Insecurity: We have put modalities in place to protect farmers – Otti
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State government says it would not blink in taking difficult decisions to ensure security and improve welfare of the people, as modalities have been put in place to protect farmers from attacks.
The state governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who made this known in his Easter Message to Abians, also announced that the newly recruited 5, 000 teachers would assume duties when schools resume after the Easter Holidays, while new medical personnel would be recruited after the ongoing audit of personnel in the health sector is concluded.
In the message titled: “Living the Joy of the Resurrection,” Governor Otti said his administration was working to expand the social the safety nets to accommodate more vulnerable people to improve their socio-economic standing.
According to him, as a result of the government’s determination to boost agriculture, modalities have been put in place to protect farmers from those who may want to sabotage their efforts.
“The Easter season coincides with the coming of the rains and the beginning of the new farming season. We had promised to prioritise agriculture this year by putting our vast stretch of arable land to good use.
“Agriculture for us is not just about food production for household consumption; we are looking at creating thousands of new agro-entrepreneurs to drive our holistic efforts at agro-revolution.
“As I said earlier in the month at Uzuakoli during the commissioning of the Joe Irukwu Way, we are not just prepared to support farmers with high-yield seedlings and other inputs, we have also put modalities in place to ensure that our farmlands and farmers are effectively protected from the destructive activities of individuals and groups who sabotage the economic gains that accrue to crop farmers.
“As we have demonstrated in the last 23 months, we are ever ready to take very difficult decisions, especially as it concerns the security and welfare of our people,” the Governor said.
He announced that the 5, 000 teachers recently recruited for public schools in the state will get their appointment letters before the end of this April and would resume at the start of the new school term.
He added that plans have been concluded to recruit 4,000 more teachers and technologists to match the trend of rising enrolment in public schools following the introduction of free and compulsory basic education in the state; while at the end of the on-going staff audit in the health sector, qualified personnel will be recruited for critical areas of need.
He promised that being a government profoundly committed to the welfare of ordinary Abia men and women, government shall continue to expand its social safety nets to “support our brethren who for reasons of physical disability, infirmity or other unfortunate circumstances of life, are unable to effectively fend for themselves.”
To this end, he disclosed that orphans and widows, the chronically ill and the aged without proper family and social support systems were already benefitting from the N3.4 billion the State budgeted for poverty alleviation and social protection in the 2025 Appropriation Law.
“While we shall remain focused on our broad infrastructural development programme, we are also making a commitment to care for and support the vulnerable in our midst because we are all equally and magnificently created by the same God. My promise today and always is that whatever burden you bear as a member of the larger Abia community, you will never run short of support and encouragement,” he said.
Governor Otti commended the Christian community for the great humanitarian work they were doing, including catering for the less privileged.
“I would like to very respectfully salute the leaders of the Christian community in the state for their efforts, not just at raising true and genuine disciples of Christ, but also for their commitment to the development of the larger society through widespread investments in education, healthcare delivery and support for the underprivileged and deprived in our society,” he said and pledged government’s support.
While wishing Christians in Abia and globally, a happy Easter celebration, Dr. Otti enjoined them to live like Christ by embracing the eternal virtues of love, sacrifice and forgiveness.
“As we celebrate the anniversary of Christ’s resurrection, let us remember that greatness isn’t defined exclusively by what we do for ourselves, but essentially by what we do to bring the light of God’s love to our neighbours and those who in years to come, would be inspired by the impact of the sacrifices we made in love,” he noted.
