Umahi Moves To Empower 2,400 Women And Youths

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has said his administration would next month  deploy over N600m to empower at least 2,400 women and youths in the state. Umahi, who disclosed this on Friday while assenting to  three bills recently passed into law by Ebonyi State House of Assembly, said he would soon send a letter to the  lawmakers requesting for approval of part of the sum.

He explained that the plan was part of his administration’s effort to ensure that women and youths were made to engage in productive activities to fend for their families and contribute to the development of the state.

“The administration wants to deploy N600  million   massively in the month of August towards ensuring that at least 2,400 of our youths and women have something doing in this state. So the request will be coming to you,” the governor told the Assembly members who were present as he signed the bills.

Umahi commended the lawmakers for the speedy passage of the bills which he said would enhance development of  the state.The new laws are the Ebonyi State Primary Healthcare Development Law, Ebonyi State Law on Telecommunication Infrastructure Compliance and Maintenance Agency and Ebonyi State Property Enumeration and Registration Agency.

The governor  said, “I want to thank the House of Assembly very dearly for the passage of these laws and for their deep appreciation and partnership with us.
“I am very excited for their patience and understanding and their zeal for Ebonyi projects. For me and other  members  of the state Executive Council  and of course, together with you and the  Judiciary, it has  been how to secure the future of our children; it has  been how to lift up this state because, no matter how much you pretend, if we are not updated, we cannot compete with others when we go beyond Ebonyi State.
“And that’s why I commend you very highly. You are one arm of government together with  the Judiciary that understand very well the situations we are in now. I thank you for even going beyond your capacities and abilities to assist us.”
Umahi said the law on ICT  maintenance agency  would “regulate how people cut roads and  mount masts that could destroy houses and  produce certain things that are not good for the health of our people.”

On the law on property enumeration, he said,” Unfortunately, since the beginning of this state, we  have no  data  on income tax, properties and premises. This law graciously passed is going to enable us to rightly move into homes and offices and try to do enumeration.
” It is very important to note that the way we want to operate this law you passed is that you will  have  records  of landlords and tenants. It will also help us  to track the movement of any body in this state. “

He said that the law on  primary healthcare was very important beacuse if our primary health care is not taken good care of, the secondary health system and the general hospital will be less attractive.”
Umahi also disclosed that  a letter had  been written to the House of Assembly requesting it to make it imperative  for the  government   to demand contributions from contractors   working in the  state.

He explained that  such contributions would  go straight to the Ministry of Empowerment and Job Creation for the  empowerment  of  youths and women in the state.Umahi  also  revealed that   laws on pension and national health insurance scheme would  soon be sent to House of Assembly.

Governor Umahi had earlier inaugurated  the  Hospital Management and  State Traditional Medicine boards with a charge to them to  tackle fake drugs in the state.

The chairmen of the two boards, Dr. Sunday Nwangele and Ezeogo Charles Mkpuma, in their acceptance speeches, pledged that they would  not disappoint the state.