By Ewa Innocent, The Sight News
Abakaliki: Ebonyi state government has been commended for its efforts in enhancing national security and good governance in the country.
The commendation came from the students of Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, after their environmental study tour in the state, titled “Assessing states and local governments efforts toward enhancing national security”.
Speaking to journalists after the tour, the leader of the team and Director, Department of Joint See Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Brig. Victor Ebhaleme, said what he saw in the state in terms of infrastructural development was to him a miracle, having visited other states across the country without seeing such Quantum of monumental infrastructure and rapid development that has taken place in Ebonyi state.
His words, “Let me commend Ebonyi state government in the area of infrastructural development which of course, has created job for the youths, and to the gains of agricultural production that have been made.
“We went to the local governments, and we saw the rice mills which in no doubt, has provided job security to the people. I have been to other states, but what I saw here was like a miracle, and I had never anticipated the level of development I saw in Ebonyi state,when compared to other states that have been created so many years ago. Even up to the local governments, the roads are good,” he said.
Brig. Gen. Victor Ebhaleme, and his team who were later treated to a cocktail Party by the Ebonyi state government in their honour, further applauded the state government for being very proactive on security matters, stressing that the issue of national security has been properly addressed.
According to the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kenneth Ugballa, “On the issue of security, it is better for government to be proactive, instead of reactive.
“If you are reactive, that problem cannot be solved. What do we mean by proactive? Looking at the fundamentals of good governance. We don’t want a situation where people don’t address the root cause of insecurity”.
Responding, Governor David Umahi,who was represented by the Secretary to the state government, Dr. Kenneth Ugballa, thanked the research team of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College,for choosing Ebonyi state as one of their states of study.
He called on the team to make strong recommendations on the output of their findings to the public domain, so as to enable other governors in the country, adopt the policies and programmes of the Ebonyi state government.
Areas visited by the research team included; local government councils such as—Ikwo; Izzi; Afikpo North; Ishielu; and the home of Princess Aluu Akanu Ibiam, the regent of Unwana kingdom and also, the daughter of late legend, the former governor general of the southeastern region, Dr. Akanu Ibiam.
Others were Nigercem; Nkalagu; Rice mills in Ikwo and Izzi; Ngwagu military cantonment; Police command; DSS office; Ebonyi State University; and Alex Ekwueme Federal university, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, among others,where they had interactive sessions with stakeholders on efforts toward enhancing national security.
