From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has signed the Abia State Diaspora Bill into Law. The Bill was recently passed by the State House of Assembly.
The Bill was meant to provide legal backing for Abians in the Diaspora to participate in the governance of the State.
Speaking after signing the Bill into Law at Government House, Umuahia, Ikpeazu commended the State House of Assembly for responding to the yearnings of the Abia Community in the Diaspora to be part of the governance of the state through the crafting of the Bill.
The Governor, he promised to create a platform for Abians from all walks of life to participate in the governance process, noting that Abia is endowed with men and women with great capabilities scattered across the world.
He stressed the need to leverage on the abundant human capacity that abound in the State and abroad to develop the State.
Ikpeazu added that those in the Diaspora have made direct returns and remittances which account for major foreign inflow into the country, emphasizing that Abians in the Diaspora have made impressive contributions in the area of farming, health, education and industry.
Ikpeazu who highlighted some of the interventions initiated by Abians in the Diaspora to include the Geriatric Care, Training and Retraining of Teachers , Medical Outreaches amongst others, commended them for supporting the building of a Specialist Pediatric Hospital in the State.
He announced that Abia State has just received two containers of medical supplies out of four donated by those in the Diaspora to drive the specialist hospital and congratulated them for supporting the effort.