By Chimezie Godfrey
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali says the State Governor, David Nweze Umahi, has transformed the state through direct labour.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner and made available to Newsdiaryonline, Ezeali said that Ebonyi had never had it good under any government since the creation of the state.
He further stated that Umahi met the state in recession shortly after assumption of office, but quickly went to work in turning the fortune of the state around.
“Shortly after Engr David Umahi assumed office as the Governor of Ebonyi State on May 29, 2015, the economy contracted and eventually went into recession in 2016. The oil dollars had stopped flowing and most states had to grapple with the pressures of managing diminishing resources and a geometrically increasing need, especially to the people.
“For a man with the tall vision of transforming a state that lagged behind in a lot of indices of development, especially in areas on infrastructure, education and health, it seemed a daunting task.
“Notwithstanding, the very cerebral Governor of Ebonyi State had to wear a thinking cap and that gave birth to the Direct Labour policy, which is a hybrid of the local content act, and the indigenization and economic empowerment act of Nigeria.
“The entire length and breadth of Ebonyi State has been a construction site since 2015. Each site employs hundreds of people earning between N2, 000 to N8,000 daily and working 6 days a week. A visit to any of the 13 Local Government Areas in Ebonyi State will leave you in awe.
“There is a 25km road construction going on in each LGA and the job creation is in tens of thousands.”
He added, “Thousands of previously unemployed youths are daily engaged at these project sites: be it road construction, pipe-borne water reticulation, classrooms construction and renovations and other significant projects such as the Ebonyi Mall, International Market, Ecumenical Centre, Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH), Ebonyi Airport, Olympic Stadium, to mention but a few.
“The number of youths with skills that cut across jobs in high demand in Ebonyi State and the world today will require a separate study to ascertain. These skills include masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works, framing, roofing, metal works, surveying, pipe fitting, machine operation, rigging, installations and many others.
“These skills being freely acquired at different locations across the State are empowering young people to monetize these skills as a means of livelihood. With experienced Project supervisors overseeing each work, the knowledge transfer is enormous. This is one of the most important impacts of the Umahi Direct Labour policy.”
Continuing, he said,”The policy has tremendously led to job creation, absolute cost savings, manpower development and skills acquisition, use of indigenes and residents in contract execution, rejuvenated civil service, improved household income, reduction in social vices and crime, urbanisation and modernisation programme, elimination of bureaucratic bottlenecks, among others.
“In fact, five years into the Umahi administration, sensitisation would help bring some clarity to the different areas people were not used to, but amazed at the tremendous results. Most people have questioned the validity of the Direct Labour policy, but are beginning to get the clearer picture of things.”
