……….. Hon. Njoku Ozoemena is the
Special Assistant On Solid Minerals And Community Development To Governor Of Ebonyi State, Engr Dr David Umahi………
Ozoemena Njoku
Many countries in the world are yet to attain the United Nations Millennium Development Goal on self-sustenance and improved economy just because they are mono-economy based.
Unfortunately, Nigeria fell under this comity of nations that has for several decades, depended on crud oil, as the Major foreign earner for sustenance.
The late 70’s oil boom eroded all other income earner for Nigeria, as the cocoa production in the Southwest, pyramid of groundnuts and cotton from the far North and the palm oil plantation in the Eastern Nigeria all dwindled and fell short of exportation.
As a way of returning the economy to its former position, His Excellency Apostle David Nweze Umahi outline all the necessary steps to be taken in a lecture titled “Preparing Ebonyi State for a zero oil economy” delivered at University of Nigeria Nsuka.
Despite all the glaring disadvantages of these most Nigeria States Governors depended on solely on the allocation accruable from the federal government without taking into consideration how to harness the law of comparative advantage to complement their earnings from the federal government.
Contrary to this, one man has distinguish himself as he has taken the comparative advantage law into practice and has diversify the economy of his state, increased the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) and repositioned the economy of the state as contained in the performance index on investment in capital and infrastructure after fulfilling all the repayment obligations to the federal government.
Governor David Umahi
That person is the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, the Salt of the Nation, Apostle Engr. David Nweze Umahi, FNSE, FNATE, the economist engineer who knows how to generate funds and at the same time, manage the generated funds to the benefits of the people.
One of those diversify sectors that Engr. David Nweze Umahi explored is the Solid Minerals Development With the establishment of the the Ministry of Solid Minerals Community Development and law regulating mining activities in Ebonyi State.
What nature has denied Ebonyi is liquid mineral deposits were made in abundant in the solid minerals availability, and this informed Umahi’s determination to embark on the product that has the advantage over other states.
The lead and Zinc found at Enyigba in Abakaliki, Ameta and Ameka in Ezza, Ishiagu,Ukawu,Izzi,Ngbo, Oshiri, Ikwo, the Salt at Uburu,ugwulangwu and Okposi, Marble, limestone, clay, gypsum and granite have been given adequate attention by Governor Umahi and this has led to a unprecedented breakthrough in self-realization. While other states are wallowing in debt, Ebonyi is celebrating the completion of various projects being the third least indebted state in the federation.
In fact Ebonyi is blessed in the personality of Governor Umahi who has raised the standard of Ebonyi people, created opportunities for the youths, rekindled hopes and keeps the Ebonyi dream alive.
With the recent trend, it is sure that in no distance time, Ebonyi with stand firm on revenues generated from the solid mineral development programme of Apostle Engr. David Nweze Umahi.
In the face of this, and as we relish on the merriment of the celebration of 25 years of the creation of Ebonyi State, let all Ebonyians join hand with His Excellency Engr. David Nweze Umahi in fully diversifying the economy through the solid mineral deposit that we have in abundance by saying NO to illegal mining and by remitting all necessary IGR on these deposits to the government as at when due.
