An appeal has been made to the three tiers of government comprising federal, state and the local government by the Obeaku Ndoki Community in Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State to please revisit the poor road network in the communities.
Mr. Chamberlin Ubani made the appeal in Obeaku Ndoki in a chat with our reporter on Monday, 24th September, 2012.
Mr. Ubani, a youth leader in the community frowned at what he called total neglect by the politicians who would use their communities as a campaign ground during electioneering campaign but would abandon the area immediately they are voted in reneging on their promises. He noted that fulfillment of election and campaign promises has always remained a Herculean task on the part of politicians.
The vocal youth leader pointed out that Obeaku community does not have any government presence nor does the community feel the impact of any permanent project either in infrastructure or in human development.
As an oil producing community in Ukwa East Local Government Area, Mr. Ubani wondered why the community is denied of any good road network, no electricity and in fact, no practical government presence.
He thus charged all those from the area who are in positions of authority in both federal and state governments to think seriously on efforts towards developing Obeaku community.
In his views, the paramount ruler of Obeaku community. His royal Hingness, Eze Ikeagwuchi Ekeke, The Aku I of Obeaku, said that the problem of Obeaku has been on for along time and has been put before both the state, local and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), but up till now nothing has been forthcoming. The Eze revealed that three years ago NDDC awarded a contract to build one of the roads in the area to a particular contractor, but surprisingly till date the contractor has not been sighted on site. Eze Ikeagwuchi in the same vein stated that the issue of electricity has been a forgotten case in Obeaku community, while the youths from the area roam the nooks and crannies of the community in search of non-existent jobs.
According to the Eze, “I am happy, our children are industrious, they are energetic and do well in farming and other business”. The amiable Eze thus said that where it not for this fact Obeaku Community would have been embroiled in restiveness a situation he noted that would have denied the community the veritable peace she enjoy today.
The popular leader used the medium to appeal to all youths in the area to be law abiding as their matter shall be handled in a short time.
He called on the contractor handling the construction of Obeaku Road network and that of the electrification project to better do something that may not bring in restiveness.
The monarch during the chat expressed his heartfelt sympathy over the death of his counterpart, HRM. Eze Nwachukwu Harry Adindu of Azumini Kingdom who was buried last Saturday at Azumini Ndoki. He prayed God almighty to grant the immediate family and entire Azumini kingdom the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
Eze Ikeagwuchi charged all the Azumini to leave in peace now that they are mourning their monarch until a new Eze is installed.
In a related development, the people of Mkpukpuajar/Ogbuagu community have continued to lament over the poor state of their road network and electricity projects.
According to our man who visited the community, the area was yet to experience development of any sort-saying that the only water project in the area was built by Hon. Uzoma Nkem Abonta, House of Representative member representing Ukwa East and West constituency though the road was not completed. Currently the two communities are suffering from bad road network, water scarcity, lack of electrical cum power outage and unemployment.
Some members of the two communities who had brief chats with one reporter in unison stated that their predicament stems from the fact that they have nobody in government to advance case hence their welfare remains uncared for. ###
Christopher Daniel Hart
