Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has shared some of the challenges he faced at the inception of his administration in 1999, citing extremely limited financial resources.
In an exclusive interview, the Senator representing Abia North, Dr. Kalu, revealed that the first federal allocation to the state under his leadership was only N68 million, a sum he described as “barely enough to run a ministry, let alone a state.”
Despite the fiscal constraints, he said he remained undeterred in his commitment to the people of Abia. “I didn’t govern from a distance,” he noted. “I often traveled late at night between Igbere and Umuahia to ensure that I was hands-on with the affairs of the state.”
Kalu said it was that spirit of dedication and physical presence that earned him the trust of the people and allowed him to execute meaningful projects in the face of limited funds.
