Youths and community stakeholders in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have called on the government to urgently address challenges affecting healthcare, road infrastructure, waste management and security across their communities.
The concerns were raised during the Local Government Quarterly Dialogue Session organised by the Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) under its Youth to Action Project, aimed at strengthening citizen engagement and government accountability.
Participants decried the poor state of the Primary Health Centre in Ekeaba, citing inadequate medical equipment, shortage of essential drugs and limited access to quality healthcare services, especially for women and children.
One of the participants, Peace Obinali, urged the government to adequately equip primary healthcare centres with drugs and medical facilities while ensuring transparency and accountability in healthcare delivery.
The participants also highlighted the deplorable condition of roads linking rural communities, saying the poor road network continues to hinder transportation, economic activities and access to essential services.
They further called for improved waste management through regular refuse collection and the establishment of more designated disposal sites to curb environmental pollution.
On security, representatives expressed concern over the difficulty in identifying genuine security personnel, urging security agencies to ensure officers wear proper uniforms and identification to enhance public confidence and accountability.
Responding, Councillor Nathaniel Ukpai, who represented the local government, acknowledged the concerns and assured participants that their recommendations would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
Earlier, the Executive Director of CATYCOI, Mr. Nonso Orakwe, said the dialogue was organised to promote active citizen participation in governance by providing residents with a platform to identify community challenges, propose practical solutions and demand improved public service delivery.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining constructive engagement with government as part of efforts to improve governance and socio-economic development in Abakaliki Local Government Area.
