A respected academic and development analyst, Professor Kalu Eni, has attributed the significantly low poverty rate in Abia North Senatorial District to the strategic and sustained development efforts of former governor and current senator, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.
In an in-depth analysis, Prof. Eni praised Kalu’s long-standing commitment to transforming Abia North through targeted investments in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and economic empowerment, both during his tenure as governor (1999–2007) and in his current role as senator.
“Abia North today enjoys a higher quality of life than most zones in the country. This is not by luck. It is the result of years of sustained investment, especially during Kalu’s time as governor when he aggressively tackled poverty through free education, road projects, and rural empowerment,” Prof. Eni said.
He cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics, which during the Senator’s time as governor, recorded Abia State’s poverty rate at 40.9% — the lowest in the South-East and among the top five lowest in the entire country.
According to Prof. Eni, the impact of those early investments has not only been maintained but has expanded under Kalu’s current mandate in the Senate.
A notable highlight of Kalu’s recent efforts is the ongoing construction of a world-class cashew processing factory in his hometown of Igbere, aimed at creating over 5,000 jobs. The facility, which will handle the shelling, roasting, baking, and packaging of cashew nuts, is projected to boost the agricultural value chain in cashew-rich areas like Isuikwuato and Umunneochi.
In addition, Kalu has rolled out large-scale empowerment programs, distributing sewing machines, refrigerators, motorcycles, generators, and financial grants to thousands of youths and women. In the agricultural sector, he has delivered fertilisers, rice, and farm inputs to local farmers, increasing productivity across rural communities.
In the last six years alone, over 140 rural roads have been constructed under Kalu’s facilitation, linking farming communities to marketplaces. Key roads such as Ndi Orieke–Ohafia and Amankalu–Abiriba, among others in Bende, Arochukwu, Ohafia, Isuikwuato, and Umunneochi LGAs, have significantly cut post-harvest losses and improved farmers’ earnings.
Kalu’s commitment to education has also remained consistent. As senator, he has overseen the construction of over 130 new schools, renovation of more than 100 existing ones, and distributed free educational materials like bags, uniforms, and books, reinforcing his legacy of free education from his days as governor.
“These are not handouts. They are deliberate, long-term efforts to structurally reduce poverty,” Prof. Eni noted. “The people of Abia North now have better access to education, roads, income, and jobs than many other areas in the zone. That is the Kalu effect.”
He concluded by calling on political stakeholders in the region to prioritize continuity and competence in leadership.
“We must not abandon the only leader who has consistently invested in the people. The transformation of Abia North is proof of what visionary leadership can do,” Prof. Eni said.
