Revive Moribund Firms, Group Urges Abia Govt

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State (middle), and others jogging after the inauguration of 8-lane Olympic standard tartan tracks at Rojenny Stadium in Oba, recently. Photo: NAN

The Joint Youth Council
(JYC) of Ukwa has  appealed to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State to extend the ongoing road reconstruction projects in Aba and Umuahia to Ukwa.
The group also called for the revival of all moribund industrial, tourist and agricultural sites including Ogwe Golden Chicken Farm, Abia Palm (Nig.) Ltd,  Akwete Weaving Industry and the Azumini Blue River in Ukwa.
The demands were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the group’s mid-year congress held at Umuebulungwu-Asa in Ukwa West local government area.
In the communique, jointly signed by Mr. Kingsley Okadigbo, the National Leader, and Mr. Paul Udechukwu, Director Bureau for Information and Strategy, respectively, the group cliamed that the people of Ukwa East and Ukwa  government areas had been neglected by previous administrations.
They claimed that Ukwa communities had always suffered lack of good roads, potable water, adding that other nfrastructure, where they existed, had been allowed to go moribund in spite of their complaints.
They appealed to the governor to give urgent attention to Obohia-Ohuru-Aba road, Ohanku-Aba and Ogwe-Obokwe-Uratta junction roads respectively.
The group whose interest is the protection and projection of the economic, cultural and socio-political interest of Ndi-Ukwa, also urged the state government to build a new power step-down from Afam power station.
They criticised the relocation of the Asa High School to a primary school block and the conversion of its premises to a military barrack.
The group, therefore, called for the immediate vacation of the military or the relocation of Asa High School to a befitting site, while calling for the upgrading of Ndoki Grammar School, Obohia, to a campus of a state-owned tertiary institution.
The group also clamoured for the appointment of qualified sons and daughters of Ukwa extraction into principal offices in both the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.
They decried the recycling of people whom they claimed had no proven records of community service into government positions in the state.
The council expressed the hope that the Abia government, within its 100 days in office, would commence work on the proposed Obeaku-Ndoki Sea Port.
It also called for the relocation of the Abia State Oil Producing Area Development Commission’s (ASOPADEC) office to Ukwa for effective and efficient service delivery and an increase in the commission’s annual budget.
“The council pleads with the dynamic Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to give utmost priority to youth empowerment for Ukwa especially in political appointments, entrepreneurship and business patronage, they added.