The Abia State House has directed the Police Area Commander in Ugwunagbo to as a matter of urgency deploy his men to the Mohammed Buhari Mother and Child Hospital located at Ugwunagbo Local Government Area in order to protect the facility.
This directive followed a Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by the member representing Ugwunagbo State Constituency, Hon. Uruakpa Chijioke on the need to provide resident Doctors, Nurses and other Hospital staff including security personnels for the above hospital in his Constituency.
In his presentation of the matter, Uruakpa highlighted the danger that surrounds the abandonment of the facility praying that the House should mandate the State Government to liase with the Federal Government towards ensuring that the necessary modalities is put in place for the take off of the hospital to avert the vandalization of the equipments at the hospital.
In his own contribution, the member representing Bende North State Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ibekwe stated the need for urgent protection of the hospital having observed that the South-East which barely receives Federal presence should guide the one they have with utmost care.
Following the contributions of other members of the house, the House granted the prayers of Hon. Uruakpa while committing the matter to its committee on Health for an On-the-spot assessment and to revert back to the house in 7 days for further legislative actions.
Also, the house entertained another matter of urgent public importance from the member representing Bende North State Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ibekwe on the Crisis ravaging Ugwueke community in his Constituency which shares boundary with the Akaeze people of Ebonyi State. According to the law maker, his constituents has been in fear as the Crisis between the two neighboring communities has deepened so much that lives and properties have been lost.
Hon. Ibekwe in his motion explained that the Akaeze people left their boundary and invaded a portion of land at Ugwueke on 23rd September 2023 claiming ownership of the said land and informed that the said land under dispute does not belong to the Akaeze Community who he claimed ran to Ugwueke during the biafran war and have refused to go back after the War.
He disclosed that several lives and properties have been lost since the crisis erupted leading to their call on the Assembly to urgently intervene in order to avert further loss of lives and properties.
Members who spoke in favour of the motion includes, member representing Ukwa East, Isiala Ngwa North State constituency Hon. Ojukwu Iheonunekwu and Hon. Goddy Adiele (Ukwa West) all urged the state government to step up and be more proactive in its handling of boundary issues.
The House thereafter committed the matter to its Committee on Boundary and Security Matters Chaired by the Deputy Speaker while the committee was given 30 days to investigate the matter and report back to the house for further Legislative actions.
H.A.B 7 – The Abia State Local Content Bill, 2023 sponsored by Hon. Godwin Adiele representing Ukwa East State Constituency successful passed for its first reading.
On the order of the day, H.A.M 13 which is a Motion for the House of Assembly to Urge the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to Meter all the Electricity Consumers in the state with Prepaid Meter and to strictly abide by the laid down rules in disconnecting it’s customers in the state from power supply was also read at the floor of the House by the sponsor, Hon. Iheonunekwu Ugochukwu Collins.
The motion drew comments from other members of the House while the House resolved to invite the EEDC Top Management and the Commissioner for Power to the House for an interaction.
The House thereafter adjourned its plenary to reconvene tomorrow Wednesday October 11, 2023 by 10.00am.
Okugo Nwadiuto Mabel
House of Assembly Correspondent