Ogona Anita
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has assured that his administration will commercialise the production of the traditional Akwete cloth of the Ndoki people of Ukwa East Local Government Area of the state.
Otti gave the assurance on Saturday at his Nvosi country home in Isialangwa South LGA when a delegation of Ukwa East people, led by the Mayor of the LGA, Pastor Chibunna Akara, paid him a courtesy visit.
He said, “We will work with you to expand the production of Akwete cloth to commercialise it.”
Otti, who thanked the delegation for the gift of the Akwete cloth presented to him, said his government, through the Office of his wife, had been promoting the fabric beyond Africa, even to the United Nations General Assembly.
“She went with a lot of the cloths to showcase it to the world.
“And I must also put it on record that one of our big sisters, Dr Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, has also been supporting it. In fact, she received an award, I think in Abu Dhabi, a few weeks ago, and she wore it.
“But all we want is to support them, the Ndoki people, to commercialise it. We must commercialise it, bring the price down and make it available to the people,” he said.
Speaking on infrastructure, Otti said, “Sometimes we do not understand that when the people and God have given you an opportunity to serve, everything is about the welfare and happiness of your people.”
As a result, he said, “I found out that there was no general hospital in the whole of Ukwa East. Last year, I approved that a general hospital be set up in Ukwa East.
“To the glory of God, an Ndoki son, who is also a man of God, donated a large parcel of land, and I have given the contractor till the end of the year to deliver a state-of-the-art general hospital for our people.
“I think the most important thing is that we belong to one political party called Abia State, and everything we do is to promote the welfare and happiness of our people.”
Earlier, the Mayor of Ukwa East LGA, Lewis Obianyi, informed the governor that he came with people who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party into the ruling Labour Party in the state.
Those who defected include the Deputy Majority Leader of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly and PDP Campaign Director-General in Ukwa East LGA during the 2023 general election, and current APC major stakeholder, Hon. Paul Taribo; the YPP House of Representatives candidate in 2023 and YPP leader in Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency, Chief Bright Benson; a two-time former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Lady Chinedu Brown; PDP Chairman of all ward chairmen in Ukwa East LGA, Hon. Hyacint Iheanacho; a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Kamalu; and an APC Ukwa East major stakeholder and retired Superintendent of Police, Barrister Ben Ogbonna.
Others are the Coordinator, Women Traders in Politics, Ukwa chapter, Mrs Esther Bright; Ukwa East LGA PDP woman leader and Coordinator, Women Traders in Politics, Ukwa chapter, Chief (Lolo) Theresa Aja; former Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Elder Israel Bethel; and the Chairman of the Ijaw National Congress, Ndoki clan, Dr Felix Idah Waboso.
The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who is from the area, noted that “in politics, the more, the merrier,” and welcomed the defectors.
Paul Taribo, who said Otti had performed well, told journalists, “I joined the Labour Party two weeks ago because it is obvious that Otti is doing well, hence the need to support him.”
