By Edwin Nwachukwu
Governor Alex Otti’s development drive in Abia State has received strong backing from key officials, and Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini, popularly known as Ugolee, stands out for his contributions to infrastructure, education, healthcare, and grassroots development in Umuahia East State Constituency.
June 14, 2026, marks Ugolee’s third year in office as Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and representative of Umuahia East State Constituency. During the period, he has focused on law-making, community projects, empowerment programmes, and constituency engagement.
He sponsored and co-sponsored more than 15 bills and motions aimed at addressing key challenges. These include the Abia State Real Estate and Tenancy Bill (2026), the Abia State Cocoa and Other Commodities Marketing and Development Board Bill (2024), and motions seeking solutions to the Nkata Ibeku flood crisis, erosion threats, transformer shortages, and poor road conditions.
Ugolee also sponsored motions calling for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, improved medical access for the detained IPOB leader, and political solutions to the Southeast crisis.
Ugolee’s office provided ₦100,000 bursaries to more than 200 university students, ₦30,000 support to over 100 secondary school students, and ₦20,000 grants to more than 100 primary school pupils across the constituency.
Equally, he funded WAEC and JAMB registration for over 150 candidates and offered monthly financial support to indigent students in higher institutions.
He facilitated the construction of modern classroom blocks at Mbom Secondary School and Isiadu Ibeku through ASUBEB.
He also supported emergency intervention works at Ohokobe/Umuohu Ndume Primary School and supplied desks to pupils at Eziama Mgbaja Ossah Community School.
Access to clean water remained a major focus during the three years of the Deputy Speaker active tenure as many solar-powered boreholes were completed in Umuajiji Isieke, Umueze Emede Ibeku, Isieke Housing Estate, Umuezeagwu, and Okwoyi Industrial Area.
Work continues on water projects in Avonkwu Community and Ajata Okwuru Ibeku. Ugolee also provided a ₦1 million counterpart fund for the Avonkwu Ibeku CSDA water project. He attracted erosion control projects to Nkata and Umuchime Ossah Ibeku in partnership with the Ministry of Environment.
On power supply and community lighting, the lawmaker facilitated the distribution of transformers to several communities, including IBB Phase 1 and Timber Industrial Market. He also supported efforts that restored electricity to Umuodudu Emede Ibeku after about 18 months of blackout.
In response to security and public safety concerns, he installed solar-powered streetlights in several communities across Ndume and Ibeku.
Beneficiary areas include Ihie, Ofeke, Lodu, Ohokobe, Umuafai, Umuana, Umuhute, Ogbagu, Umuaroko, Agbo Emede, and Amuzuoro.
On housing and social support, Ugolee built and furnished a modern two-bedroom apartment for a widow in Umuezeagwu Ibeku. He also provides her with a monthly allowance of ₦30,000 and skill acquisition support for her grandson.
He partnered with an NYSC member, Joy Okienute Godor, to build a two-bedroom house for a homeless resident of Umuohu Okpula Ndume Ibeku. He also supported the reroofing of a house belonging to an elderly resident in Umuafai Ndume Ibeku.
The Deputy Speaker provided ₦50,000 cash support to more than 100 cocoa farmers in Ndume. He also facilitated the distribution of fertilisers, chicks, catfish fingerlings, and other farm inputs to over 200 constituents through FADAMA.
Qualified beneficiaries received more than ₦20 million in state-backed business support through his intervention.
Healthcare outreach formed another major pillar of his constituency activities. Free medical missions took place in Umuokpu Umuana Ndume Ibeku, Nkata Ibeku, and Umuafai Ndume Ibeku in partnership with various organisations.
In addition, he attracted the renovation and equipping of primary healthcare centres in Lodu Ndume, Nkata Ibeku, and Ahiaeke Ndume Ibeku. All three facilities are now fully functional.
Ugolee, also facilitated ₦20 million in state support for a kidney transplant patient from Ossah Ibeku and provided financial assistance to patients, vulnerable households, and fire victims across the constituency.
On jobs, youth development and apprenticeship, Ugolee assisted more than 130 qualified constituents in securing jobs within the state. He also provides monthly support to the Ibeku Youth Association and the Ndume Security Network. He sponsored youth sporting activities and funded the travel of two young footballers to Europe, with another candidate currently in the process.
He helped establish over 50 apprentices in trades such as tailoring, welding, furniture making, barbing, and hairdressing. The beneficiaries also receive monthly stipends.
Five youths from the constituency participated in state-sponsored agricultural training in Nasarawa State and received average start-up support of ₦1.5 million each.
Road construction and rehabilitation remain among the most visible achievements linked to his office. Several rural roads received grading, including Ukome Farm Access Road, Ofeke Farm Access Road, Agbo-Ubani Market Road, Health Centre Road in Lodu Ndume, and Umuana Road.
The deputy speaker also attracted and facilitated major road projects, including the 4.32-kilometre Orpet–Umuafai–Lodu–Umuana–Ahiaeke Road, the 3.79-kilometre Ahiaeke–Okwuta–Bende Road, Dozie Way, Ehimiri Ring Roads, and the IBB/Uzoeke Road. Most of the projects also feature street lighting.
Numerous additional projects are currently in the pipeline as the lawmaker enters his fourth year in office.
External Links
Abia State Government
Abia State House of Assembly
Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB)
