By Steve Oko
Locals from Igiriuku Owaza autonomous in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have cried out over the infrastructural deficit and gross neglect of the community, lamenting that they produce oil but have nothing to show for it.
This is as they have selected new community leaders following the death of their former traditional ruler, blaming their woes on the absence of formidable leadership to champion the cause of the community.
The locals claims that the gross neglect of the community was due to lack of strong leadership to present their challenges to Government.
They claimed that the community road built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), when Chief Onyema Ugochukwu was the boss of the commission, had all gone bad.
“Apart from the poor condition of the roads in the area, Igiriuku do not have the semblance of an oil producing community as no meaningful project is sited in the area, yet they drill oil from the community daily”, they grumbled during a rally at the community town hall.
The locals vowed to take some drastic measures to alleviate their plights.
They said their decision to select new community leadership was to have people who would meaningfully engage government for necessary interventions.
Announcing the new leadership at the community’s hall, the Paramount Chief of Eziogwu and Chairman of the Igiriuku Council of Paramount Chiefs,
Chief Friday Nwaelele said the selected officials would be in acting capacity pending the emergence of new traditional ruler for the community.
He said: “With this selection by the representatives of the four villages that made up Igiriuku, the former leadership has been dissolved”, he said.
Meanwhile, the new leadership included:Chief Nwosu Bright Chukwuma, Chairman; Uche Ogbonna, vice chairman; Ernest Aliri, Secretary and Kelechi Nwelele, youth leader.
Others are, Lucky Nwagwu, vice youth leader; Chimaobi Ezekiel, secretary, youth wing; Uchechi Ogbuji, women leader, Nwadiuto Kenneth, vice Mrs. Ulochi Chionye, Secretary, Women wing.
Speaking after the selection process, one of the Paramount Chiefs of Igiriuku, Chief Horsfall Ebere commended his people for their peaceful disposition during the process.
He advised the new executive to work in tandem with the Paramount Chiefs for the progress of the community.
Ebere said he has no doubt the executive would for the interest of the community by liasing with Governments at all levels to bring the much-needed development to Igiriuku community.
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