Abia To Deal Ruthlessly With Fake Drugs Manufacturers

Worried by the spate of fake drugs production recently discovered in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, the state government has revealed that it will henceforth deal ruthlessly with fake drugs producers arrested in the city.

The government, according to the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, has directed security agencies to track down perpetrators of the illicit and dangerous crime and prosecute them accordingly.

Briefing journalists in Umuahia after this week’s state executive council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, Kanu warned manufacturers of fake drugs and beverages to desist from such unwholesome acts that dent the image of the state or face the full wrath of the law.

However, in a major move to make Umuahia, the state capital a smart city, the state government, he disclosed, has embarked on many urban renewal and beautification initiatives including the relocation of illegal traders from Isigate to Okwulaga -Afara, Umuahia.

He stated that the state government is about relocating the illegal Isigate market to Afara, and that part of the initiatives to beautify Umuahia includes the construction of bus shelters within Umuahia among others.

His word, “In continuation of the infrastructural development agenda of the state, the State government is poised to embark on a number of urban renewal and beautification initiatives that are geared towards making Umuahia, the state capital a smart city.

“The state government is on the cusp of relocating the illegal Isigate market to Afara. The idea is to decongest the city centre in Umuahia.

“Please, be informed that land for the new market has been completed and compensation duly paid to the land owners. At this point, the building of a perimeter fencing round the market is ongoing.

“Like I said earlier, the relocation is geared towards decongesting Isigate and making way for the new bus terminal and other transport and beautification projects around that part of the capital city”.

Prince Kanu explained that the state government is very intentional and determined to implement the Smart City project hence, there’s a move to remove the projections in front of buildings, stressing that the state government , through the Umuahia Capital Development Authority ( UCDA) has standardized the projections across the state.

“Going forward, landlords will be allowed to project their buildings and the specification is about 1.5 meters. The idea is to standardize the design for the projections across the length and breadth of the state particularly in Umuahia, Aba and Ohafia.

“Of course you know that when the project gets on the way, it would make the state to wear a new look entirely”, Kanu noted.

The Abia information further revealed that part of the initiatives for the Smart City is the construction and expansion of 1.385 kilometres Library Avenue (Bank road) into a two-lane road on either side of the median.

He added that drainage improvement works is also part of the package and that by the time the project is completed, it would enhance the aesthetics towards the Government House from either side of Okpara Avenue from Federal Medical Centre (FMC) axis.

The commissioner equally asserted that the initiatives include the construction of bus shelters within Umuahia, disclosing that currently, civil works is ongoing at about 10 proposed shelters starting from Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard.

He stated that in furtherance to the road development agenda of the state government, there are 28 ongoing construction projects across the state with the contractors on all the sites working very hard to beat the deadline that has been set for them.

Speaking on the nature of the ongoing projects, Kanu informed that there are about 44 direct labour sites where work is still ongoing, adding that few of them have been completed with about 35 on course.

He used the opportunity to warn motorists who drive against traffic, saying that no matter how short the distance might be, nobody should drive against the traffic as those found guilty would be persecuted under extant laws

Prince Kanu during the briefing informed that the state government is intentional about addressing the housing issues in and around the state capital and disclosed that there are about four housing projects that would take off soon.

He also said that two of the proposed projects are around Umuahia, one in Aba while the other is located in Ukwa West respectively and that discussions are ongoing with developers.

The affected areas, he said, are Valley View in Umuahia, Mbaisii, Mgbarakuma and Obehie in Ukwa West LGA.

In his comment, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumereije said that a lot would be happening in the housing sector in the state the year in 2025, saying that the state government is embarking on a housing project that is called the New Umuahia project.

According to him, the New Umuahia is located between Umuahia Tower and Ntigha in Isiala Ngwa North LGA and it would cover about an area of 2,000 hectares, affecting about 19 communities at that corridor.

Chukwumerije further stated that the public would be duly informed as soon as the paper works are completed.

Answering questions from newsmen, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma revealed that all forms of illegal motor parks presently at Isigate will soon be a thing of the past, pointing out that the ban on one way driving is still in force as no group of persons are exempted from the ban.

Speaking also, the General Manager, Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Mr. Kingsley Agomuo said that the planned relocation of illegal traders from Isigate to the newly acquired site at the Relief Market at Umunze -Okwulaga Afara would happen soon.

The perimeter fencing, he disclosed, is ongoing while compensation has been paid to land owners, saying that the bus terminal at the Abia Tower axis of the Enugu/Port Harcourt express way would soon undergo renovation to serve as park for heavy duty trucks.

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