The Abia State Government has organised a one-day intensive security workshop for Container Unloader Unions in Aba as part of efforts to strengthen intelligence gathering and improve overall security in the state.
The unloaders, who work closely with the Association of International Traders (AIT) and the Ultimate Importers Association (UIA), were trained on threat management, communication, and information sharing during the workshop held at Panyu Hotels & Resort Limited, Aba, on Tuesday.
Declaring the event open, Governor Alex Otti, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, stressed that securing Aba and Abia at large requires collective effort.
“Aba is very well known for the strength of its commerce. We want to live in a secure, safe environment, and that is why all of us have a role to play. This workshop is a demonstration of our government’s determination to build a decent society where businesses can thrive,” Governor Otti said.
He urged participants to take the training seriously, assuring them of his administration’s commitment to transforming Aba into the industrial hub it was meant to be. “Success comes when there is collective effort. Everyone must contribute in order for us to progress,” he added.
In his goodwill message, the President of the Association of International Traders (AIT), Prince Edmund Igwe, described the workshop as one of the dividends of the traders’ engagement with the governor. He commended the Otti administration for ending decades of hardship faced by businesses in Aba, noting that many partners and investors had previously abandoned the state due to an unfriendly business climate.
Some participants, including Comrade Francis Azubuike, Chairman of Newlife Container Unloaders Aba; Gabriel Ogali, Chairman of Goodhope International Company; and Mr. Nwaibu Sylvester, hailed the initiative as the first of its kind. They expressed confidence that the training would improve their collaboration with the government and enhance security in Aba and beyond.
The workshop was attended by key government officials and security stakeholders, including the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kazie Uko, the Governor’s personal physician, Dr. Idika Idika, as well as representatives of the Nigerian Army, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
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