The chief executive officer of Abia State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu today, Friday evening, August 6, 2021 signed into Law, the Abia State Diaspora Bill recently passed by the State House of Assembly, with a pledge to create a platform for Abia citizens from all walks of life to participate in the governance process.
Speaking shortly after signing the Bill into Law at Government House, Umuahia, the governor commended the State House of Assembly for responding to the yearnings of the Abia Community in the Diaspora through the crafting of a Bill that would provide legal backing to the participation of Abians in the Diaspora in the governance of the state.
Ikpeazu maintained that Abia, endowed with men and women with great capabilities scattered across the world, needs to leverage on the abundant human capacity that abound in the state and across the world, adding that they need work hard develop the state.
The governor recalled that those in the Diaspora have made direct returns and remittances which account for major foreign inflow into the country, pointing out that in Abia, they have made impressive contributions in the area of farming, health, education and industry.
The Abia governor, who highlighted some of the interventions anchored by Diaspora Abians including the Geriatric Care, Training and Retraining of Teachers, Medical Outreaches amongst others, lauded them for supporting the building of a Specialist Pediatric Hospital in the state.
He announced that Abia State has just received two containers of medical supplies out of four donated by those in the Diaspora to drive the specialist hospital and congratulated Abians in the Diaspora for supporting the effort.
On who will occupy the office, Ikpeazu named the Special Adviser on Diaspora Matters, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Erondu-Ogbonna as the officer that will act as the chief executive officer as well as Acting Executive Secretary of the Diaspora Commission.
Earlier, the sponsor of the Bill and Member representing Arochukwu State Constituency Hon. Mike Ukoha had praised the governor for signing the Bill into Law and described it as a revolution and a platform that will bring about socioeconomic economic development to the state.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora Matters, Mrs Erondu-Ogbonna said Abia is the first state to have the Diaspora Commission, stressing that that with the governor’s assents, the Diaspora Law which is a Federal legislation has been domesticated in the state.
The Permanent Secretary/Clerk of Abia State House of Assembly, Dr John Pedro Irokansi presented the Bill to the Governor for signing.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
