George Odok|5 April 2017
Life is ten per cent what happened to you and 90 per cent how you respond to it. The above quote by Peter Economy defines the personality of Mr ALVIN OCHANG, a humble man who started his life journey in St. Stephen Lutheran Primary School Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State in his hey days.
Born into the humble family of Sir and Lady Thomas Ochang of Effigbo in Kakwagom village in Boki local government area, Alvin as he is popularly called by friends and associates had his secondary school education in Mary Knoll College, Okuku Ogoja from where he proceeded to the University of Maiduguri, Borno State where he bagged his B.Sc. in Marketing and also M.Sc in Marketing from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
As a man who responds positively to life, he was immediately employed after his NYSC to work with the Omatha Holdings Limited (an auto component manufacturing company) in Nnewi, Anambra state. From Nnewi, he developed interest in manufacturing and trading and thereafter joined one of the country’s powerful financial institutions `First Bank PLC’ to enable him proof his mettle.
In his quest for community development, Ochang who was a pioneer staff of Boki local government area in 1991, used his good office and through the collaboration of his friends, attracted seven boreholes to his community. With his banking experience, he single-handedly opened accounts on behalf of the community and paid the community’s counterpart funding into each accounts.
Ochang has been very visible in Cross River State politics; he has associated himself with developments in Boki and the state in general. Since 2013, Ochang has contributed immensely to the elections of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State.
Unarguably, he is the man Boki has been waiting for to attract the needed development to the area.
Youth unemployed is one of the challenges facing Nigeria as a country today, in this regards, he has promised to liaise with National Directorate of Employment (NDE) with a view to train Boki youths to acquire business skills that would make them self reliant and employers of labour.
In the area of agriculture, the financial expert has lined up several intervention programmes for farmers which include the provision of yam seedlings, fingerlings, fertilizer amongst others to improve their produce.
Ochang, a young, vibrant and well tested banker, if given the opportunity to preside over the affairs of Boki in the next three years, he would graciously use his office to attract developmental projects to the area.
It is time to give a vibrant and energetic youth in person of Mr ALVIN OCHANG the opportunity to serve Boki in the capacity of CHAIRMAN.
Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. In this regard, we ought to drum support with utmost interest in ensuring that OCHANG is elected the next chairman of Boki.
George Odok
Is a Senior Defense Correspondent with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
