From: Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia
A Chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Ebonyi State, Mazi Alex Okemiri, has said that political leaders in the state would kick-start the process of shopping for a candidate that would replace Governor Dave Umahi in 2019, adding that his two years in government was “a total failure and disservice to the good people of Ebonyi State.”
Okenmiri, who interacted with Daily Sun In Umuahia over the weekend alleged that Governor Umahi was initiating cosmetic and white elephant projects to the detriment of welfare of the masses.
According to him “Ebonyi State Government has more value and regard for traffic lights than on the citizens. The Government uses over N60m to service traffic lights monthly but spends nothing to empower the people.”
Okemiri claimed that instead of helping businesses to grow, the government was killing them with multiple taxation and was also operating as a family business.
“Businesses are being stifled in Ebonyi; they are shutting down in droves. Multiple taxation has become the bane of doing business in Ebonyi. No wonder, why investors are now running away. Even petty traders are not left out. A woman with N500 worth of vegetable is being forced to cough out N150, leaving her with a balance of N350 to take care of her family. This is unacceptable”, Okemiri said.
“As it stands today in Ebonyi, it has become the more you look, nothing you see. There is no important project going on in our dear State, yet some people go around making questionable endorsements.
“Poverty indices in Ebonyi is over 80 percent and this has pushed our people into become laughing stock across the country. A visit to any state across the country will show that our people have nothing doing except to work as okada riders, maids, and other menial jobs to eke out a living.
“To this end, we are saying that enough is enough; this government should get ready to vacate in 2019. There will be vacancy in Ebonyi government House in 2019”, he insisted.
He called on various stakeholders, religious leaders, political and traditional leaders to commence a meticulous search for Umahi’s replacement in 2019.
“Effort should be made to get a candidate who will carry everybody along and not one who will turn the State into family business. There is no better way to describe a government without direction”, he explained.