The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has extended his administration's empowerment programme to Police Officers Wives in the state.

He announced this during Christmas party organised for the Officers and Men of the State Command in Abakaliki.

Engr. Umahi, who noted that government would not ask Police Officers on duty to join in his rice cultivation programme, said their wives should key into his women empowerment scheme in order to reduce over dependence on the salaries of their husbands.

"There is no way we can ask Police Officers on duty to come and cultivate rice or go and do training for empowerment but we offer to partner their wives," the governor said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Emma Anya, on Tuesday.

He added, "Your wives can actually hold your homes. They can make up for the differences in your wages if they engage in our empowerment programme. We can agree on what and what your wives can be doing so that we can support them; so that at the end of the day, they can be one of the pillars of your respective homes. This, I believe will reduce financial challenges, friction and tension in your homes.

Umahi, who said the visit/party for the officers and men was to celebrate the Yuletide with them, lauded them for their commitment to combating crimes in the state.

He explained that his administration’s provision of social amenities for them in their barracks was because of their efforts in sustaining peace in the state.

Assuring that government would continue to cooperate with them, the Governor warned them against maltreating civilians in the discharge of their duties.

He also urged them to be of good conduct and avoid frictions with other security agencies, especially the Army.

His words: “It’s by our cooperation and commitment that we feel like doing everything for you and it is in your honour that we had to rehabilitate the roads and the drainage in your barracks. It is also in your honour that we have to put street light here in your barracks.

“I appeal to you to deploy dialogue in settling cases because you can settle cases at any level – you as officers and men. Do everything possible to increase your relationship with the civil society and other security agencies.

“There is the need for every man to fear God. If we unjustly undo people because they are poor, know that God is watching and waiting. Those helpless people have nobody but they have somebody that is greater than everybody.”

Engr. Umahi extolled the Police Command for ensuring that there were no clashes between herdsmen and communities in the state but regretted that the cattle rearers were reneging on an agreement to keep their cows in one location.

He added: “I want to appeal to the Commissioner of Police to call the herdsmen for a meeting. There is so much cases of herdsmen. You’ve done extremely well and I have told the Police Headquarters of how you have been trying to solve the problem of herdsmen in the state. But it is like they are reneging on the agreement we made in this place and so we have to call them back for us to review the agreement.”

The Governor, who noted that the living environment of the policemen was not too healthy, immediately approved the release of fund for the relocation of septic tanks in the barracks.

Apart from ordering the removal and replacement of windows of their apartments, Umahi directed that the barracks should be decorated to reflect the mood of the season.

He also donated bags of rice and tubers of yam to the Officers and Men.

Earlier, the State Police Commissioner, Mrs. Peace Ibekwe-Abdallah, had said that Governor Umahi had been of great support to the Command as he had reconstructed the internal roads in the barracks and provided street light and water for the officers and men.

She commended the Governor for providing enabling environment for the police in the state to perform their constitutional responsibility of checking crimes.

Update news