Abia, second safest state in Nigeria –Ikpeazu, warns ‘sit-at-home, self-harming’

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]

Abia State has been rated the second safest state in Nigeria.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu disclosed this in his state-wide radio and television broadcast to the people of the state as part of activities marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of the state.

Abia was created on August 27, 1991 by the General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida regime.

Ikpeazu who took the people on a round-the robin sector-by-sector performance of his administration during the broadcast, assured the people of the state that peace, security, unity and progress of Abia State would continue to serve as the watchword of his administration, adding “we are committed, more than ever, to bequeath an Abia State that we will all be proud of.”

The Governor pointed out that in the face of the pervading insecurity in the country, a recent well-researched index of safety among states in Nigeria placed Abia State as the state with the second least reports of violent insecurity incidences in the first half of 2021.

“While the challenge has seemed intractable nationwide leading to wanton deaths and destruction, I must give glory to God that we have been able to keep crises and challenges under control in Abia State,” he said.

“We are mindful of our challenges and we have brought all hands on deck to work with us to continue to keep the state and its citizens and residents safe.

“As at today, we remain the most peaceful state in Nigeria in terms of socio-political stability and security of lives and property. We remain fully committed to the pursuit of the ideals of peaceful coexistence as a key component of a strong socio-political environment,” he added.

On education, Ikpeazu said the state has continued to make progress in the education sector through a constant and well-structured system of retraining of teachers in the state, adding that the step has produced huge effects on the productivity of teachers and performance of Abia children in the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations.

“We have consistently taken the lead in WAEC examinations for the last four years while our State University has moved up in ranking from No. 99 to No. 26 and is now the second best State University in Nigeria,” the Governor remarked.

He said results of the state’s deployment of digital learning platforms, construction of over 600 classroom blocks, introduction of vocational educational programs like Education For Employment and home-grown school feeding program have been outstanding,” including astronomical rise in school enrolment.

“Our public schools enrolment has moved from 150,000 in 2015 to 650,000 in 2020. We are looking forward to an increase in this number by the time we conclude our enumeration for this academic session. As at today, Abia is the second best in school enrolment in Nigeria,” he disclosed.

He, however, appealed to those being owed salaries to bear with his administration as efforts were being made to address the lingering problem.

“Let me therefore, as the leader and the one on whose desk all the buck stops, convey my empathies to all Abians who have suffered and are suffering any form of discomfort as a result of our not yet having addressed the challenges in your sector.

“I pledge my dedication to working assiduously to ensure that all challenges affecting your sector is addressed and resolved. I have remained an open and transparent leader, acknowledging grievances and working with all concerned to resolve them.

“Our administration will continue to engage in collective approach to problem-solving and I call on all concerned to continue to work with us as we build the Abia of our collective aspirations,” he promised.

Meanwhile, the Abia governor has urged residents in the state to stop observing the Mondays’ sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Ikpeazu noted that the people would be the losers should they continue to comply with activities designed to curtail their economic and social freedom.

In a state-wide radio and television broadcast to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of the state in 1991, the Governor emphasized that continuing to obey the order was self-harming and enjoined the people to shun tendencies that seek to hurt their legitimate pursuits.

IPOB issued the sit-at-home order as a way of pressing for the release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, currently in detention at the Department of State Security facility in Abuja, after his abduction from Kenya and rendition to Nigeria on June 27, 2021.

Kanu was subsequently taken to court which re-commenced his trial for alleged treason.

IPOB said her members and the entire Ndigbo would continue to observe the sit-at-home every Monday, starting from August 9, 2021, till Kanu is freed, a development that has been described as being inimical to the economy of Ndigbo.

Ikpeazu, in his broadcast, made a veiled reference to the IPOB’s sit-at-home directive, which was still being complied with, even after IPOB has announced its suspension, saying it was denying the people their right to economic and social freedom.

He, therefore, implored the people of the state to resume “normal activities on a regular basis, adding that continued compliance with the IPOB directive was like cutting one’s nose to spite his face.

“We are all also aware of the attempts by certain elements in Abia State to affect our commercial activities and other endeavours on a weekly basis.

“As your leader and Governor, I am making a passionate appeal to Abians to eschew these self-harming tendencies and resume normal activities on a regular basis. While we do not begrudge any group their right to engage in lawful activities to press their claims, we would like to appeal to Abians not to fall for actions and activities that hurt their own economic aspirations.

“We are the greatest losers in any activity designed to deprive our people of economic and social freedom and we must rise above tendencies that seek to hurt our legitimate pursuits.

“Once again, I implore us all to resume our normal economic and social activities without fear of victimization while assuring us all that the Abia State Government has put modalities in place, in conjunction with security agencies, to ensure the safety and security of everyone going about their legitimate endeavours,” Ikpeazu said in the broadcast.

He said that Abia State government has in place, mechanisms “to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of all Abians and residents of Abia State on a daily basis,” warning, “it is imperative that we do not cut our noses to spite our faces.”