The Office Man In Abia Deputy Governor 

By Iyke Ogbonnaya

The Deputy Governor, Abia State Rt. Hon. Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, (Ph.D) is a towering and fitting symbol of the widely held consensus that, “private sector orientation and exposure will always to a great extent, overshadow the behavioural outputs of its beneficiaries, irrespective of the environment where duty calls.”

I am persuaded to reason in that regard, having studied the background of Abia Deputy Governor, covertly which unveiled a stunning and awe-inspiring revelation bothering on a meteoric rise in accountancy, chattering in the line of duty, to bullishly run an Accounting Firm and ultimately becoming a Doctorate Degree holder in Finance.

The Public and Political enclave of Abia State is evidently the beneficiary of the Deputy Governor’s private sector experience, following from his result oriented and pragmatic flair as a loyal and dependable ally of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (Ph.D).

 I have to observe that his charismatic devotion to work and innumerable availability to duty even at the eleventh hour during which he has clinically tidied up unscheduled events which usually erupts like a volcano, has consistently distinguished him, while comparatively widening his milage, when juxtaposed with his other less busy colleagues. This high sense of responsibility to duty, rationalizes the Governor’s confidence in him and has been demonstrated through constant extension of other critical State functions to the Deputy Governor for execution.

As bonded gladiators and servant leaders, who were divinely paired, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in league with the Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu have selflessly become pathfinders which has beyond constitutional call of duty, made the Deputy Governor’s office more eventful.

 Given the precarious and fragile economic outlook prevalent in Nigeria, the Governor rightly responded by detailing the Deputy, an accounting apostle to financially keep the State wet.

 I can emphatically note that hope has however, been rekindled, arising from the Governor’s recent and bold mandate being conscientiously implemented by the Deputy Governor.

To stem the tide arising from the horrific effect of drugs in our once serendipitous society, the Deputy Governor, Abia State is chairing the State Drug Abuse Control Committee which is collaboratively attaining breakthroughs with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. The committee’s tenacious devotion to duty, has seen to the inclusion of drug education in secondary school curriculum and pilot teachers, whose curriculum will center in that regard are being engaged to heat the ground running.

Players in the hospitality industry have had quality and result yielding interface with the workaholic Deputy Governor’s committee which culminated in the strategically placed signage of “No use of drugs” in hotels and relevant public places.

It was at the Deputy Governor’s instance that the State powered the hosting of “Cocoa Round Table Conference” towards the expiration of 2020. The meeting facilitated the collapse of unhealthy rivalries and provided the much expected vista for cross-fertilization of ideas among cocoa growers.

Precisely on the 17^th of June 2021, the Deputy Governor flagged-off the distribution of new hybrid of cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers in the State. At the last count, over ten thousand seedlings of the minimal disease and pest prove seedlings have been distributed.

The Deputy Governor’s celebrated disposition to ‘Jaw-jaw’ and interface with neighbouring States rather than ‘war-war’ has ideologically stood him out in his adjudication of boundary matters. His diplomatic recipe in approaching inter and intra boundary disputes has strategically calmed frayed nerves and engendered conviviality in the existence of boundary communities.

It was masterfully deployed in managing the unwarranted provocation meted on Isu community in Arochukwu Local Government Area by the people of Biase in Cross River State. This show of understanding has significantly helped in managing boundary disputes in areas like Ikwuano and Akirika-Obu all bounded with communities in Akwa-Ibom State while delineation has been initiated in areas where mutual understanding on boundary lines has been established.

Rt. Hon. Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, (Ph.D), a well established office man, is undoubtedly well schooled in the complementary role of a Deputy Governor and has maximally utilized same in reducing the burden of governance for his boss, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (Ph.D).