Abia-born medical practitioner, Austine Nwadibia, on Sunday slammed the duo of Theodore Orji (2007—2015) and Okezie Ikpeazu (2015—2023 for fooling the people of Abia State and abandoning projects executed by former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.
Nwadibia claimed that the duo attempted to fool the people of the State for 16 years with bogus contracts and projects to the detriment of the people.
In a chat with newsmen in Aba, he said the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH)—which is the only teaching hospital in state—built and commissioned by former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu was abandoned and left to rot away for 16 years until the emergence of Governor Alex Otti.
“It is unfortunate how former governors Theodore Orji and Ikpeazu allowed this facility to rot away. It was one of the best when it was built and commissioned by Orji Uzor Kalu. It is sad how they allowed the health sector under them to deteriorate to the point that doctors and other health workers were owed salaries for several months. These things were not done when some of us were in Abia state. Under Orji Uzor Kalu, salaries were promptly paid, civil servants enjoyed leave allowance, 13th month salary with many benefits, our children had free education and even the aged were taken care of. It is shocking how Abia was allowed to rot under them.
“I am commending Governor Otti for what he is doing, but it is also important for him to revamp the 15 general hospitals built by Orji Uzor Kalu like he is doing to some of the road built by him.”
The physician also decried the abandonment of the Portharcourt road in Aba by the former governors, and their inabilities to rehabilitate some of the road projects embarked upon by the Orji Uzor Kalu administration, describing government as a continuity.
“I am aware that former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu constructed the Ogbor Hill and Ngwa road bridges, constructed major roads like the road from Umuahia South to Ogbor Hill, Owasa to Azumili, Lomara to Umuchukwu in Anambra state, Nkporo-Item-Igbere-Ozuitem-Bende road and Ebem-Okon-Amangwu road, built Enyimba and Aba stadium. He did them and many others within Umuahia and Aba including rural electrification within the space of 8 years, but these roads and many others were left to rot away.”