Governor Ikpeazu:

There is dirt all over Umuahia especially at Isi Gate. What is government doing to clear the city and what are you doing about the structures there called event center?

Governor: Every street is not dirty in Umuahia, the issue is that we have waste management problem in Umuahia. There are three stages of clearing refuse before it gets to refuse dump. The present site of our refuse dump is very bad, the rains worsened the situation there. So we have concluded arrangement to get another refuse dump. I want to turn waste into wealth. I assure you that waste management in Umuahia will improve this coming Xmas period. We shall restructure the sanitation sector and will invest on this area. We have acquired waste disposal trucks. They are right now in Government House. I do not want to distribute them now till we finish the restructuring.

Giving it out now is like pouring a new wine in an old wine skin. What I prefer is for people to request for government attention not when people convert their residential houses into stores. Very soon offenders will pay N1m fine to government on the event center at Isi Gate. We want to get enablers there to help the place function properly.

At Ubani market, the roads are bad and there is no water in that market?

I thank you for that question that is why I say people should tell government their problems. Let me assure you that very soon water will be provided in the market and the road challenges will be tackled.

Your political opponents are of the view that you travel a lot and your travels yield no positive result for the state?

I do not embark on travelling all the time; my opponents are always seeking what to say about me, so I am not worried. One thing they do not know is that I am afraid of travelling. I have only visited United States twice since I became governor and this was on the invitation of my elder sister. My opponents even said I went to India for juju. I have never been to India before. Turkey have requested that we bring to them 50,000 pairs of shoes so how can they say my travels bear no fruit.

People say you are using state funds to prosecute your court cases?

This is not true, I have 150 volunteer lawyers who are helping in my court cases without payment. One thing is that they can not distract those who are in court with me. My opponents have no agenda for the State except to destroy it.

I do not embark on traveling all the time; my opponents are always seeking what to say about me, so I am not worried. One thing they do not know is that I am afraid of traveling. I have only visited United States twice since I became governor and this was on the invitation of my elder sister. My opponents even said I went to India for juju. I have never been to India before. Turkey have requested that we bring to them 50,000 pairs of shoes so how can they say my travels bear no fruit.

People say the son of your predecessor is controlling your government. For example Abia Line Ltd allegedly gave to him all proceeds that accrue to the company; hence the company is owing several months salary and on the verge of collapse?

The son of my predecessor has nothing to do with my government; I am fully in charge and in control and take responsibility of my actions. But the problem with the company is that it makes no profit.

We are going to do the needful; I saw one rickety bus bearing Abia Line this simply means that Abia is rickety because they portray the image of the State. I will plead with my people to stop rumours that some people are controlling my government, I take responsibility of my government.

Teachers are suffering due to non-payment of their salaries and salary arrears, pensioners, what is happening here?

It is not true that teachers are not being paid their pensions and salaries. I am a teacher, my father is also a teacher. We have embarked on training and retraining of teachers to make them more efficient.

The welfare of all Abians are uppermost in my mind, but I have to do things within the limits of available resources. We can borrow to pay salaries. Many Civil servants are saboteurs; they conceal important documents or information from government officially thereby encouraging ghost worker syndrome. We have been paying teachers their pension. As I said before the welfare of the people is important to us and that is why we are committed to serving the people creditably.
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-Text of interview of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, conducted by Family F.m Umuahia On October 28, 2016. It was recorded by David Chimezie. Governor Ikpeazu was accompanied to the radio station by some of his commissioner: Chief Obinna Oriaku, Commissioner for Finance; Eziuche Ubani, Commissioner for Works; Uzo Azubuike, Commissioner for Agric and Lady Kate Nwosu, Commissioner for Trade and Commerce