The Mayor of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State, Mr. Newman Azu, on Friday, performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Centre for the Ukwa Branch of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
The NBA Centre is to serve as a secretariat, event and relaxation centre for lawyers in Ukwa.
Speaking during the ceremony at Obehie in the Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, Azu commended the leadership of the NBA for their foresight and said that the idea of building a Bar Centre was an act of thinking outside the box.
Azu highlighted his achievements since assuming office as Mayor to include the renovation of the dilapidated Ukwa High Court complex, Obehie, completion of the abandoned divisional Police station building, Obehie, beautification of the Ukwa West LGA Headquarters, Okeikpe, which is on-going, reconstruction of Customary Court, Obehie and the grading of Rural roads in Ukwa West.
He praised the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, for the developmental projects that his administration has embarked on in the State, particularly in Ukwa, ranging from the completion of the Umuokomiri Road, Obehie to the reconstruction of the Ukwa West Civic Centre through the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ASOPADEC.
Speaking further, the Mayor informed the legal practitioners that the Abia Industrial Innovation Park, AIIP, sited in Ukwaland, on full activation, would be the game changer in boosting the socio-economic fortunes of the area, adding that it would launch Ukwa into its rightful place in the National and global economic and infrastructural map.
He said that necessary plans and arrangements were in top gear by the Abia State government ably led by Dr Alex Otti to revive the long abandoned Abia Golden Chicken Farm located at Ogwe, Asa in the Ukwa West LGA.
Earlier, the lawyers who spoke commended the Mayor for renovating and upgrading the judiciary facilities in Ukwa West, stressing that his exceptional performance has earned him the title of the judiciary-friendly-Mayor.
The occasion, which was Chaired by the Proprietor of Chyvik Model Schools, Obehie, Dr. Chibuike Kanu, also had in attendance, the pioneer Chairman of Ukwa NBA branch, Justice C.K Nwankwo and Justice Joyce Adiele,