GOV UMAHI EXTENDS EMPOWERMENT SCHEME TO WIVES OF POLICEMEN.

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr.  David Nweze Umahi,  has extended his administration's empowerment programme  to   police officer's wives in the state.

He announced this during Christmas party organized for the  officers and men of the state command in , Abakaliki.  

Engr. Umahi, who noted that government would not ask police officers on duty to join in his rice cultivation programme, said  their wives should key into his women empowerment scheme in order to reduce over dependence on the salaries of their husbands.

."There is no way we can ask   police officers on duty to come and cultivate rice or go and do training for empowerment  but we offer to partner  their wives," the governor said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Emma Anya, on Tuesday.

He added, "Your wives can actually hold your homes. They can make up for  the differences in your wages  if they   engage in our empowerment programme.  We  can agree on what and what your wives can   be doing so  that we can support them;  so that at the end of the day, they  can be one of the pillars of your respective homes,  This, I believe will reduce financial challenges,    friction  and tension in your homes.

Umahi, who said the visit/party for  the   officers and men    was to celebrate  the Yuletide with them, lauded them for their commitment to  combating crimes in the state.

He explained that his administration's  provision of social amenities for them in their barracks  was because of  their efforts in sustaining peace in the state.

Assuring  that government  would continue to cooperate with them, the governor warned  them against  maltreating  civilians in the discharge their duties.

He also urged them to be of good conduct and avoid frictions  with other security agencies, especially the Army.

His words: "It's by our cooperation and commitment that we feel like doing everything for you and it is in your honour that we had to   rehabilitate the  roads and the drainage in your barracks. It is also in your honour that  we have to put street light here in your barracks.

"I appeal to you to deploy  dialogue in  settling  cases because you can settle cases at any level you  are as officers and men. Do everything possible to increase your relationship with the civil  society and other security agencies.

"There is the need for every man to fear God. If we unjustly undo people because they are poor, know that God is watching and waiting. Those helpless people have nobody  but   they have somebody that is greater than everybody".

Engr. Umahi extolled the  police command  for ensuring that there were no clashes between  herdsmen  and communities in the state but regretted that  the cattle rearers  were reneging on an  agreement to keep their cows in one location.

He added, "I want to appeal to the Commissioner of Police to call the herdsmen for a meeting. There is so much cases of herdsmen. You've done extremely  well.and  I have told  the police headquarters of how you have been trying  to solve the problem of herdsmen in the state.   But it  is  like they are reneging on the agreement we made in this place and so    we have to call them back for us to review the agreement."

The governor, who noted that the living environment of the policemen was not  too healthy,  immediately  approved  the release of fund for the relocation of  septic tanks in the barracks. 

Apart from  ordering  removal and replacement of windows of their apartments, Umahi directed that  the barracks should be  decorated  to reflect the mood of the season.

  He also donated bags of rice and tubers of yam to the officers and men.

Earlier, the State Police Commissioner, Mrs Peace . Ibekwe- Abdallah, had  said that Governor Umahi had been of great support to the  command  as he had  reconstructed the  internal roads in the barracks and provided  street light  and water  for the officers and men.

She eulogised the governor for providing enabling environment for the police in the state to perform their constitutional responsibility of checking crimes.