The corona virus Pandemic only served to compound the situation. With almost all the tiers of Government in the country battling to remain afloat, many have resigned to fate, but not so for the authorities of Isiala Ngwa South Local Council of Abia state.

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Since the outbreak of the novel corona virus early last year, Nigerian economy, just like many countries worldwide has been contending with an unprecedented convulsion resulting from dwindling income.

Before, then, many states and local councils in the country had been finding it extremely difficult to meet their basic responsibilities to their people.

The corona virus Pandemic only served to compound the situation. With almost all the tiers of Government in the country battling to remain afloat, many have resigned to fate, but not so for the authorities of Isiala Ngwa South Local Council of Abia state.

Penultimate week, the authorities of the council convened a one day economic summit to fashion out ways of lifting the economic fortunes of the council, in the face of the global economic meltdown. The summit, which held at the Aba Sports Club, with the theme “Discovering the economic potentials of our people”, had in attendance prominent sons and Daughters of the council drawn from all walks of life.

Explaining the rationale behind the summit, the Executive Chairman of the council, Chief Ike Anyatonwu said it is meant to create awareness for the potentials of the people noting that the potentials of the people especially in the area of Agriculture have not been fully tapped. According to him, Isiala Ngwa Council, and its people do not have any business with poverty, in view of the large and fertile land at their disposal. “With the large and fertile land, available, there is no need to depend solely on traditional economic activities in the council for survival. The summit is to create the needed awareness on the economic potentials of our people, and to come up with ideals on how to maximize the potential for the overall development of the council. Chief Anyatonwu further explained.

Re-echoing the position of the council boss chairman of the summit, professor, Joshua Ogbonna noted that the summit was borne out of a deep inflection on the future of their people, in the face of the present economic realities that have precipated a near total collapse of the strands that sustain life in the midst of naturally endowed resources. “With the richness of our land and endowed flat surfaces coupled with the ongoing penetration into the rural areas by the Abia State Government, through massive Road construction and rural electrification, with a youthful population resource person should evolve a new model that will expose our potentials with a view to harness them for the overall development of the people” prof. Ogbonna Stated.

The Chairman of the occasion a known professor of Geographic information system and spatial modeling from the Abia State University further noted that with arable land, modern digital infrastructure in place, the youths of the council can be meaningfully engaged in a move to stem the tide of unemployment. For him, agriculture is the ways to go if the council and its people are to successfully navigate the present harsh economic situation in the country.

His position that Agriculture holds the key to the economic development of the people amidst harsh economic situation in the country, was re-enforced by the key note speaker, Prof Godfrey Nji, who observed that, with the largest and most fertile land in Igbo Land, Ngwa people have remained the largest producer of food crops and other cash crops in the region. According to the Professor of Kinetic Science from the University of Nigerian Nsukka, Ngwa people are known for their industry and entrepreneurship but regretted that today all these attributes have virtually disappeared, leading to the reign of poverty in the area. “For me the solution to the problem is for over people to go back to their culture, which finds expression in Agriculture, industry and Entrepreneurship. Through these ways our people can make maximum use of the proximity of Aba, as commercial center to lift the economy of the council and its people. Our people are not ready again to participate in Agriculture; but if they can go back to farming Ngwa land will be better. With arable / fertile land, Ngwa land supposed to be better than what it is today”. Prof Nji added.

In his goodwill message, the Chief of staff to Governor Okezie Ikeazu, Dr. Anthony B. C. Agbazuere described the summit as not only timely, but visionary, noting that it is in tandem with the State Government’s policy of self-reliance.

Represented by his special Assistant , Barrister Emeka Eze, Dr. Abgazuere himself , a son of the soil noted that the state Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had during the inauguration of the elected council Chairmen a few months back charged them to look inwards and think out of the box so as to improve the revenue base of the councils.

He praised chief Anyatonwu, the Isiala Ngwa council boss for keying into the state Government Agenda on the improvement of the revenue profile of the council “Apart from this summit, I am aware that the chairman has been making other efforts towards improving the economy situation of the people. I am aware that plans are afoot to establish a vegetable market, and a trailer park in the council. I want the chairman to produce a communiqué from this summit, so that it will be submitted to the Governor for necessary assistance Dr. Agbazuere further stated.

On his part, the member representing Isiala Ngwa south and North at the House of Representative Hon. Darlington Nwokocha promised to lend all the hands of support to the Chairman in his efforts to revitalize economic activities in the council.

He specially promised to assist in the area on security, because according to him, no meaningful economic activity will take place in an atmosphere of insecurity.