Ibb celebrates 17th anniversary of Yemeni unity [Archives:2007/1052/Front Page]

Nadia Al-Sakkaf
Thousands of youth from Ibb are proud that this year's reunification celebration is being held in their very own city. As security measures and preparations for the festivities heighten, locals hope this is only the beginning of a new era in which the luck of the kind people of Ibb will be better.

IBB, May 20 ) With ogling eyes, children in Ibb run through the city streets from the early morning hours to witness the new creations by the men from Sana'a. New structures are being erected in the main square, roads are being widened and walls along the main streets are being painted and decorated with colored lights and posters mainly displaying Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Despite running barefoot and with uncombed hair, the excitement on the children's faces is larger than life.

For residents in Ibb governorate, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, as the entire Yemeni nation focuses on them tomorrow and the national parade is shown live from their very own streets. Nearly 4,000 youth are preparing a display symbolizing peace and celebrating Yemen's unity, in addition to a show entitled, “The carvings of the descendants in the Green Land celebration.”

Nearly 400 projects estimated at YR 37 billion have been designed for Ibb for the occasion; however, work has begun on only 45 percent of these projects, while others still await their turn to see the light of day.

Projects include construction and road maintenance, education services and institutions and agricultural projects, among others, with more than YR 6.5 billion worth of projects in the health sector alone.

An addition of 44 health establishments is being created, as well as complete restoration and furnishing of the city's two main hospitals, which proved inadequate during last year's stadium catastrophe and couldn't handle all of the patients.

According to Minister of Health Abdulkarim Rasa', 688 new jobs have been created in Ibb's health sector because of these new projects.

Despite heavy security measures in Ibb due to its proximity to the northern Sa'ada governorate, where conflict has been occurring for more than a year, numerous dignitaries and high-level personalities will attend tomorrow's celebration.

Media personnel will be based approximately two hours' drive from Ibb in Taiz and will commute to the event location.
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