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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has said the essence of conducting local government elections in the state despite the huge financial involvement, was a way to deepen democracy and provide sustainable empowerment to young people by the way of leadership opportunities.
This is even as Ikpeazu has informed that his administration has completely changed the narrative when it comes to the management of public primary schools in the State.
This he said led to a quantum leap in the enrollment statistics in public primary schools across the State.
Ikpeazu, speaking while receiving the immediate past Councillors of the 17 LGAs at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba explained that local government election serves as political ladder to many who aspire to leadership positions and urged them to always exhibit high sense of loyalty which is a recipe for higher level even while out of office.
The governor gave an example with former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara whose political career he said started as an elected Councilor in Ukwa.
Ikpeazu congratulated the Councillors for serving successfully, and encouraged them to remain committed towards moving the state forward by voting PDP and avoid any form of distractions from other political parties.
The Chairman of the ex-Councillors Forum, Hon. Samuel Nwachukwu said they came to thank Ikpeazu for conducting the election that gave them the opportunity to serve their people at the grassroot.
Nwachukwu said the Councillors have adopted Ikpeazu as their sole candidate for the senatorial election in Abia South considering the synergy his administration built with the federal government which has brought peace and security in the state.
In another development, Ikpeazu said his administration has leveraged on the Free School Feeding Programme as a strategy to make public schools in the state attractive.
Governor Ikpeazu who stated this while addressing members of the Free Meal Programme from Abia South during their solidarity visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba said the leadership of the Programme has exceeded the aims of the project.
He expressed joy that the Programme has in no small means reversed the poor enrollment of pupils in public schools as well as reduce school drop outs.
The governor noted that apart from the support it has given to the school system, the scheme has provided jobs to over 6,000 Abians, especially women.
The governor specifically appreciated his wife, Nkechi Ikpeazu for her efforts with the focal persons to actualise the objective of the programme.
The Focal Person, Abia State Social Investment Programme, Chinenye Nwaogu, disclosed that Abia remains the only state with the highest record of success in Free Feeding Programme which started 15 months for Basic one to six pupils before the federal government kicked off the exercise.
