Enugu Builds While Abia Wastes: A Tale of Two Southeastern States by Obinna Oriaku | #NwokeukwuMascot

 Opinion 

In recent weeks, many people may have noticed a sudden calm from some of the Abia State government’s media aides. It seems there is now a deliberate policy of silence, an instruction to “ignore them” and not respond to criticism. But this quietness tells its own story. It is a sign that the pressure from the opposition is being felt. It shows that our voices as watchdogs are making an impact and forcing the government to rethink its propaganda.

Yesterday, I became even more convinced of this after an inspiring conversation with my friend and boss, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State. It was our first long chat since he joined the All Progressives Congress, and in that hour, I got a first hand update on the remarkable transformation taking place across Enugu. Listening to him reminded me what true governance and leadership should look like. Governor Mbah is indeed an exceptional leader with a clear vision and purposeful drive.

In Enugu today, road construction is no longer something they celebrate as a major achievement, even though the state has completed numerous roads across the city and rural communities. The government has moved far beyond salary , pension, and gratuity related discussions. Enugu is now taking delivery of three additional, out of six aircraft for its state-owned airline within the month. In addition, the government is set to receive about 2,500 brand-new taxis and 300 additional buses, making it a total of 500 in circulation. They are also finalizing the process of selecting vendors and terminal managers, while five new bus terminals have already been delivered and commissioned. 

Construction of the 360-room Marriott Hotel in Enugu is on track and scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2026. Representatives from the Marriott Group have been on site for two months, ensuring that the project meets international standards.

Another massive project about to take off is the Enugu monorail, which will begin construction next month. It will run from Gariki through Uwani, Edinburgh, Old Park, Okpara Avenue, Abakiliki Road, 82 Division, and terminate at the Enugu Airport in Emene. This is the kind of innovation that shows genuine development planning.

In the area of education, Enugu is miles ahead as they pioneered moden smart school innovation in Nigeria. The state has beyond constructing 263 Smart schools in each of the electoral wards, procured 355,000 laptops for its smart school students, with an average of 87 devices per class and over 6,700 electronic boards installed. The state’s modern education curriculum has been so effective that the federal government has adopted it as a national model for implementation across other states.

At the Government Technical College, Enugu, there now exists a robust educational ecosystem that houses multiple schools, including a world-class vocational training centre with boarding facilities for both boys and girls. It is currently the only one of its kind in Nigeria today . Just recently, the state received a 3.5 million dollar grant from an international donor to further enhance its educational curriculum system.

In healthcare, Enugu is also making bold strides.The state has completed 263 modern Primary Health centres equipped with state of the art equipments.The new developments in ESUTH Teaching Hospital are very refreshing. The 300-bed Enugu International Hospital is expected to be completed by January 2026 and ready for commissioning. The World Health Organization, recognizing the government’s impressive work in the sector, has donated modern medical equipment and buses to the state’s School of Nursing.

Agriculture has not been left out. Enugu has launched Nigeria’s first modern ranching system with 1,000 tractors dedicated to large-scale commercial farming. Two hundred of these tractors have already been deployed across the state.

Urban renewal in Enugu is another model worthy of study. Major roundabouts in the city now feature artistic sculptures that reflect the cultural identity of the people. The city’s only public fountain, built and maintained by Zenith Bank since 2009, remains functional without any noise or waste.

Now compare this to Abia State, where Governor Alex Otti’s administration is spending billions on frivolities. The government has constructed five water fountains and is currently building a sixth one directly opposite the Government House in Umuahia. Each of these fountains reportedly costs around N350 million naira to construct and operate on a 30kva generator.

Each generator consumes about six litres of fuel every hour at N1,400 naira per litre. For 12 hours of daily operation, that is roughly N100,800 naira in fuel cost per fountain. Multiply that by six fountains and by 30 days, and the cost jumps to over N18 million naira per month. In a year, it amounts to about N217 million naira, excluding servicing costs and staff salaries.

And yet, Abia remains one of the few states in Nigeria without a functional public water supply system. The same government that builds fountains for decoration has failed to provide pipe-borne water for its citizens, forcing residents to depend on boreholes, many of which are drilled dangerously close to sewage pits.

The above picture of the fountains rightly describes Abia's situation, where the government is only interested in propaganda and decit . The sad reality is that a new visitor to Abia  will not believe that the state has  no functional public water system, especially considering the wasting of water by the fountain side.  They will also not know that instead of the Abia Power 24-hour power claim by the state , the fountains run 30kva generators.

Instead of investing in meaningful development, the Otti administration appears to be more interested in organizing endless retreats, conferences, and sporting events to create an illusion of activity. Abia has now become a destination for every kind of national competition, from para-basketball, Para-badminton to cricket and school tournaments, all to give the impression of a vibrant administration that has taken basic needs of Abians, when in reality, the state is sinking deeper into waste and visionless governance.

The contrast between Enugu and Abia could not be clearer. Enugu, under Peter Mbah, is a state that plans, builds, and delivers. Abia, under Alex Otti, is a state that spends, showboats, and excuses failure. Enugu is developing into a modern, smart city with  impact on its citizens. Abia, sadly, has turned into a stage for theatrics and reckless expenditure.

Until Governor Otti redirects his administration from showmanship to substance, Abia will continue to lag behind while Enugu and other progressive states move ahead into a future built on vision, innovation, and responsible governance.

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