Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has solicited the collaboration and support of the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) to the State to enable it overcome some economic challenges affecting it.
Governor Ikpeazu made the plea while receiving in audience a delegation of the Senior Economic Adviser to the United Nations Development Programme led by Amarakoon Bandara at Government House Umuahia.
The Governor said he was excited with the interest of the UNDP in assisting the state to reduce the economic challenges of the people occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He disclosed that the state government spent enormous resources in mounting advocacy and provision of drugs, medications and care during the heat of the pandemic and maintained that the state government is still providing testing, drugs, medication and care in the management of Covid-19 in the state.
Ikpeazu who reeled out his administration’s strategy for the development of the state especially through SMEs, Agriculture and Education among others, said his government is focused on delivering democracy dividends to the Abia populace.
According to the Governor, Abia is known as a trading enclave with over 250,000 artisans engaged in Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Aba alone.
Ikpeazu while noting that the commercial city of Aba is challenged with the issue of electrical power, expressed hope that the Geometric power project would soon provide Aba with uninterrupted power supply.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Senior Economic Adviser to the United Nations Development Programme, Dr. Amarakoon Bandara said they were in Abia on a fact finding mission for a rapid assessment to identify opportunities the state can benefit from the UNDP and partner with Abia to achieve them.
He said the pandemic has had devastating effects on the revenue of government hence the need to identify the areas of challenges for possible intervention by the UNDP.
