Gov Otti with the House of Reps ad-hoc Committee members 


The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Security on Lokpanta Cattle Market at Umunneochi, Abia State, rising from its interactive sessions with security agencies, traditional rulers and other stakeholders visited Abia State Governor Alex Otti on Saturday to brief him on  their findings as well as receive  inputs from   him over his actions/policy on  restoring  security and order in the Market 


Some of the Committee members, who spoke during the visit, recounted their encounters with those they interacted with during a townhall meeting held in the course of the Committee's assignment. 


Hon. Eze N. Eze, representing Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, proffered:  “Your Excellency, as we approached Lokpanta, we saw a different environment, at which point I asked Godwin (Hon Amobi Godwin Ogah) what is happening here? So much has happened there. He told us that together with himself, that you have taken a decision to do the needful, to sanitise the environment and chase out the hoodlums who are being harboured there.


“A lot of praises for you but at some point we told them, keep those praises, let us have what we can do or tell the National Assembly to get this insecurity behind us.”


Hon. Eze told the Governor that the request from the stakeholders included fencing the market, asking that nobody lives close to the market.


 “Your Excellency, Much of what they are asking for, you are already doing," the lawmaker said. 


In his remarks,  Hon. Kwamoti  Laori, representing Demsa/Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency of Adamawa said: “Yes, we were there at the townhall meeting. Like my colleague said, you have really done a lot in respect of security because whoever got up to speak would always commend you for your efforts, even the security personnel there confirmed that. I want to appreciate you specifically for that.”


Responding, Gov Otti welcomed and thanked the Federal lawmakers for their encouraging words. He said that criminality knows no tribe or religion and that his Government does not care about resident's state of origin, so long as you live in Abia, you will be treated as an Abian. 


“Our Government knows no Northerner, Southerner, Easterner. We believe that anybody who is a Nigerian should be protected.  


“Development can never happen when there is insecurity. We want to develop our place and the best thing to do is to ensure that our people are secured," the Governor said. 


He reiterated his earlier pledge during his meeting with the Northern community that Government would support the vulnerable people among them, who may not have the means to rent houses, but made it clear that Government will not set up a separate community for a particular set or group of people.


According to the Governor, everybody should live together to know what their neighbours are doing.


Dailyledger.com.ng reports that part of the strategic moves by the Abia State Government to permanently restore security and order in the area is the conversion of the popular Lokpanta cattle market to a daily and general purpose market, where people can purchase other items like electronics, textile materials and food items other than cattle.


He thanked the lawmakers for their efforts and told them to let the National Assembly know that the State Government had already started doing the needful and is happy that they are coming to complement the efforts of the State. 


“We wouldn’t mind any support you can give to us, seeing now that we are also going to spend money fencing the place, remodeling the shops and ensuring that they meet 21st century standards. Also, given the promise that we had made to support the vulnerable part of that market who cannot afford to pay rent, to support them to get places in the villages,” Otti told his visitors.


Members of the Committee include Hon. Obi Aguocha, representing Ikwuano Umuahia N/S Federal Constituency and the committee Chairman; Hon. Kwamoti  Laori;  Hon. Jonas Okeke, representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency in Imo State; Hon. Eze, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, representing Isiukwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State; Hon. Emeka Nnamani, representing Aba North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State.  


Others are: Abdullahi Abba Kabir, Ad-hoc Committee Clerk; and Busaris Adegbola, Ad-hoc Committee Deputy Clerk.