Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has assured the people of Ukwa West Local Government Area that his administration was committed to ensuring sustainable development of their area.
Speaking through the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, on Tuesday, at the Obehie Central School, Ukwa West Local Government Area, the Governor stated that there was need for peace across the State, stressing that without peace, it was impossible to have development.
He called on the Mayors of the Local Government Areas to work in harmony with the Security Agencies, and traditional rulers to ensure peace in the various communities in their area.
The Governor said that the siting of the Abia Industrial Innovation Park, AIIP, in Ukwa West was a demonstration of the fact that he recognised the place of the oil-rich local government in the overall development of Abia State.
He disclosed that the AIIP would cover 1,933 hectares of land owned by six communities in Ukwa West Local Government Area, adding that the project was on course as the Government had finished with the perimeter survey, enumeration, and was on the stage of paying compensations to the host communities.
Speaking on a lecture themed, “Building a prosperous Asa: A Case for Love and Cohesion”, a renowned lawyer and lecturer at the Abia State University, Uturu, Dr. Samuel Eze Chima Nwosu, who was the guest speaker during the occasion, explained that individual efforts coupled with community efforts were the antidote for building a prosperous society.
Dr. Nwosu emphasized that individual members of Communities must develop themselves and become prosperous before they could jointly influence community prosperity, adding that when individual members of the community have become prosperous, they would begin to build cohesion by coming together for the good of the community.
The Guest Lecturer also called on the organisers of the lecture, the Asa Development Union, ADU, to use the Community Development Committees, CDCs, in the Ukwa West Local Government Area to ensure that the fatherly role of stock taking of its members was done periodically.
Other speakers at the occasion were the Mayor of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Newman Azu, member representing Ukwa West State Constituency, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Godwin Anyamagiobi Adiele, Commissioner representing Abia State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Chief Eruba Dimgba, former member, House of Representatives, Barrister Nkem Abonta, Director General, Abia State Orientation Agency, ABSOA, Pst. Dike Nwankwo, General Manager, Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ASOPADEC, who was represented by Elder Anselm Eletuo.
Others were former State Commissioner, Sir Don Ubani and former Sole Administrator, ASOPADEC, Barrister Henry Chilaka, former candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Engr. Adinigwe Nwoke, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Engr. Sterling Uruakpa and the Ukwa West Labour Party, Chairman, Elder I.O. Dike.
The occasion, which attracted many prominent Ukwa sons and daughters, including HRH, Eze Nwagbara, Chief Laz Enwereuzor, Barrister Munachiso Nwosuegbe, Daberechi Ihenko, witnessed colourful traditional dances.
