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Any traditional ruler in Abia State whose domain is used as a precinct for kidnapping will be made to face the full weight of the law, the State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, has announced....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>
Accordingly, the government has therefore warned monarchs in the state against the dangers of allowing their communities to be used as places where kidnap victims are harboured.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Umuahia after the State Executive Council, Prince Kanu asked town union leaders to be vigilant and report all cases of suspicious movements involving criminal elements to security agents.
He used the forum to announce the release of a prominent business man in the state who was kidnapped in Ukwa East LGA few weeks ago, adding that the warning has become necessary following some reports that some traditional rulers are not up and doing in the war against criminality in their domains.
“As it’s usual with security matters, I may not want to go into details of what happened to the businessman, but the state government is advising Abians to remain vigilant. Town unions and traditional rulers must be alive to their duties of keeping watch over their domains.
“The state government is frowning seriously at this and the warning is that if you are caught in the act of harbouring criminals, you will be treated as one.
“Of course, let me reiterate the old cliché that ‘when you see something, you say something’. We have to even go further to say that when you see something, take action by making discreet reports to the security agencies,” Kanu declared.
The information commissioner added that the state government would through security agencies start beaming its lights on all traditional rulers to ascertain those who harbour criminals in their domains, even as he warned that any of such traditional ruler found culpable would be treated as one.
On infrastructure, Kanu state that the government would soon commission five newly completed road projects under its direct labour initiative. He named the roads to include the 19.5 kilometres Umuahia -Bende Road, phase 1 and phase 2, the maintenance work on the 1.76 kilometres Igbere junction to Onu Roundabout.
Others, according to the Commissioner, are the reconstruction of the 2.5 kilometres Umuokogbuo Road, the rehabilitation of the 8.3 Isieketa -Obikabia Road in Isiala Ngwa South LGA and the Obehie -Ezendioma Road in Ukwa West LGA.
The Commissioner further explained that based on a report by the State Ministry of Works, the 19.5 km Umuahia-Bende Road has outlived its useful life and that it is no more economical to continue to maintain the road.
The road, he announced, has therefore been recommended for total reconstruction, arguing that since the road is a federal road, the state government will enter into negotiations with the federal authorities to carry out a complete reconstruction.
On plans to remodel Umuahia, the Abia State capital, Prince Kanu disclosed that the Umuahia Urban Renewal Project meant to turn Umuahia into a modern city is moving on well and that the reconstruction and expansion work along the Library Avenue as well as the Akanu Ibiam Road- FMC junction would soon be ready for commissioning.
He also said that other projects in the capital city like the bus terminal and bus shelters at strategic places are progressing and would be completed soon.
His word, “The Umuahia Urban Renewal Project is progressing very well. It is a project that is meant to turn Umuahia into a modern city.
“Quite a lot of work is ongoing across the state capital. It is all part of the efforts to turn Umuahia into a beautiful modern city, through changes in the look and feel of the city.
“The road and junction improvement works are progressing well. For the bus terminal project, I don’t know those of us who have been able to pass through there recently to have a look at what’s going on there”.
The Information Commissioner equally announced that the registration of all commercial vehicles operating in the state is still ongoing.
He therefore encouraged commercial drivers yet to comply with the registration to do so as government would soon commence strict enforcement of the guidelines on the policy…CONTINUE READING>>
