Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu says his administration has created and will sustain platforms that will avail the citizens, especially the youths, opportunities to aspire towards self actualization and become greater leaders of tomorrow.
Ikpeazu, who disclosed this at his Abia lodge in Aba, when members of the Maduforo Youths Movement paid him a courtesy visit, explained that his administration recognized the need to empower the youths on the rudiments of leadership to deepen democracy and moved ahead to conduct local government election two consecutive times where youths of the State were elected into various positions.
He said that his government was collaborating with the French Government to establish the Youth Acquisition Center at the Nsulu Games Village, while the planned Automated Garment factory at Umukalika, Obingwa will generate over 100 direct jobs for young people.
The Governor, who challenged the youths to leverage on the establishment of Agro based Cottage Industries in the 17 LGAs, out of which five are ready, disclosed that the State SME Bank will soon receive One Hundred Million Naira that will be directed at supporting mostly Women and Youths with bankable economic ideas, adding that his administration was interested in workable templates of empowerment ideas that will improve the economic status of its citizens.
The Abia Chief Executive disclosed the audacious moves taken to embark on most roads project with grade one contractors despite the lean available resources.
He restated that the roads are of socio-economic importance and assured of his determination to realize the roads linking Ukwa East LGA through Obohia-Ohanku as the contractor handling Aba – Owerri road has been mobilized to site.
He assured that work will resume on Ekwereazu road, noting that the State had remobilized the contractor because the road plays critical role towards boosting trade and Commerce of the State, being the only link between Abia and Akwa Ibom State.
According to him, work will soon commence on ABSUTH road with Cement Technology and the Osisioma Fly Over so as to bequeath to Abians long lasting project legacies.
Governor Ikpeazu who encouraged the Youths to engage their Federal legislators on those projects related to the Federal Government, also assured that he will consider their requests for more specific inclusion in governance after taking all other issues into consideration.
