Posted by By Chidiebere Iwuoha on
An Owerri based legal practitioner who is also the Permanent Secretary, Judicial Service Commission in Imo State, Barr. C.C. Okoro has described Governor Chris Ngige as a patriotic citizen.
An Owerri based legal practitioner who is also the Permanent Secretary, Judicial Service Commission in Imo State, Barr. C.C. Okoro has described Governor Chris Ngige as a patriotic citizen. This is his personal reaction to the visit to Apo village made by the Anambra state Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige who some days ago was handed over the mantle of leadership as Chairman, South East Governors' forum.
Barr. Okoro further stated that he saw Gov. Ngige as a man who had the interest of this nation at heart, adding that he had gone there to make his feelings known. "And I think he was speaking on behalf of every other Igbo man. And that is what we expect of our leaders. We want courageous leaders. Leaders who put the interest of the masses before their own. People who will not be selfish. People who will not sacrifice the masses in order to gain here and there. What he has done is right. The type of thing our Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa would do. We know those who compromise and those who don't compromise when it comes to situations of this nature".
The legal luminary who obviously did not like how the traders were murdered in that extra judicial situation, described it as a capital offence which should not be taken lightly, but that the killers should be allowed to suffer for what they did if found guilty.
On what should be given as compensation to the deceased families, Barr. Okoro was of the view that the relations had the right to sue for a reasonable compensation. "The deceased were young men. They have dependants-wives, brothers and sisters who have lost much. Their parents or their people had a lot of expectations from them. So, I don't think any monetary compensation is enough. They should demand a reasonable amount of money. They should quantify their compensation or demand in terms of money. One billion Naira for me is not even enough as compensation, in my estimation, because any of them could have made one billion in the next five or ten years. This is because they were progressive boys, they had something they were doing, legitimate business they were pursuing. And I hope our President, having been touched by this, will know what to do".
Barr. Okoro seized the opportunity afforded by the 2005 judicial institute conference held in Owerri for the first time, to air his view on the above matter. The conference itself, was graced by all chief registrars, deputy chief registrars, secretaries and permanent secretaries of Judicial Service Commission, all directors, deputy directors, chief admin officers, chief accountants, CJN and other judges of the federation. And papers such as improving the integrity of the judiciary via code of conduct and ethics for judicial administrators presented by Justice Nonye Okoronkwo and Taming the menace of corruption in the judiciary-issues and options for accounting officers presented by Justice M.M.A. Akambi were heard.