Abia youths demand govt intervention over arbitrary electricity bills, house rents
Chinedum Treasure
Awka
Youths in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State have raised the alarm over increasing abuse and trafficking of hard drugs around public primary schools in the area.
They lamented that exposure of these substances to school-age children is not only influencing them negatively but also contributing to substance abuse among younger generations.
Speaking during LGA Quarterly Dialogue Session held at the Conference Hall, Umuahia North LGA Headquarters powered by Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI), Mr Raymond also expressed concern over growing rate of youth unemployment despite increasing levels of education among young people.
He recommended that the government invest in vocational training, entrepreneurship support, and skill acquisition programmes to equip youths with employable and marketable skills.
Corroborating, Mr Gideon blamed youth unemployment to what he described as inadequate government attention to the welfare and economic empowerment of young people within the area.
Ikechukwu Chibuzor expressed dissatisfaction with the high electricity bills being charged to residents despite the poor and inconsistent power supply experienced across communities.
On her part, Eunice Kalu raised concerns over increasing cost of house rent and the activities of housing agents.
Drawing from her personal experience as a recent graduate and serving corps member, Kalu noted that the current housing situation places a significant burden on young people trying to establish themselves economically.
She recommended the development of policies or regulations that would hold landlords and housing agents accountable for exploitative practices.
Participants with disabilities highlighted challenges relating to social inclusion, employment opportunities, and access to government empowerment programmes.
Particular attention was drawn to the exclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities, who are often overlooked during government interventions targeted at PWDs.
One of them, Chidimma Maduka, with an intellectual disability, spoke passionately about the challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities.
She explained that many employers and community members often view persons with disabilities through the lens of charity rather than capability, making it difficult for them to access employment opportunities.
She further noted that persons with intellectual disabilities are frequently excluded from programmes and empowerment initiatives intended for PWDs.
Supporting her contribution, Kalu Samuel called on Local Government to design programmes specifically targeted at persons with intellectual disabilities.
He also urged community members to support efforts to improve the welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
On monitoring and evaluation of government projects, participants sought clarification on the supervision and monitoring of projects being implemented within the area.
They questioned whether qualified monitoring and evaluation personnel were involved in ensuring quality project delivery.
Kalu Samuel sought clarification on ongoing development projects within Umuahia North and questioned whether qualified Monitoring and Evaluation personnel were responsible for supervising such projects.
Participants further called for strengthened security measures within Umuahia North, particularly in light of recent kidnapping incidents reported in nearby communities.
Innocent Jonah called for stronger security measures across Umuahia North, citing a recent kidnapping incident in Umuawa as an indication of growing security concerns within the area.
Mr Daniel commended state Government, the Governor and the Mayor of Umuahia North for the visible improvements recorded within the Local Government Area.
Acknowledging the administration’s efforts, he raised concerns about the alleged diversion of revenue generated from the market area known as Gate in Umuahia North and called for greater transparency and accountability in revenue collection and management.
On impact of government programmes on youths, Ebube expressed joy over major achievements of the current administration which he said have directly benefited young people within the area.
Describing the dialogue as historic, State Coordinator, Mr Daberechi noted that it was the first time youths from diverse backgrounds had the opportunity to engage directly with Local Government officials in such a setting.
He encouraged young people to continue participating in governance processes and urged Local Government officials to sustain open channels of communication with citizens.
Responding to the issues raised, the Personal Assistant to the Mayor, Mr Ndubueze Fortune, assured participants that security remains a top priority for the administration.
He explained that the recent kidnapping case mentioned by participants was already under active investigation and that security agencies were making every effort to ensure the safe return of the victims.
He further revealed that the Mayor had held meetings with the President-Generals of various communities within Umuahia North, emphasising the administration’s belief that community members play a critical role in securing their localities.
Addressing concerns about drug abuse among school-age children, the Press Secretary to the Mayor, Mr Courage Ogbonna, stated that the administration maintains regular engagement with security agencies on the issue.
He disclosed that a request had already been forwarded to the State Government for the construction of perimeter fences around public primary schools to curb drug trafficking and unauthorised access to school premises.
Responding to concerns regarding project supervision, Mr Courage Ogbonna explained that all projects executed within Umuahia are supervised by the Ministry of Works and relevant technical teams to ensure compliance with approved standards and project objectives.
On the issue of inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, Mr Courage stated that the Local Government usually works through the umbrella body for PWDs whenever empowerment programmes are organised.
However, Chidimma Maduka responded that empowerment opportunities often reach the same individuals repeatedly and do not adequately cater to the different disability clusters, such as persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, and persons with albinism.
She recommended that the government engage directly with cluster leaders to ensure broader inclusion.
In response, government officials committed that moving forward, they would engage disability cluster leaders whenever empowerment opportunities arise to ensure that benefits reach those who genuinely need them.
Mr Courage further committed that the Local Government would liaise with the Social Welfare Unit to identify previous beneficiaries and create opportunities for new participants.
Regarding unemployment, Mr Courage explained that the Local Government remains constrained by the existing employment embargo and therefore lacks the authority to recruit staff independently.
Nevertheless, he reiterated the administration’s willingness to continue engaging youth leaders and stakeholders to identify practical solutions to youth-related challenges.
He further committed that the Local Government would liaise with members of the State House of Assembly to advocate for legislation supporting drug rehabilitation programmes and budgetary allocations for their implementation.
Addressing allegations of revenue diversion, Mr Ndubueze Fortune clarified that all authorised revenue collection is handled through the State Government.
He stated that any individual collecting revenue in the name of Umuahia North Local Government without authorisation should be reported to the appropriate authorities for investigation and prosecution.
Responding to concerns about electricity supply, officials acknowledged the challenge and appealed to residents for patience while ongoing efforts by the State Government to improve electricity infrastructure continue.
During the recommendation session, Chidimma Maduka raised the possibility of establishing a school specifically designed to meet the educational needs of persons with intellectual disabilities.
In response, Mr Courage Ogbonna explained that such a decision falls outside the mandate of the Local Government and encouraged civil society organisations to advocate for the issue at the appropriate levels of government.
Mr Gideon also recommended that whenever the Local Government intends to implement programmes for Persons with Disabilities, civil society organisations should be engaged to ensure wider outreach and inclusion.
Earlier, Executive Director, CATYCOI, Nonso Orakwe said the dialogue session was convened to create a platform for meaningful engagement between youths, Persons with Disabilities (PWD) civil society actors and Local Government officials in the area.
According to him, the session aimed to strengthen citizen participation in governance, promote accountability, and provide an avenue for community members to raise concerns affecting development and service delivery.
Orakwe call for sustained citizen participation, stronger collaboration between government and civil society, and continued efforts to ensure that the voices of youths and vulnerable groups are reflected in governance and development processes
The engagement attracted 30 participants, including youths, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), civil society representatives, and Local Government officials.
