COMMUNIQUE ON THE 7TH EDITION OF THE ANNUAL LECTURES AND FRANK TALK HELD AT ERINMA HALL, ABIRIBA. ABIA STATE. NIGERIA ON THE 5TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2008
Ntum Oha organized the 7th edition of her annual lecture and frank talk series on the 5th day of January 2008, and the following communiqué is issued to summarize the proceedings.
PREAMBLE:
The theme of the lectures was “Infrastructural Development in Abiriba, establishment and Maintenance: Case Study of water and Electricity Projects” The last electricity supply to Abiriba Community by the National Electric Power Authority, (now Power Holding Company of Nigeria) dates more than One (1) year ago while the last water supply to Abiriba by the government is more than Ten (10) years old. Ntum Oha, therefore, considered it was necessary to bring together, stakeholders and the Abiriba public to discuss and attempt to salvage the seemingly hopeless situation.
HIGH TABLE
1. Dr. Ezikpe Nma Agbagha – Chairman
2. Engr. (Elder) Agbai N. Agbai (F.N.S.E) – Lecture 1
3. Engr. Hon. Prince George N. Kalu, (former Comm. For Works Abia State – Lecturer 2
4. Mr. Chekwas Nkpa (President Ntum Oha)
SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION
Electricity
Electricity project in Abiriba started in February 1965, was stopped temporarily because of the Nigerian Civil War and was finally completed and commissioned in 1972, about Thirty Six (36) years ago.
Abiriba today has a bulk transformer of about 7.5MVA capacity today. This can serve the community for the next 2 or 3 decades, but distribution transformers are not enough.
Abiriba Community has been without electricity supply for more than 12 months. This is because high tension electricity lines bringing electricity to Abiriba from Umuahial, were vandalized, also a heavy rain-storm pulled gown some high tension electric poles, destroyed some low tension networks and sub-stations.
Restoration of electricity supply to Abiriba will require; replacement of vandalized high tension lines and rehabilitation of existing substations.
Relief transformers of 500KVA capacity, should be acquired and installed at the sub-stations of; Amanta Ukpo, Oruanta, Okagwe-Agboji, and Round-about (Abankpughuru).
Water
Abiriba water project was built in November 1965 and commissioned in February 1966.
Lack of water supply to Abiriba was caused by a combination of factors; Abiriba erosion menaces which breakage of water pipelines; Breakdown of the Sumo pump, (this pump later fell into the borehole.
The Federal Government, in attempt to restore water supply to Abiriba, approved the construction of a mega water scheme for Abiriba. But this project died when the facilitator, Engr. Lekwauwa, an indigene of Abiriba, died.
RESPONSES/INTERACTIONS.
There is need to re-organize, re-invigorate and re-empower the Abiriba Communal Improvement Union, A.C.I.U., to articulate and present Abiriba developmental issues to government.
All stakeholders, especially those, whose past actions or inactions has affected Abiriba adversely are encouraged to turn a new leaf for the sake of posterity.
The audience desired a quick restoration of Electricity supplies to Abiriba, say within the first quarter of 2008 while water supplies can be restored later in the year.
Engr. (Elder) Agbai N. Agbai was charged with the responsibility of leading the struggle to restore.electricity to Abiriba while Chief Johnson Agwu Ndukwo (already heading an A.C.I.U. committee on water) was charged with the responsibility of spearheading the restoration of water supplies to Abiriba.
Engr. Hon. Prince G. N. Kalu will liaise with government on these and other matters affecting Abiriba.
CONCLUSION
Abiriba people are known for their self help initiatives. The infrastructures in Abiriba, more than 80%, was established and built through self help efforts of the Abiriba Community and handed over to government. A few years later, those beautiful establishments handed over to government are found in a state of disrepair. In the future, when projects are handed over to government, it will therefore be necessary that the A.C.I.U. will merely step aside and watch how government manages the projects.
However, with the huge contributions from the self help efforts of Abiriba people, it will only be fair to demand that government should place a top-priority tag on and execute with dispatch any developmental demand from Abiriba. This will assist in convincing the Abiriba people that government is aware of their self help efforts.
APPRECIATION
Ntum Oha wishes to thank: The Chairman, Dr. Ezikpe Nmah, for his expert coordination and timely summaries; The Lecturers, Engr. (Elder) Agbai N. Agbai and Engr. Hon. Prince George N. Kalu for their research into the root causes of the electricity and Water supply problems in Abiriba; The audience for their precious time spent listening to the lectures and the frank–talk.
The 8th edition of the annual lectures and frank-talk will hold on the 3rd day of January, 2009, at the Erinma Town Hall, Abiriba. You are invited to attend and please be punctual, 12.00 noon N.O.T (Ntum Oha Time).
God bless you.
Signed:
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