Major cities across the world express unique individual characteristics which often determines how economically viable such cities are perceived by locals and foreigners alike. Cities are generally dynamic in nature and can express characters such as being investment friendly, tourist centers, places housing historical monuments attracting global attention, industrial hubs, sports friendly cities and the likes.
Some other cities can be perceived as a magnate for small and medium scale manufacturing housing a concentration of micro, small and medium scale enterprises, making such cities vibrant production centers providing jobs for many skilled and unskilled people who thrive through engagement in the productive processes hence attracting many from far and near as either settlers or migrant workers.
Aba the commercial hub of the South East and a major city in Abia state stands out as a significant trading, manufacturing and commercial center which has made and continues to make national and international news owing to the doggedness and crude strength of the average Aba dweller who never gives up in the quest to succeed in his endeavour never succumbing to opposition or intimidation. It is never hard to find the average Aba brought up vowing never to be subjugated or put down by failure or setbacks always able to rise from the ashes like the mythical phoenix.
The dynamism of Aba as a major trading city was tested in the late 1920s following the now famous Aba women’s riot; a protest led by mostly women against heavy and general unfair taxation by the colonial government which disrupted all activities over a considerable period at the time. This protest got and focused international attention on Aba and many global brands found the city a viable trading outpost. Several of these global brands set up manufacturing plants in the city some of which remain till this day.
Ever before the Nigerian civil war, the vibrancy of Aba as a centre of commerce, trade and manufacturing was well established in the consciousness of all who came to know the city. This made it possible for all the manufacturers whose operations came to a halt during the civil war to get back to work as soon as the war was declared over because no right thinking investor was going to sit back and allow the vibrancy and profitability of the city go to waste without being tapped despite the devastations of the nearly three year civil conflict which mostly affected the south east region leading to much infrastructural damage and attendant monumental loss of lifes.
However in the past three decades plus, the city of Aba came to know a level of neglect and abandonment stretching almost from the time of military rule in the 80s and 90s up untill the commencement of the fourth republic and beyond. Unfortunately, before now successive governments failed to uplift and enhance the status of Aba the enyimba city; the goose that lays the golden egg for the state, the region and indeed Nigeria.
Bearing in mind that infrastructure such as well maintained road network, reliable energy Vis a Vis electricity supply, reliable legal framework for the protection of investment are central in judging the economic viability of a city or region, these aforementioned became so lacking at the turn of the century in Aba that several multinationals which had thrived in the city for more than half a century began to leave.
Major manufacturing which was a hallmark of Aba practically died in the 21st century. At best the city became a trading outpost for mostly bootleg copies of goods and items that were hitherto manufactured in the city before the cookies crumbled. Many small scale manufacturers were forced to close shop not because they wanted to but because it became the only option available owing to the prevailing downturn in the immediate investment environment.
The famous factory road in Aba so aptly named had become a grave yard bearing the carcasses of once thriving multinational manufacturing plants and local thriving concerns which had gone the way of their foreign counterparts. The cliche became – can anything good ever again come out of Aba..?
The famous markets in the city were inaccessible to traders – Ariaria market was constantly water logged during the wet season. Traders have lost goods worth hundreds of million in both local and foreign currency as a result of flooding in Ariaria. Ahia Ohuru situated on the famous Ngwa road had become choked up and suffocating for both traders and visitors – many of such visitors who come from as far away as Cameroon, Gabon and the West African coast stopped visiting Aba markets leading to huge revenue losses further depressing the economy of the region. Other markets such as the famous beverage market located at cemetery road, the Alaoji spare parts market, Ekeoha shopping centre et al have not fared much better.
These aforementioned markets continued to exist in the city simply because Abians had no other choice but to somehow survive in the face of daunting and mounting challenges which bedeviled Aba.
Residents who left Aba after enduring the depression for as long as they could vowed never to return. Many of them had fallen victim to kidnappers as a result of high level insecurity. Some lost their lives in the process even after huge ransoms were paid while some others who survived the ordeal and were released after huge amounts were paid unfortunately did not survive for long after the nasty experience.
Thus for Aba at some point, it seemed all things had fallen apart and the centre could no longer hold – total anarchy loomed over the land. Successive governments in the past made what at best were feeble attempts to revive the city but such efforts have failed to comprehensively address the problems clogging the wheel of development because they were not well thought out and articulated. The best of these attempts were half measures which compounded the problems.
No wonder on assuming office Abia state Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti set his gaze on Aba – reconstructing roads, desilting clogged up flood drains and awarding fresh contracts for the rebuilding of long abandoned roads.
Simply put, this is an expression of the governors love for the city of Aba the commercial hub of Abia and pride of Ala-Igbo.
Thus the coming into being of the Greater Aba Development Authority by an act of the state house of Assembly and signed into law by the governor marked a significant shift in the management of Aba as a city and commercial hub which generates revenue for the state.
Of course the goose that lays the golden egg is accorded special status and that is the status which will grant Aba reserved treatment under GADA.
Truly this is a time of reawakening for Enyimba city linking it’s now reserved status to it’s latent energy. This energy is expressed in enterprise, local trade, Import and export trade, skills acquisition, manufacturing and the die hard spirit of success in the midst of daunting challenges and obstacles.
Never again will the floods ravage the streets and businesses in Aba – GADA will ensure that it never happens. Never again will refuse and human waste liter the streets of Aba – GADA will ensure it never happens again.
The entrepreneurial and enterprising young men and women of Aba will be lifted and encouraged in GADA and they will become the success stories of Abia and Ala-igbo in the years to come. Many thanks to Governor Alex Chioma Otti for his vision and quick pace in establishing the Greater Aba Development Authority.
Indeed, a new Abia is possible!
The promise land beckons
A new Abia is here.