FIC Report (Abia State) – Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged the people of the South East to take full advantage of the various Federal Government initiatives in the region and support every effort aimed at bringing development closer to their communities.
Idris made the call in Umuahia during the Federal Government South East Milestone Sensitisation Campaign themed “Tinubu Administration’s Mid-Term Report.”
Speaking through the Head of the Federal Information Centre (FIC), Abia State, Lady Gloria Abiakam, the Minister listed the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in the South East, with particular focus on Abia State. These include:
The Renewed Hope Agenda, which has prioritized agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
Establishment of the cassava and bio-ethanol project in Enugu to boost food security and job creation.
Empowerment of beneficiaries of the Youth Agricultural Support Programme through the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in collaboration with the wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti.
Provision of relief materials and palliatives tagged “Boundless Support for Persons with Disabilities.”
Launch of the Student Loan Scheme, Consumer Credit Corporation, Nano-Business Support Scheme,250 renewed hope Housing initiatives, and Skill-Up Artisans Programme.
Commissioning of the Cancer Centre at UNTH, Enugu, and upgrades of Mother and Child Centres in Abia and Imo States.
Ongoing construction and rehabilitation of key infrastructure, including the Second Niger Bridge, Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, and Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway.
Idris stressed the importance of information dissemination by state and local governments to ensure that citizens are aware of these opportunities. He assured that the Federal Government remains committed to the well-being and prosperity of the South East.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, represented by Mike Ukoha, highlighted that after decades of infrastructural and socio-economic neglect, the region now has the South East Development Commission, a result of his sponsored bill signed into law by President Tinubu.
Kalu urged the people to support the administration and avoid distractions, assuring them that he would relay their concerns and feedback directly to the President.
Earlier, a resource person from News Agency Of Nigeria(NAN) ,Mr. Sam Odita, commended President Tinubu’s administration for its bold steps, particularly in agriculture and youth empowerment, urging South Easterners to embrace the programmes.
Goodwill messages came from traditional, religious, and community leaders, including Eze Ifeanyi Izuogu of Okwu Olokoro, the State CAN Chairman (represented by Dr. Francis Okire), NOA Zonal South East Director ,Mrs. Regina Iroha, and the Chairman of the Muslim Pilgrim Board, Sheikh Mohammed.
While appreciating the interventions, the leaders appealed to the President to address pressing challenges such as insecurity, hunger, and disparities in infrastructure distribution. They also called for the revival of railway lines, which once played a vital role in regional trade and mobility.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) State Chairman, Mr. Ojo Uduma, lamented the rising insecurity, urging the Federal Government to take decisive steps to restore peace. Similarly, the head of Muslim community and Chairman Muslim Pilgrims Board ,Sheikh Ali Ukaiwo appealed for the return of functional railway systems that previously linked Umuahia to Kano.
The event concluded with a renewed sense of optimism, as stakeholders acknowledged the gains recorded under the Renewed Hope Agenda while emphasizing the need for sustained action to secure the South East’s development and Nigeria’s collective progress.
Signed
Abiakam Gloria Ify
HOC, FIC Umuahia Abia State.
21st August 2025.
