Abakaliki: It was a gathering of who is who in Nigeria and beyond at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, as Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state and Chairman, southeast governors forum celebrated his 58th birthday Anniversary.
Personalities who witnessed the occasion were; the governor of Abia state, Chief Okezie Ikpeazu; the President general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor; an elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; National Assembly member representing Ikwo/Ezza south federal constituency, Comrade Chinedu Ogah; Chairman Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Chief Elias Mbam; Senator Sunny Ogbuoji, and other former national Assembly members; the Chief Judge of Ebonyi state, Justice Elvis Ngele; General Abel Obi Umahi(Rtd); Speaker of Ebonyi state house of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ogbonnaya Nwifuru and members of the House.
Governor David Umahi has been rated as a great performer— as the best performing governor in Nigeria—by some reputable media organisations in Nigeria and beyond, including the Sun newspapers, Businessday Newspapers, Newtelegraph and, of recent, the Champion Newspapers among others. They all rated governor David Umahi as the best in Infrastructural development.
Umahi has within six years of robust administration, turned Ebonyi state into a construction site. Ebonyi state has remained the only state in Nigeria which has the highest number of flyovers, apart from Lagos and FCT Abuja.
For instance, over ten flyovers have been completed and put to use within six years of his administration, while over five long span flyovers are presently under construction, including the Iyere Edda, Afikpo South flyover,the longest in the state.
Governor David Umahi constructed the International market, shopping mall, concrete road networks with concrete pavements spread across the 13 local government areas of the state, including internal roads in the capital city, and suburban cities across the three senatorial zones of the state, and provided street lights.
Presently, governor David Umahi is constructing the largest International Airport in the country, King David University of medical sciences—the only medical university in the southern part of Nigeria—and set for the commencement of academic activities come September this year, constructing Abakaliki ring road, which connects 8 local government areas in the state.
Also under construction are the Olympic Stadium, dualization of Abakaliki/Afikpo road, dualization of Abakaliki/Enugu road, and reconstruction of the 13 general hospitals of the state.
In the area of empowerment, Umahi has empowered over 5,000 youths, women, the clergymen, wives of security agents, widows, and have paid hospital bills for indigent patients.