By Ugochukwu Alaribe
UMUAHIA — Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State has established commercial poultry and piggery farms as part of efforts to boost its internally generated revenue (IGR), create jobs and equip residents with skills in animal husbandry.
The Executive Chairman of the council, Chief Obialo Anyanwu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on his administration’s two-year achievements, explaining that the initiative was aimed at making the local government more financially self-reliant.
Anyanwu said his administration was exploring sustainable revenue sources to strengthen the council’s capacity to deliver services rather than depend entirely on external funding.
He explained that the farms would also serve as training centres where residents would acquire practical skills in animal farming, enabling them to establish their own businesses and employ others.
He said: “We don’t believe in all these 10kg of rice empowerment. What we want in Aba South is giving our people that level of empowerment that will make them self-sustaining and employ others. So, we’ll teach the techniques needed to succeed in the business.
“The three buildings in the poultry section are up, two are already roofed, and the staff quarters are at the lintel stage because it’s a proper farm and people must reside there.
“Possibly by the end of the year, everything will take off. So, we’re envisaging such a future. We, as the third tier of government, must stand for ourselves, and it has pushed us into doing commercial poultry and commercial pig farming.”
The chairman disclosed that the poultry farm occupies 14 plots of land, while the piggery farm covers seven plots.
He added that the projects would generate revenue for the council, create employment opportunities and provide practical agricultural training for residents, including staff of the council’s agriculture department.
On healthcare, Anyanwu said the council had established and equipped 22 Glycoster World Primary Healthcare Centres in partnership with the Abia State Government.
He said the facilities had been commissioned and made operational, adding that the council had also organised free medical tests and treatments for residents.
On education, the chairman said the council was supporting Governor Alex Otti’s free back-to-school programme through the distribution of 4,000 school bags to pupils in primary schools across the local government area.
He explained that the initial target was 10,000 beneficiaries but that the distribution would be carried out in phases after an enumeration exercise showed that the number of eligible pupils exceeded the target.
Anyanwu also disclosed that the council was partnering with the state government on primary school development, including the ongoing construction of a smart school along Etche Road.
He said the administration had equally invested in digital skills training, with more than 130 residents trained in three cohorts.
According to him, the first cohort graduated 50 participants, the second had 30, while the third produced another 50 graduates.
On road infrastructure, Anyanwu said the council commenced road grading shortly after he assumed office on November 4, 2024.
He disclosed that more than 20 kilometres of roads across the 12 wards were graded between late November 2024 and early January 2025, while another 28 kilometres were covered by the end of 2025.
The chairman commended security agencies in the area for their professionalism and commitment, saying Aba South had remained peaceful.
He identified the removal of individuals and companies allegedly operating unauthorised revenue collection arrangements as one of his administration’s major achievements.
“One of the biggest achievements we’ve made in this administration so far was the chasing out of one revenue vampire with one company called Chicotax out of the Aba South LGA. He has been doing this for several years, but this time around, we’ve arrested the situation, and we’ve moved on,” he said.
Anyanwu described the relationship between the council and the state government as cordial, commending Otti for supporting road infrastructure projects in Aba South.
He expressed optimism that ongoing and planned road projects would improve transportation and access to several communities in the council area.
He specifically mentioned the ongoing work on Obohia Road, which he said included a drainage system designed to channel floodwater from different parts of Aba into the river.
He also listed Umuebeke Road, Uratta Road and Old Express Road among the projects expected to improve road connectivity in the area.
The chairman said the projects, when completed, would improve access to communities and enable the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) to extend its operations to previously inaccessible areas.
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