Following the recent ranking by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which rated Ebonyi State as the fourth poorest state in Nigeria and first in the South-east, with regards to economic development, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Chief Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali, has said that the state Governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has been doing his best to make sure that Ebonyians are lifted out of poverty since assumption of office in 2015, using Chinese Model.
Reeling out statistics in a statement made available to the media Sunday, which the Commissioner signed himself, Ezeali said that Urban Migration is one of the reasons Ebonyi State has struggled to get out of poverty, but that, using the Chinese model, the state governor embarked on an urbanization drive across Ebonyi State “not just to create an enabling environment for business and productivity, but also to make the entire State habitable”.
The statement reads in part: “Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the poverty index of States, ranking Ebonyi State as the 4th poorest State in Nigeria. It came to a lot of people as a surprise, given the massive infrastructural development of the Engr. David Umahi-led Administration over the past 5 years.
“Recall that China had an 88% poverty rate in 1981, but started her economic reforms in 1978 and painstakingly embarked on lifting 850 million Chinese from poverty between 1981 and 2015, reducing poverty rate from 88% to 0.7%. The bedrock of Chinese poverty alleviation was industrialization, hinged on solid infrastructure and human capital development through skills acquisition, which Umahi is doing.
“Urban migration is one of the reasons Ebonyi State has struggled to get out of poverty. The gap between urban and rural poverty rates continues to diverge as more young productive labour flee the rural areas in search of opportunities in urban areas, leaving the rural areas poorer. This has been the fate of Ebonyi State and just a drive through Lagos traffic in recent years will tell you half the story.
“Nevertheless, Umahi, understanding this problem, embarked on an urbanization drive across Ebonyi State; not just to create an enabling environment for business and productivity, but also to make the entire State habitable. Ebonyi State was fast becoming an old people’s home before the emergence of Engr David Umahi as Governor. Almost every young productive and enterprising Ebonyian lived in diaspora, but the story is different today.”
He added: “More Ebonyians and non-indigenes are investing in the State and creating jobs as more young people shun the dangers of an uncertain sojourn to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Onitsha and are taking advantage of the opportunities that the urbanization and modernization of the State has provided.
“In 5 years, Abakaliki has witnessed a makeover that is almost akin to the early days of Dubai. The state capital is more habitable as the economic and social environment continues to evolve at the speed of light. The high quality roads constructed across the State by the present administration has bridged the gap between rural and urban categorizations as the productive labour force in the hinterlands are growing; due to the accessibility of markets for farm produce and other crafts that the State has always been known for.
“Roads create access, access leads to opportunities and opportunities create wealth. Today, all the markets in Ebonyi State are busier because of these roads. The State is now a route for commercial motorists plying Enugu/Onitsha to Cross River, Akwa Ibom and parts of Abia State. And in these busy routes have emerged commercial activities to cater to the needs of commuters. Ebonyi State has also become a busy haulage route and features prominently on the development plans of the African Development Bank (ADP).
“Engr. David Nweze Umahi is laying a solid foundation for economic growth and like most reform policy interventions, the gains are usually in phases and most are already manifesting. The schools in Ebonyi State are being upgraded in infrastructure and manpower quality. This capacity building, which suffered a set-back during the last Administration, has set the State back on the path of growth.”
Continuing, he said: “The health sector has received a boost under Umahi Administration. Today, Ebonyi State is home to a Federal Teaching Hospital, a Regional Virology Centre and a state of the art Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH) approaching completion. Functional primary health centres (PHC) are available across the State, catering to the healthcare needs of rural dwellers and providing training and jobs for healthcare givers, nurses and midwifes.
“Poverty is eradicated through building social infrastructure, but mostly by creating job opportunities. Of all the investments in poverty alleviation by the Umahi Administration, the most significant is the Industrial Clusters. This brings us back to the Chinese Model. Umahi has created huge industrial clusters in the 3 Senatorial zones of the State located strategically with proximity to raw materials and markets.
