Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti, will Wednesday, flag off the reconstruction of the 3.5km Osisioma-Ekeakpara road, a major gateway into the Osisioma Industrial complex.
The Governor, will also flag off the reconstruction of the 2.5km Umuode-Bakassi road Aba which has lots of potential to spark off economic development of the state.
Commissioner for Information and Culture Prince Okey Kanu, who gave the hint during a briefing on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting, in Umuahia, said that the Osisioma-Ekeakpara road leads to the NNPC depot, Osisioma.
“That road is a very important one because it leads to infrastructural facilities that will drive the Osisioma Industrial Complex which the State Government has started rebuilding,” he said.
Kanu further hinted that the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Law Administration and Control ( NAFDAC), Professor Moji Adeyeye, would be in the state on the 15th of May on a working visit.
The NAFDAC boss, according to him, will meet with stakeholders and the business community.
He added that the State Government would, during the visit, provide free 150 CAC business certificates to Abians to complement the 25 pieces to be provided by NAFDAC.
He said: “More importantly, she will meet with stakeholders in the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises sector particularly those involved in food, health supplements and production is various medications.
“There is this drive towards ensuring that there is compliance with certain standards in all those fields to ensure that those who produce the things that people consume stick to certain standards to safeguard the lives of our people.
“During that engagement, the State Government will provide about 150 free CAC registrations for Abians and that’s through the Ministry of Digital Economy and SMEs.
“NAFDAC has promised that they would provide 25 free CAC registrations and certifications. The State government will complement that effort by providing 150 free CACs registrations for Abians.”
On the protest by tricycle (Keke) operators in Umuahia, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said there was no increase in the tickets nor loading fee for the operators.
He assured that Government would investigate the allegations, stressing the need for the leadership of the tricycle operators to rather engage Government on any issue or policy that affects them negatively instead of resorting to protest as first option.
“There is no increment of any kind. There is no loading fee. This is a new policy and I think the best thing would have been to engage government in a discussion.
“It’s obvious they were in a hurry to go and protest. Because the government has treated them with so much compassion and kindness doesn’t mean that government doesn’t know what to do.
“Don’t forget that when the Governor came on board there was tax holiday for them for months. Today, there is nothing like loading fee. In the past there was loading fee. The most important thing is that we will ensure that nobody is exploited.”
Contributing, the Director General, Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), Arch. Uche Ukeje, said that the present administration is responsive, adding that if there are issues, the tricycle operators should engage the task force recently constituted by the government.
He maintained that the idea behind the painting of the tricycles is security because the painting goes with numbering of the tricycles.
Adding his voice, Commissioner for Digital Economy and SMEs Mr Mathew Ekwuribe, announced immediate stoppage of excavation of roads in the state in compliance with the recently signed ‘Dig Once Policy.’
This, he explained, was to ensure orderliness in the laying of fiber optics by telecommunication industries.
