Monday was a day of many significance for the government of Ebonyi State, a major one being the commissioning of an ultra-modern Virology Centre in Abakaliki.
The Federal Government on Monday, commissioned a N350 million ultra-modern South East Virology Centre in Abakaliki with a pledge to partner the Ebonyi State government in an effort to instill effective management in the running of the Health facility.
Also, the state government’s policy of one man, one hectare was launched; a programme designed to boost food production across the state, wherein government functionaries including both national and state assembly members are encouraged to go into agriculture.
In line with the policy, Governor David Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State, declared every Friday, a-half-day work for civil servants to enable them go to their farms at the end of the day’s work.
The Federal Government also launched the State Health Insurance Scheme and inaugurated a-21 member committee on Health to Man, in the health sector in the state.
The virology centre within the premises of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA 2, was commissioned by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, who stated that the partnership between FG and the state government would among other benefits, lead to the provision of more equipment and grants to the Centre.
He expressed hope that the centre would help curb the menace of lassa fever ravaging the zone, assuring that the purpose of the centre would never be defeated.
Launching the one man, one hectare agricultural policy of the state government and commissioning of agricultural machineries and equipments at the Abakaliki township Stadium, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh assured that more federal government programmes and policies in agriculture would be implemented in the state.
Ogbeh who was impressed with the state government policies in agriculture added that more agricultural seedlings, machineries and cottage industries would be assigned to the state to boost the present administration’s impact in the area of agriculture.
He charged the people of the state to be part of the agricultural policies of the present administration even as he urged Nigerians not to depend mostly on imported goods but products produced and certified in the country for safety and longevity.
In his remark, Governor David Umahi who expressed the readiness of the present administration to uplift the living standard of Ebonyi people assured the federal government of its continued partnership necessary for the well being of the state.
The state government also flagged off the distribution of N250,000 each to 3000 unemployed Ebonyi youths for human capital development in the area of agriculture and Empowerment.
It also laid to rest, the long feud existing between Ezza/Ezillo communities by proclaiming that 500 hectares of land be used to resettle all Ezza-Ezillo people within Ezillo community.