“These industrial clusters have the capacity of creating over 200,000 jobs at 50% operational functionality. It is a massive industrial capacity modelled after Guangzhou, China to create jobs for Ebonyians and others and reduce the brain drain that the State has suffered from over time.”
Reeling out statistics in a statement made available to the media Sunday, which the Commissioner signed himself, Ezeali said that Urban Migration is one of the reasons Ebonyi State has struggled to get out of poverty, but that, using the Chinese model, the state governor embarked on an urbanization drive across Ebonyi State “not just to create an enabling environment for business and productivity, but also to make the entire State habitable”.
The statement reads in part: “Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the poverty index of States, ranking Ebonyi State as the 4th poorest State in Nigeria. It came to a lot of people as a surprise, given the massive infrastructural development of the Engr. David Umahi-led Administration over the past 5 years.
“Recall that China had an 88% poverty rate in 1981, but started her economic reforms in 1978 and painstakingly embarked on lifting 850 million Chinese from poverty between 1981 and 2015, reducing poverty rate from 88% to 0.7%. The bedrock of Chinese poverty alleviation was industrialization, hinged on solid infrastructure and human capital development through skills acquisition, which Umahi is doing.
“Urban migration is one of the reasons Ebonyi State has struggled to get out of poverty. The gap between urban and rural poverty rates continues to diverge as more young productive labour flee the rural areas in search of opportunities in urban areas, leaving the rural areas poorer. This has been the fate of Ebonyi State and just a drive through Lagos traffic in recent years will tell you half the story.
“Nevertheless, Umahi, understanding this problem, embarked on an urbanization drive across Ebonyi State; not just to create an enabling environment for business and productivity, but also to make the entire State habitable. Ebonyi State was fast becoming an old people’s home before the emergence of Engr David Umahi as Governor. Almost every young productive and enterprising Ebonyian lived in diaspora, but the story is different today.”
He added: “More Ebonyians and non-indigenes are investing in the State and creating jobs as more young people shun the dangers of an uncertain sojourn to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Onitsha and are taking advantage of the opportunities that the urbanization and modernization of the State has provided.
“In 5 years, Abakaliki has witnessed a makeover that is almost akin to the early days of Dubai. The state capital is more habitable as the economic and social environment continues to evolve at the speed of light. The high quality roads constructed across the State by the present administration has bridged the gap between rural and urban categorizations as the productive labour force in the hinterlands are growing; due to the accessibility of markets for farm produce and other crafts that the State has always been known for.
“Roads create access, access leads to opportunities and opportunities create wealth. Today, all the markets in Ebonyi State are busier because of these roads. The State is now a route for commercial motorists plying Enugu/Onitsha to Cross River, Akwa Ibom and parts of Abia State. And in these busy routes have emerged commercial activities to cater to the needs of commuters. Ebonyi State has also become a busy haulage route and features prominently on the development plans of the African Development Bank (ADP).
“Engr. David Nweze Umahi is laying a solid foundation for economic growth and like most reform policy interventions, the gains are usually in phases and most are already manifesting. The schools in Ebonyi State are being upgraded in infrastructure and manpower quality. This capacity building, which suffered a set-back during the last Administration, has set the State back on the path of growth.”
Continuing, he said: “The health sector has received a boost under Umahi Administration. Today, Ebonyi State is home to a Federal Teaching Hospital, a Regional Virology Centre and a state of the art Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH) approaching completion. Functional primary health centres (PHC) are available across the State, catering to the healthcare needs of rural dwellers and providing training and jobs for healthcare givers, nurses and midwifes.
“Poverty is eradicated through building social infrastructure, but mostly by creating job opportunities. Of all the investments in poverty alleviation by the Umahi Administration, the most significant is the Industrial Clusters. This brings us back to the Chinese Model. Umahi has created huge industrial clusters in the 3 Senatorial zones of the State located strategically with proximity to raw materials and markets.
“These industrial clusters have the capacity of creating over 200,000 jobs at 50% operational functionality. It is a massive industrial capacity modelled after Guangzhou, China to create jobs for Ebonyians and others and reduce the brain drain that the State has suffered from over time.”
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