By CHARLES IWUOHA

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has tasked women on inculcating good values on their children to curb unwholsome behaviours that endanger societal progress.

Governor Otti was speaking as a guest of honour at the grand finale of the 2025 Women August Meeting held by Abia women at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

He said that the women constitute an important stakeholder group and are relied upon to achieve the Government’s social reorientation targets.

“We invite you to join the campaign against the sale and consumption of illicit drugs. All forms of criminality and mindless desperation for wealth.

“It is up to us to teach our children the values of hard work, preparation, and resilience in the pursuit of noble ideals.

“We are also losing many young people to crime, substance abuse, and impatience. This has to change immediately.

“The entire society shall be doomed if mothers refuse to collectively resist social behaviour that are inimical to the healthy growth of the population,” Gov Otti stated.

This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Otti’s Chief press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha and made available to journalists in Umuahia.

Governor Otti encouraged the women to partner with him to achieve the objectives of his administration, saying that he has a lot in store for the women and mothers in the State and urged them to remain unwavering in their support for his administration.

“My assurance is that we shall remain committed to the pursuit of policies and programs that economically and socially empower every one of you. For that is the true purpose of public service and the motivation for all that we do.

“We hope to holistically address the challenge of maternal and infant mortality through education, quality care, and support to pregnant women, nursing mothers, and their babies,” Gov. Otti stated.

The State Chief Executive used the forum to announce that he has directed that women-in Agriculture must at least form 60% of beneficiaries of the 2 billion Naira allocated to support community -based cooperative society and noted that the goal is to empower women and mothers economically.

The Governor used the occasion to congratulate Abia women on the 2025 August Meeting and lauded them equally for their remarkable contributions to the growth of society and their sacrifices to better the families and society at large as well as support they gave him during the 2023 elections.

“The coming of this administration and the modest gains we have made on different front lines of Governance in the last 26 months could not have happened without the commitment and courage of our dear mothers.

The 2025 Women August Meeting featured various empowerments to women across the 17 LGAs by the wife of the Governor, Her Excellency, Mrs. Priscilla Otti. There were also side attractions such as competitions by the women. The occasion attracted many dignitaries and top government officials, including members of the State Executive Council, among others.