• Friday, March 29, 2024
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We plan to create jobs, enhance wellbeing of Abians- Ikpeazu

Footwear academy opens in Aba

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, says that his administration is focused on its economic plan geared towards massive job creation and enhancing the wellbeing of Abians.

The Governor stated this Wednesday night while hosting a delegation of the South East National Economic Council Implementation Committee at Government Lodge, Aba, the State’s commercial hub.

He noted that his administration hinged its development on five pillars, namely, education, agriculture, commerce, micro small and medium enterprises development and oil and gas.

He affirmed that his administration has vigorously pursued it with the aim of bringing development to all facets of the state’s economy.

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Ikpeazu also pointed out that his administration has created enabling environment for businesses to thrive, which has, in turn, attracted investors, as well as equipped the youths through the creation of various industrial clusters, empowerment and skills acquisition programmes in leather works, garment and automated shoemaking and agriculture, thereby creating job opportunities for the teeming youths.

The Abia State Governor explained that his administration embarked on aggressive construction of link roads to major economic zones in the State, to drive trade and commerce which he said are the main fulcrum of the state’s economy.

According to the Governor, “We are focused on our economic plans and all the roads we are doing are enablers. The roads we do in Abia are of economic value, to create access for trade and commerce, which is the major fulcrum of the state’s economy.

“All of the things we do in technical education and health are to support economic development in the areas of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).
“We are focused on bringing a private sector driven economy and we are building to last”, he stated.

The Governor who also used the occasion to highlight the achievements recorded by his administration in the areas of road infrastructure, youth empowerment, agriculture and security, among others, restated his commitment and support to the promotion and expansion of made in Abia products and expressed delight that Abia, is the SME capital of Nigeria.

He disclosed that plans are underway to establish a garment factory in Abia, to complement the already established shoe factory, as well as an agro-allied cottage industry in 10 out of the 17 local government areas of the State, before the end of the year, which he said will focus on oil palm processing, cassava, rice milling, amongst others.

Mark Okoye, team lead, South East National Economic Council (NEC) Implementation Monitoring Committee, earlier in his speech recalled that the NEC at a special retreat held in 2016, adopted a 71 point resolution, covering seven major thematic areas such as; agriculture, revenue generation, infrastructure, empowerment, industrialization, which are to be adopted, by states to enhance rapid and sustainable economic development in response to the economic downturn in the country.

Okoye, who is also commissioner for Budget and Planning, Anambra state, explained that they were touring states of the South-East zone, including Abia, to monitor the extent of execution of National Economic Council decisions in terms of project implementation and ensure that the states are in tandem with the 71 NEC resolutions.

He commended Governor Ikpeazu, for his achievements in the state, especially in the area of the development of infrastructure, youth empowerment programmes, agriculture, as well as the use of indigenous contractors in the execution of road projects.

“We saw quite impressive projects, we saw impacts on the lives of the people. You are doing quality roads and we are impressed by what we can see today. More grease to your elbow for the transformation you are doing in the state, it is there for all to see. We will do our best in terms of putting this in our report”, he concluded.

Onyebuchi Ememanka, chief press secretary to the Governor, noted that the team had earlier inspected some of the projects done by the Ikpeazu administration in the company of Nnenna Chikezie, executive secretary, Abia State Planning Commission, Alozie Odoemela, permanent secretary, Government House Umuahia, as well as Iheanyichukwu Uba, permanent secretary, Ministry of Environment, amongst other government functionaries.