By Victor Nwegede
The NATA state chairman, Comrade Fidelis Ukwa who disclosed this as one of his administration's top agenda yesterday in Abakaliki, said he has begun to seek government support to actualize the vision, by planting solar-powered energy lights across the streets in the mechanic village, where his members could work both day and night periods to boost their expertise and economy.
The Chairman said his administration also has a plan to complete the two-storey ultra-modern edifice of the association on the site, build a standard health clinic, bank and automobile technical school for training and retraining of their members and interested individuals to promote their professional trades.
He recalled that on his assumption of office, he began to implement his agenda, including the rehabilitation of the internal mechanic village roads, which, in his words, had been in a very dilapidated structure, to the extent, that their customers were moving to Enugu and other neighbouring states to repair their vehicles.
Ukwa noted that the security challenge nearly crippled the businesses in the mechanic site, but presently, according to him, such threat to people's lives and belongings in the area has been stopped, following his leadership's proactive action with the security operatives in the state.
He disclosed that the association had concluded its plan to embark on special grassroots sensitization and training workshops to encourage young people across the 13 local government areas of the state to embrace trade professional businesses in the state irrespective of their academic backgrounds.
He said: "It's because of the bad condition of the roads that many of our customers moved their vehicles from Ebonyi here to repair them at Enugu and in other neighbouring states.
"When I came on board, it was one of the promises I made to my people to ensure those roads are fixed. As a matter of the fact, I have laterited many of our internal roads, and all of them are becoming motorable now.
"The second agenda according to my manifesto, is that we will work seriously on security matters. Before now, there used to be insecurity challenges in the mechanic village, but when I came on board, I made sure it's been tackled to a standstill.
"From last year, March till now, we have recovered more than 12 stolen vehicles and handed them over to the Nigerian police and some of them to the state internal security operatives at the old government house of Ebonyi State. We are doing all those things to fulfil what I have in my manifesto.
"I plan to effect positive changes in the mechanic village because when you come here at night, you will see that everywhere will be dark if there's no electricity.
"In no distant time, we will bring government influence so that we can plant solar-powered energy lights across the streets in the mechanic village, whereby we can work both day and night time to meet the people's needs."
He said that the federal government had built one solar-powered borehole and a toilet facility in the site, but they are not yet enough because of the large population utilizing them.
He appealed to both the state and federal governments to provide more social needs in the site, including portable water, toilet facilities and other basic amenities that would enhance the business activities of the area.
He assured that the association would continue to be supportive of the government in power to deliver its mandate while commending the leadership of Governor Francis Nwifuru for having embarked on many life-touching projects in the state.
Ukwa equally extolled the lawmaker representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, for constructing the machine site-Obama road to Dandilla Gas Station connecting Abakaliki -Enugu Expressway and mounted solar powered street lights in the area, assuring him of his members' continuous support in his office.
