Work To Begin On Ezza Major Roads Soon—Umahi

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has assured the people of Ezza that work will soon resume on the Ugwuachi end of the North-Onueke Ezza Road in the next one week.

Umahi, at a civic reception for him by the people of Ezza Ezekunna at Onueke on Staurday, added that work on the Ezzama-Oshiri-Onicha Road would commence in the next one month.

The governor, who described the people of Ezza nation as a reliable ally in the struggle for political freedom, social justice and fairness, also said, “We are going to have water together with street light at Onueke in the next two weeks.”

He thanked the people of Ezza for honouring him and his wife, stressing that he was proud of their sons and daughters working in his government.

Umahi recalled that two commissioners out of the four given state award for meritorious service in December 2015 came from Ezza nation.

He said, “I want to say to Ezza nation that I am very very proud of you people. I am quite appreciative of the commitment of your sons and daughters that are working with me in Ebonyi project.

“I cannot mention all of them, but it is of note that, when commissioners were given award, and I am not sure they were more than four, an Ezza son and daughter got two. That is eloquent testimony that together, we are moving Ebonyi State forward.”

He lauded the Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Aloy Nwankwo, for his uprightness in justice delivery, and also paid glowing tributes to National Assembly and state Assembly members from Ezza extraction, who stood by him in the face of rising opposition.

The governor praised Ezza people for their great show of meekness and understanding which, according to him, helped to forestall escalation of the Ezza-Ezillo crises.

Governor Umahi promised that his government would soon bring permanent solution to the crises.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof.Bernard Odo, had earlier in his address, applauded Umahi for his achievements and benevolence to the people of Ezza nation.

“You have brought equity, synergy, foresight, transparency, morality, meritocracy and exceptional energy into the. Administration of the state,” Odoh stated.

Highlight of the occasion was the conferment of chieftaincy title of Ikenga 1 of Ezza nation on Umahi and Ozinya Ikenga 1 on his wife, Racheal.

In another development, the Ebonyi State Government has assured rice millers in Abakaliki that election will be conducted before the end of this month to enable them have a new leadership.

Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Elizabeth Ogbaga, who gave the assurance in Abakaliki on Monday, attributed the major causes of the problems at the rice mills in the state capital to leadership problem.

The Commissioner and the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Ali Odefa, were at the Rice Mill premises in Abakaliki following a demonstration by the security men engaged by the rice mill management over the non-payment of their December salary.

Ogbaga stated that government was not interested in the leadership of the association, but explained that the election which would be supervised by her Ministry in conjunction with the office of the SSA on Security would be based on democratic principles.

Ogbaga, who said she noted the damage done to buildings and other properties at the mills on Sunday evening by fire from the large heaps of rice husk, expressed worry that the situation could degenerate into lawlessness if the government failed to intervene.

She consequently directed the caretaker committee chairman of the Rice Millers Association to take urgent steps to put out the fire.

The commissioner also decried the packaging of Ebonyi Rice with sacks with the inscription, “Enugu State Government” which bore the portrait of a former Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime.

Earlier, Odefa had warned that government would not condone any act of lawlessness and insubordination by any member of the rice millers or security men.

He frowned at the attitude of the security men who set tyres ablaze on the main road and blocked all the major entrances into the rice mills.

Odefa warned that on no account should the gates of the rice mills be closed by any agitator.

He noted that the disruption of business in the mills by the security men had robbed the traders and the government of huge sums of money.

The SSA directed the protesting security men to dismantle all the road blocks and open the gates for normal business to resume.

Assuring them that the caretaker committee chairman of the rice millers association would pay them, he advised them to embrace peace as the government was set to improve their infrastructural needs.