Tony Udemba
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, has been described as a God-fearing leader who is tested, trusted and passionate in the development and transformation of the state. This was the view of Chief Emmanuel Uguru, Commissioner for Power and Energy in the state, during an interview with Daily Sun recently in his office in the state capital, Abakaliki. He insisted that there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State government house.
What is the drive behind the giant strides taking place in your state?
Our secret is obvious. Number one is God; number two is the man who has allowed God to use him. There is a saying ‘when God takes the lead, no matter
how strong the task is, it must always be surmounted.’ It will be recalled that the present governor started as a successful businessman, before he ventured into politics to offer quality services to the people of the state. He further served as State chairman of PDP in Ebony State, and later became Deputy Governor, and from there to become the governor of the state. Looking back, one could easily recognise the interesting pathway he has journeyed over the years in his determination to offer premium and passionate services to the people of Ebonyi. It is truly a divine intervention in the sense that in the past we were not known. We were like a forgotten people. If there was anything like the 3rd world, we were more than that, far behind others in terms of development. But God decided to intervene, through our amiable governor, Dave Umahi, to liberate us from the pit of hell, and today we are coming out from fire to frying pan, from frying pan to the grace of God. Like I said before, the secret of all the good things that are taking place in Ebonyi State is the divine intervention of God. If you see a man that has endeared himself to God, there is nothing that God cannot do for him. As a God fearing man, our governor has handed the state over to God, and like the Biblical David, whenever he calls the name of his heavenly father, he always show him how to lead the state to greater heights. Like the story of David and Goliath, Ebonyi State had so many Goliaths on our paths, but it took the David of our time to subdue them out of the ways of the Ebonyi people, and today our state is known across the nation and beyond for its great transformation and transformation in diverse sectors.
What is the role of the ministry in the transformation agenda of the state government?
The name of the ministry of power and energy depicts what we do, the name also depicts what our able governor is doing and also the various efforts of the government towards taking away the decades of darkness suffered by our people in the hands of previous governments in the state, and lighten up every part of the state, all to the benefit of the good people of Ebonyi State. Our primary mandate in the ministry is to bring light to our people in different parts of the state, and what else is more than light in whatever a man or woman is doing. The truth is that one can easily succeed in whatever he or she is doing with light.
In Ebonyi State, before the coming of the present government, I tend to believe that when the Europeans referred Africa as the darkest continent in the world, they were referring to West Africa, and more precisely Ebonyi State, which happened to be in Nigeria. But sadly all the previous governments who knew the pathetic situations in the state then did little or nothing despite of the huge allocations they were collecting from the federal government. It was during the time of oil boom, but sadly those in helms of affairs then, wasted the huge federal allocations. Then there was darkness everywhere, which made it even difficult for talents of some of our people to be seen. But through the intervention of God, Chief Dave Umahi became the governor of the state, and the story changed for better.
What is your message to the people of Ebonyi State?
My number one message is for them to pray fervently for the state and our dear governor, and secondly by all terms and purposes to pray for Nigeria. This is because there is so much tension in the country today. If God does not have special love for this country, perhaps the worst would have happened. But I remember the words of Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the blessed memory who said that the best military administration is worst than a bad civilian administration. By implication, no matter how bad it is today, it is better than yesterday of the military era. Number two message, I am urging all Nigerians, as well as all Ebonyians to go and obtain their voters cards because it is paramount during the election. It is not only going to be used to vote for Dave Umahi for second term, or other persons at other categories of elections in the country, but our voters cards remains our instruments and authority.
There is the need for Ebonyi people to support and vote massively to re-elect Dave Umahi for a second term. I advice those seeking for the governorship seat to perish such thought and wait until Umahi is done with his second term. He remains the choice of the people of Ebonyi State for the next four years, he has started on a good note, taken the state from the grass and darkest pit to the era of light, development and transformation. He has no better alternative at the moment, and clearly deserves to be re-elected into office in order to consolidate the good work.
