Stephen Nwogha, chairman of Abakaliki LGA, has demanded a National Identification Number and other relevant data as a prerequisite for renting an apartment within the council.

The chairman disclosed this while giving an account of his two years in office on Wednesday in Abakaliki.

Nwogha noted that the move was part of the council’s efforts in curbing crimes and boost security for the people.

He stated that the council was committed to fighting crime. According to him, the council has been collaborating with other security personnel, including the police and the army, to reduce crime rates in the area.

Regarding infrastructure, the council chairman noted that significant achievements had been made, particularly in the areas of health, education, agriculture, and socio-economic development.

“On health, during the outbreak of cholera in the council, we were able to contain it. We provided portable water for the people in the rural communities. We dug water boreholes and carried out a lot of campaigns against open defecation for the people.

“We also provided toilets in most public places like markets, schools and communities within the council to ensure that our people do not defecate indiscriminately. We also constructed roads and bridges and built lock-up shops for small and medium enterprises,” the chairman added.

Mr Nwogha said that the council had trained no fewer than 1,000 youths in various skills as an effort to reduce the menace of unemployment.

“They were trained and were given a starter pack. All these were to reduce unemployment and decongest the streets,” he said.

Mr Nwogha, however, urged the youths in the streets to embrace the policies of the federal, state, and local governments on job creation and become self-reliant.

(NAN)