Posted by ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU, Awka on
Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has vowed to resign by December 31 this year if Onitsha remains same with miscreants harassing people in whatever guise.....
Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has vowed to resign by December 31 this year if Onitsha remains same with miscreants harassing people in whatever guise.
But the traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi Alfred Achebe, pleading with him not to resign said Onitsha is his second home and that would assist him to actualize his (Gov. Obi's) mission and vision for a planned and developed city free of filth and dearth of facilities.
The governor has extended the curfew in Onitsha and its environs till August 15, from 9pm to 5am to help restore full normalcy.
In a state broadcast yesterday on the security situation in the state, Governor Obi said accelerated development of the state in all its ramifications was in progress and assured that all victims of alleged highhandedness of security operatives will be compensated.
He announced that a digital village is undergoing construction in Onitsha in collaboration with Microsoft Corporation and that the Sakamori Water Scheme and Onitsha Water Scheme are being rehabilitated, while roads construction will resume after the rains.
His broadcast partly read: "To sustain the tempo of peace already achieved, the curfew is hereby extended from to 31st July, 2006 to August 15, 2006. This time for a limited period starting from 9pm to 5am.
As soon as we are sure that complete normalcy has returned, we will lift the curfew so that everyone can go about his/her business unencumbered".
Few cases of alleged highhandedness of security operatives at Onitsha which were reported at the initial stage of the sanitization exercise are being investigated and all victims will be compensated even as we regret the minimal inconveniences suffered by them".
Speaking at a grand reception of Obi Alfred Achebe by the Onitsha Ado Improvement Union, Awka and Nnewi branch at Saint Faith's Pro-Cathedral, Awka, Governor Obi who reminded the crowd that he was born and brought up in Onitsha assured that his administration would not rest until all the hoodlums in the commercial city of Onitsha are flushed out.
He said his government would neither tolerate any act of intimidation or vandalism nor succumb to any cheap blackmail and it is committed to returning Anambra to its rightful position in the nation.
Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Achebe said Onitsha is hospitable and blamed the crisis in Onitsha on non indigenes who cannot reciprocate peace gestures by their host by shunning violence and acts of terrorism.
President-General of the Onitsha Ado Improvement Union, Chief Emma Egbunike also at the occasion urged members of the town in Awka and Nnewi to imbibe the think home philosophy to help advance the peace, unity and development of the town. Chairman on the occasion, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu described Onitsha people as law abiding and proponents of equity, peace, justice and fair play.
Chief Peter Nwagu also noted that the occasion was to appreciate the role of leadership by Obi Achebe and give honour to some deserving sons and daughters of the town.
Daily Champion recalls that the curfew has been extended for the 5th time by Governor Obi in an effort to forestall further crisis in the state from the hoodlums.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a motion mandating its Committee on Public Accounts to probe the account of the state and local governments from May 29 1999 to date.
The motion which was sponsored by the Majority Leader Chief Humphrey Nsofor ,also urged the committee to work hard in the discharge of this function and was free to seek for information from any individual,corporate organisations and government agencies within and outside the State and was free to invite them if necessary.
Nsofor who represents Ekwusigo constituency said that the motion was necessary to ensure that government accounts at all levels were up to date and in tandem with the requirements of the law.
He said the Motion was moved sequel to the Supreme Court Judgement of July 7 this year on the control of local government account and following claims and counter claims on the state of account of Anambra State by the present and past governors of the State.
The Chief Whip and representative of Oyi Constituency,Dr. Ben Obidigbo who seconded the Motion, said that the House was poised to give the people effective representation and that a thorough investigation of the accounts of the state was one way of meeting the needs of the people.
The Speaker Mr. Mike Balonwu called on the Public Accounts Committee to see the assignment as a mandate to serve the people by ensuring that the work was carried out effectively.
The Speaker said the House was determined to meet the aspirations of the people by ensuring that they get democracy dividends and are upto date with activities of government at all levels.