Abia survival depends on agriculture – Ikpeazu

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has appealed to the people of the state to begin to think of going into agriculture, saying it is the only way to economic survival.

Ikpeazu made the call at Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, in continuation of his town hall meeting, and advised the people not to sell their lands to investors, but to enter into partnership with them to develop the area.

According to Ikpeazu, we are serious about our plans to develop our land. Very soon multinational companies will be coming to you, asking you to sell your lands to them, please do not sell your lands, but go into partnership with investors coming into your area, he said.

“Let your land be your own contribution to any business that is coming to your area, so that you will not only benefit from the business, but your children and generations unborn will also be shareholders and benefit from the business. Please let us stop selling our lands. Our tomorrow will be better and we must plan for that tomorrow now. Never again will we be slaves in our land. This is one truth I must tell you, as one of you,” he said.

He urged the people of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction of the State to be considerate in their demands, but assured that they would get everything due to them.

On his plans to develop the State, Ikpeazu said, “My dear brothers and sisters from Ukwa/Ngwa, it is true that I am one of you, it is also true that we’ve not been governor until now, but I am the Governor of Abia State, and not just the Governor of Ukwa/Ngwa people.

“So when I want to take decisions about our state, I will think of Abia, as a State and not Abia South or Ukwa/Ngwa. This is one truth that I must tell you.

“I know where I come from, and our brothers and sisters from Old Bende, know that I come from somewhere. We must be fair to every Abian and visitors in our land.

He continued, “I’m here to fulfill the promise I made to you during the campaigns. I promised that I will always return to you as the owners of the mandate I’m holding in trust, to report to you on what we’ve done, what we are doing and what we want to do.
“I’m not your ruler, but your servant. Therefore, I’m here to tell you what we’ve done in the first one year of our government and what we plan to do in the second year of our four years tenure.

“I will not lie to you, because I don’t have any reason to do so. You elected me as your Governor to tell you the truth always, and not to lie to you.

He solicited the support and prayer of the people, stressing that Abia is in God’s safe hands.