and the country as a whole.

Also our son from Itigidi the Governor is giving good quality leadership in the governance.

Due to the fact that the state Govt. gives the LGs the free hand to operate, therefore a local Government Chairman with well articulated programmes should be able to deliver on his campaign promises.

What are the challenges?

The challenges are about our people understanding government policies and appreciate the fact that it involves due processes, procedures, discussion, design, approval implementation etc.

Will you say that you have delivered on your campaign in promises?

My thinking is that at the end of the day, I may even deliver much more than I may have promised my people.

This is because if within nine months we have so much projects to show for this period in office, it then means that by three years' time a lot will have been done than the promises we made to the people.

At the end of the day our people will be happy and Abi Local Government Area will be a lot better than when we met it.