By Edwin Philip
The Chairman of Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Hon. Uwabunkeonye Bassey, has said that his Local Government area would champion the industrial revolution in Abia State.
This according to the Chairman is to ensure that the much talked about food security should no longer be pipe dream but a reality, given the potentialities of the area, blessed with arable lands, topography, favourable climate, human capital and accessible to markets in and outside the State.
Hon. Bassey made this known while speaking to our correspondent on assumption of office, stating that he will hit the ground running in areas of agriculture, education, youths and women empowerment, security and other human capital development to bring the dividends of democracy and good governance to the people of Bende.
“I think the foundation has been laid His Excellency Governor Alex Otti, to push the dividends of democracy to the grassroot, believing that through the grace of God we will deliver, Bende is an agrarian area we are going to work so hard that we produce more food for Abia State and it environs.
Bende LGA is rich in the production of rice, palm produce such as palm oil, fruit and rafia product as well as other mix cropping, it is also the home of political bigwigs like the former Governor of the State, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu representing the area at the Senate and the current Deputy Speaker of the House Hon. Benjamin Kalu also representating the area , the local government area is the biggest in Abia State reason why it is has one representative to itself, without sharing with any LGAs as it done elsewhere where two or three Local Government Areas share one legislative representatives in the green Chambers of the National Assembly.
Hon. Uwabunkeonye Bassey, was among the seventeen (17) LGAs elected on Nov. 2, 2024 and sworn in on Monday 5th November, Governor Alex Otti, 15 out of the 17 were of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) while the Young People Party ( YPP) clinched two LGAs, , Hon. Bassey is of the ZLP.
The Bende LGA chairman is a lecturer in department of Statistics at Federal Polytechnic Akanu Ibiam in Ebonye State, has promised to to bring his statictical expertise to bare in the development of his Local Government and adding value to Dr. Otti’s government in Abia State.
On security, Bassey said he will straightened the existing security architecture already put in place the State government to ensure that lives and property are secured most especially the border communities with Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking earlier during the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Otti charged them to continue the work for the socio-economic transformation of Abia.
“As I had also said, your task is to solve the basic problems that have bedevilled our people in the various communities for ages, access to water, basic health and education services, effective maintenance of Truck C roads and quick response to security threats in your local communities should rank very high in your order of priorities” he said.
He added that citizens of the respective LGAs should be able to see the impact of thier leadership in the next six months through measurable improvements in the living conditions of the people, especially women, youths and the vulnerable in the various localities.