If every one of Nigeria's 774 local government areas was given the Ohafia treatment we could double our GDP overnight

By Ayo Akinfe

 

[1] In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned the 14th Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Ohafia, Abia State. Now known as the Goodluck Jonathan Barracks, the facility is the third largest military installation in Nigeria and has radically altered the economy of the area

 

[2] Ohafia Local Government Area has a population of about 1m people and is a thriving region that has benefitted immensely from the federal presence. Even compared with other cities in Abia State like Umuahia and Aba, Ohafia is highly privileged as it does not suffer from the same social neglect that they do

 

[3] In this picture is the Ohafia-Arochukwu Road. Less than 10 local governments in Nigeria can boast of this type of wonderful road. Outside of Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory, you will struggle to find Nigerians as lucky as Ohafians

 

[4] Thanks to this military facility, Ohafia has tarred roads, a good drainage system, street lighting, plated trees and good landscapes. The barracks even funds a local football club that keeps the youth occupied

 

[5] Economically, the barracks has also regenerated the area, leading to a thriving local taxi service, food kiosks, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc

 

[6] There has also been a boom in the development of private primary schools to which the soldiers posted there send their children

 

[7] Thanks to the military presence, the crime rate in Ohafia is very low. It is not plagued with instances of kidnapping and armed robbery like most other local governments in Nigeria

 

[8] Because the people of Ohafia do not have to worry about many mundane things like most other Nigerians, they can concentrate on commerce and other pursuits. It is no accident that Ohafians dominate the clothing and footwear retail trade in Nigeria. They are now moving into manufacturing, opening plants in Aba

 

[9] Do you know that the European Union has a policy that every member state should be home to at least one of its agencies? Now, Nigeria needs to adopt a similar stance. Every one of our 774 local governments should either have a federal government facility like Ohafia or we should seek to attract a private investor there

 

[10] Thanks to the fact that Ohafia's basic needs are met through federal funding, its citizens have more disposable income because they do not have to contribute money for little things like other Nigerians. It is thus no surprise that they are able to educate their children properly. If we adopt that I call the Ohafia Formula for all of our 774 local government areas, the domino effect on our economy will be phenomenal

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