Abia@31: Mortuary Is The Only Functioning Department In Abia Hospitals – Abia Youths Lament
As Abia State commemorate her 31st anniversary, Progressive Abia Youths (P.A.Y), has decried the present condition of most health facilities across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking during a press conference held on Saturday, August 27, in Umuahia, themed; “Abia At 31; Walk To Good Governance”, Isuikwuato local government coordinator of P.A.Y, comrade Daniel Chimaobi, lamented the poor state of medical facilities in the area, noting that the only functional department is the Mortuary.
WATCH VIDEO:
Chimaobi also decried the high rate of insecurity ravaging the area while calling on the Abia State government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in Isuikwuato.
Similarly other local government coordinators gave account of challenges facing their areas, which borders on; insecurity, unemployment, bad roads, non payment of workers’ salaries, dilapidated schools, poor health centres, health and economic hazards caused by mining and oil drilling ( in Umunneochi and Ukwa).
Proffering solutions to the challenges, the youths advised the government to fix bad roads aiding insecurity and disrupting inter states economic activities, adopt measures that would create employment opportunities, revitalize and equip the education and health sectors, pay salaries among others.
In his address, the President, P.A.Y, comrade Ekejiuba Kingsley, regretted that at 31, Abia State is yet to measure up with sister states in infrastructure, economy, education, social welfare and others.
“Sadly, the accumulation of salaries in the public education sector is now a norm in Abia state. Due to the fact that the state governor was once in the academia, we are in rude shock over the abandonment of Abia State polytechnic which had its operational license withdrawn as a result of over 30 months of salary arrears owed to lecturers.”
The youths requested governor Okezie Ikpeazu to declare a state of emergency in public schools, suspend the school feeding program “gulping hundreds of millions of our revenue” and channel the resources to payment of teachers salaries.”
According to P.A.Y, “it doesn’t make sense to feed school children when their teachers are owed.”
” At 31 Abia is mature enough to produce opportunities for the youths to be productive. We plead with the government to harness the myraids of opportunities across the state so as to provide sustainable job opportunities for the teeming youths” they added.
They urged the governor to leave an indelible mark in the history of the state even as the 2023 election approaches, adding that the days of bad Governance are over in Abia as the youths have risen to take their destiny into their own hands; to promote democracy and ensure result based leadership for our generation and the next”.