The Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki, Most Rev. Peter Nworie Chukwu has called on the Ebonyi state government to complete laudable but abandoned projects of previous governments in the state for progress of the citizenry.
Bishop Chukwu gave the urge during State Thanksgiving Mass organized in honour of the second Executive Governor of the state, Chief Martin Nwanchor Elechi in commemoration of his 83rd birthday anniversary.
The state government under the leadership of Francis Nwifuru honoured Elechi amidst pomp and pageantry on his birthday anniversary in Abakaliki on Tuesday.
Bishop Chukwu during Thanksgiving Mass to mark the celebration at St Theresa Cathedral described the celebrant as a product of the missionary who had equally reciprocated the gesture in many ways during his tenures as the state governor.
He said that Chief Elechi received his education from the missionaries, applauded him for allowing himself to be used by God and thanked the present governor for according his grand-successor with such recognition.
The bishop further addressed the octogenarian as a blacksmith of words whose speeches are always pregnant with meanings and appealed to other political leaders to toe his footsteps by embarking on long lasting legacies.
“The celebrant is known for his punctuality at all times and he did listen to his followers during his tenures, though we are not canonizing him rather to thank God for his sake,” he said.
Bishop Chukwu further suggested for the completion of Oferekpe Water Scheme and other abandoned laudable projects in the state to enable the citizenry have access to water.
“Chief Elechi did a lot in many schools, constructed 32 unity bridges that connect the rural to the urban and the Water Scheme, if completed, there will be abundant water in the state.
“The project should not be abandoned going by the enormous resources already committed in the scheme and I am advising the leaders to always leave what they will be remembered for even after leaving their offices. Legacy is the watch word. Leave legacies that will stand tests of time,” he said.
On his part, the Governor Nwifuru prayed God to provide the celebrant with the strength to face the challenges associated with old age and other tasks in his remaining years on earth and added that without the struggle of Chief Elechi for the state creation, he would not have been the governor.
“I can recall what I was before 2007, when I came in an encounter with Chief Elechi and what I am today, without him, I would not be here today as a governor and one interesting thing in him is that he is not thrilled by what others are doing but always proactive.
Responding, the celebrant, Elechi, thanked the governor and the entire people of the state for honouring him alive.
The octogenarian also lamented abandonment of his laudable projects especially Oferekpe Water Scheme which gulped billions of naira disclosing that his government actually completed the said project but was allowed to waste by successive government.
“The project was completed and test-run by the Federal government. We were also producing new pipes for its reticulation but after my tenure, I wept one of the days that I saw earth moving equipment removing the same pipes which we had laid supplying water from Oferekpe to Abakaliki by the subsequent administration for the reason best known to them,” he explained.
