Mr Stephen Nwogha, Chairman of Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi, has demanded the National Identification Number (NIN) and other relevant data as prerequisites 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 the fight against crime and criminality.

According to him, the council has been working with other security personnel, including police and the army, to check crime rates in the area.

On infrastructure, the council chairman said that significant achievements were made, especially in the area 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.

Nwogha said that the council had trained no fewer than 1,000 youths in various skills as 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.

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.