The Imperative of a Viral and Strong Opposition: The Abia State Example by CAOV

We wish to openly appreciate the Abia State Government for its listening ear to the yearnings of the opposition and the people of Abia State.

At the onset, when we began to shine the spotlight on the activities of the Abia State Government, many dismissed us as mere noisemakers or disgruntled opposition figures lamenting because their “feeding bottles” had been taken away.

Unfortunately, many of these criticisms even came from those who are direct beneficiaries of the agitation and advocacy championed by the opposition.

Today, however, we can point to several positive outcomes and reforms that have emerged as a result of constructive opposition engagements;

1.) Increment in Local Government Councillors’ Salaries: Last month, we challenged the state government over the meagre ₦240,000 monthly salary paid to local government councillors, despite each local government in Abia receiving an average of ₦560 million monthly from the federation allocation.

The councillors of Osisioma Local Government became the genuine test case for that advocacy, as they openly complained about leaking office roofs and poor financial management within their local administration.

We are pleased that the government has now increased councillors’ salaries to about ₦600,000 monthly. We commend the Governor for this responsive step, while urging for greater transparency and accountability in the management of local government funds.

2.) Implementation of the Minimum Wage: We are equally delighted that the Abia State Government has commenced the implementation of the national minimum wage at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba. Following our report exposing the shameful ₦29,000 monthly pay for health workers, the management worked tirelessly over a weekend to adjust salaries to meet the CONHESS structure for nurses and doctors.

We sincerely thank the Governor for responding swiftly to this outcry and for taking action to improve workers’ welfare.

3.) Welfare of Civil Servants and Provision of Work Vehicles: Just recently, we saw pictures of official vehicles handed over to permanent secretaries in Abia State. This gesture shows that workers in Abia are gradually beginning to enjoy the benefits their counterparts in other states have long experienced. Congratulations to all Abia workers.

For the first time, Abians are beginning to realize that governance is not run by magic or “Otumokpo,” but by figures and funds that must be accounted for. We now know that Abia State receives an average of ₦14 billion monthly, as stated by the Governor; ₦15 billion, as mentioned by one of his media aides; and ₦26 billion, according to the Chief Press Secretary’s report.

It is refreshing that these figures are now publicly available, as transparency is essential in building citizens’ trust.

However we also want to use this medium to urge the state government to emulate other South East states by clearing the outstanding ₦71 billion in gratuities owed to Abia retirees. Pensioners should also receive their full entitlements, rather than partial payments that leave many senior citizens in hardship.

We expect full transparency in the state’s procurement processes. We also urge the government to publicly acknowledge the receipt of external interventions, such as the $115 million African Development Bank (AfDB) fund, instead of concealing such financial inflows from the people. Hiding these information does not encourage transparency and accountability.

We reaffirm our insistence on the financial report jointly signed by the Abia State Accountant-General and the Commissioner for Finance, which indicated that the total revenue for the second quarter (April–June) stood at ₦114 billion translating to an average of ₦38 billion monthly. Such figures must not remain on paper alone but should reflect visibly in infrastructural development and citizens’ welfare.

The Abia opposition has succeeded in exposing hidden facts and inconsistencies in the Labour Party led current administration, and the results are evident in the government’s improved responsiveness to public concerns.

Indeed, a vibrant, viral, and issue-based opposition remains the lifeblood of any functional democracy. It keeps the government accountable, drives reform, and ensures that the people remain the ultimate beneficiaries of governance.

Congratulations to the Abia State Government for being responsive, and congratulations to the Abia opposition for staying steadfast in the pursuit of truth and good governance.