Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State on Tuesday received the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah at the new Government House, Ochoudo Centenary City, Abakaliki.
The Minister’s courtesy visit preceded the handing over and taking over of the landed property donated by Ebonyi State Government for the establishment of a Solid Minerals processing plant for the South East Zone at Egu-Ogwu village, Uburu, Ebonyi State.
The Minister while thanking the State Government for donating the land debunked the allegations that he boycotted the exercise the previous week due to Governor’s disagreement with Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and blamed his inability to perform the exercise as earlier scheduled on flight challenges.
“I can tell you, without your support, most of the projects done in the southeast wouldn’t have been possible”
He said the siting of the Artisanal Small Scale Mineral processing Centre in Ebonyi State was the Federal Government’s plan to establish one of such institutions in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country in response to the effect of Covid 19.
While expressing hope that the establishment when fully operational would bring about efficiency in mining and mineral processing operations in the country, the Minister appealed to the State Government to strengthen their partnerships to ensure the realization of the targets.
Responding, Governor Umahi thanked the Federal Government for the choice of Ebonyi State for the center and attributed the development in the State to a product of the President’s interventions.
“I can say that in all, you are a success yet you are a humble person, you are a man of content and character, I will always tell the people if you want to be successful, you have to be humble. The development we have here in Ebonyi State is as a result of interventions by Mr. President”.
Governor Umahi while debunking having a rift with the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as reported in some sections of the media expressed commitments to partner with the Federal Government to achieve its target in the State.
“I never had an issue with Dr. Onu, I never had any issue with him for once. Some people have so bastardized news that people are no longer interested. When I left the PDP, I said we have been so unfairly treated because the Development of individuals is not Development of the region”
The Governor was joined in receiving the Minister by some members of the State Executive Council.
