……Laments negligence,abandonment of it’s abundant economic potentials.
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu.
Oji River local government in Enugu state comprising of Oji Urban, Achi Agu, Achi Uno, Inyi, Akpugoeze, Awlaw, Ugwuoba and other towns boasts of abundant economic potentials and mineral deposits that can boost the economy of the state and beyond.
Oji River town initially discovered by the British colonial administration is the abode of the famous ‘Oji Thermal Power Station’ which hitherto was one of the major source of power supply to the old Eastern region,the Federal tannery services, School of health technology Mile 2, the General hospital with leprosy settlement,the school of the blind and deaf, the Wonderful Spring waters which currently is one of the major sources of ‘Greater Enugu Water project’while Oji Urban and it’s nearby communities remain in acute pomp water supply for over two decades, are some of the institutions that made Oji River, a fluorishing town with positive impacts to the socio economic growth of old Eastern region and to a large extent to successive administrations of the old Anambra state.
The on going Town Hall meeting across the 68 Development Centers of Enugu state by the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Dr Peter Mbah, afforded the Stakeholders and various community leaders in Oji River local government area, the opportunity to tell Dr Peter Mbah,who from all indication is the leading 2023 governorship candidate in Enugu state, where it pains them most, the neglect and expectations from his administration,While reassuring him of their total consistent and support for all PDP candidates in the 2023 elections.
Speaking at the Towh Hall meeting of Oji RiverEast Development Center.held on Tuesday.January 10.An elder statesman cum pillar of Greater Awgu politics, Senator Dr Hyde Onuaguluchi,assured Dr Peter Mbah,the state PDP governorship candidate and others of overwhelming support from electorates in Oji River council area and beyond.
Senator Onuaguluchi narrated the domineering culture of PDP in the state especially in Oji River council area. .He expressed optimism that the PDP will achieve same feat in the 2023 general elections.
He described Dr Peter Mbah, the Pinnacle Oil boss, as experienced and eminently to govern Enugu state. He urged him to concentrate his campaigns to some other areas, assuring PDP will maintain it’s strong hold of Oji River local government area.
Tabling the demands of Oji River East Development center, Dr Eric Oluedo, a former commissioner in the state and currently the state PDP secretary General lamented the lack of social infrastructures such as functional health centers in the rural areas. He pleaded for continuation of ‘Songhai Agriculural project of which over five thousand hectares of land have been acquired from a section of one of the communities.
He pleaded for the establishment of a Comprehensive Secondary School at Mbaogu kingdom of which over 27 hectares of land have been acquired. He disclosed that long distance of some of the communities from Achi High School Achi gave rise to the need for a nearby school that will also provide hope of further studies for brilliant pupils from the three primary schools in Mbaogu community and beyond,whose parents cannot afford to train in the townships.
Dr Oluedo expressed optimism that Dr Mbah administration will endear social amenities to Oji River communities, lamenting that non of the commuoties is favoured with reticulation of water from Oji River water wells, whereas the Greater Enugu Water scheme is sourced from Oji River.
Other Speakers from the five wards that make up Oji River East Deveiopment Center urged for functional rural health centers, access roads to farms,curtailing the menace of suspected Fulani herdsmen and provision of jobs to curtail youth unemployment.
Dr Mbah, the Enugu PDP governorship candidate stressed that the essence of the town hall meeting is to articulate the needs of the various communities into Models,to facilitate rural development,when he takes over governance of the state by the special grace of God.
The Enugu State PDP town hall meeting which continued at Mmam River Development center on Wednesday, January 11,featured presentation of demands by the commuoity leaders or their represemtatives.
Dr Chike Madueke, who spoke at Inyi town, on behalf of Mmam River Development centers,lamented plundering of the communities lands by neighbouring towns in Anambra state and called for adequate delineation of Enugu state and Anambra state boundaries once again.
He urged for reconstruction of Akgugoeze ~Nkwerre~Ugwuoba road to aid development and evacuation of agricultural products frnm the rural communities.
The communities lamented the burden of insecurity inflicted by suspected miscreants from the neighbouring Anambra and Abia state communities. They also urged for renovation of dilapidated goveroent owned institutions and investment in commercial agriculture utilising the arable fdrtile land available in the development center. The people of Mmam River in their address presented by Dr Chike Madueke also called for exploration of mineral deposit in the area. among others.
The same requests of opening up of rural roads for interconnectivity and access to farm lands.exploring of mineral deposits and commercial agriculture were harped by stakeholders at Oji River South Development Center.
Mbah assured that his administration will seek ways of exploring the OPL 905 and OPL gas fields at Ugwuoba,Oji River South Development Center as possible means of increasing the revenue base of the state and expressed optimism that it,s subsequent economy of scale will endear development to Oji River.
The PDP Town Hall meetings Development Centers in Oji River local government area also featured the canvass of support for candidates for Enugu West Senatorial district. Engr. Osita Ngwu, Engr Dr Anayo Onwuegbu, the PDP flag bearer for Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency and Hon Geoff Mbah, seeking to represent Oji River constiuency in the state house of assembly for a second term.
END.
