Hon. Uwabunkeonye Bassey
Edwin Philip
The Chairman of Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Hon. Uwabunkeonye Bassey,said his administration will prioritise agriculture.
He said the council will leverage the vast arable land, favourable climate, manpower and access to market to ensure food security.
Bassey spoke on his assumption of office, saying that agriculture, education, youths and women empowerment, security and other human capital development will be the focus of his administration.
“I think the foundation has been laid by His Excellency Governor Alex Otti, to push the dividends of democracy to the grassroots, 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 famous for rice, palm produce and also local government of former Governor, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu and Deputy Speaker of the House Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
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Bassey was among the seventeen (17) LGAs elected on November 2, and sworn in on Monday 5th November by Governor Alex Otti.
15 out of the 17 council chairmen were elected on the platform 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 expertise in statistics 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 by the State government to ensure that lives and property are secured most especially the border communities with Akwa Ibom State.
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.
