The three years anniversary of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu witnessed poor turn-out as all the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, federal lawmakers from Abia boycotted the ceremony.
Only a lawmaker from the opposition party, Honorable Ossy Pretige, member representing Aba north and south federal constituency in the national assembly was in attendance.
Governor Ikpeazu’s predecessor, and current senator representing Abia central zone in the senate, Senator Theodore Orji was also absent.
An impeccable source revealed to DAILY POST that the governor and his predecessor must have had a face-off based on undisclosed issues that led to his being absent from the ceremony.
Speaking at the International Conference, Umuahia, the venue of his three-year anniversary, Governor Ikpeazu said his administration had achieved a lot, especially in the area of promotion of made in Nigeria products, which had received global recognition.
According to him, over two million pairs of shoes were being exported monthly from Abia, adding that most military and paramilitary organizations in Nigeria were patronizing made-in Aba products.
Ikpeazu further stated that other sectors of the state’s economy and five cardinal pillar agenda of his government had received attention from his administration for the past three years.
He revealed that his administration had pursued with uncommon vigour, and determination to diversify the economy of Abia State through agriculture.
Ikpeazu said his government was supporting rice farmers in Abia State to further boost its production.
He said, “Our target is to be self-sufficient in rice production by 2019 and target the export market afterwards.
“We have in the same vein engaged in a massive palm planting campaign, which has so far seen us planting over 4 million tenera specie palm seedlings across the state.
“Again, our target is to plant 7.5m seedlings by the end of 2019 and we are firmly on course. We have also provided mechanized farming equipment across the state through leasing at affordable rates.”
He added, “our enhanced poultry and fish production has yielded great results with 100 poultry pens of 2000 birds each established across the State”.
“We constructed a massive 165,000 birds capacity poultry processing plant at Umuosu Nsulu in Abia Central Senatorial Zone. Additional two units for Abia North and South are currently under construction.
“Abia is gradually regaining its pride of place as an agricultural hub and we are poised to do even more, by ensuring that the Umuahia Agro-Industrial Cluster will soon take off.
“This industrial zone will handle cassava, oil palm, cocoa, Rice and cashew processing in the 1stphase with potential of creating over 1m jobs along the value chain”.
The governor maintained that he had performed creditably well in other three remaining cardinal pillars of the state’s economy which included, education, heath and oil and as.
DAILY POST reports that the ceremony witnessed an interdenominational church service which were attended by the State Deputy Governor, Ude Oko Chukwu, Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, Deputy speaker, Cosmos Ndukwe, members of the State Executive council, the state PDP chairman, Chief Johnson Onuigbo, Chief Tony Ukasanya, and executive chairmen of the seventeen local government areas in the state.
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