INAUGURAl ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OKPOSHI TOWN UNION ON , THIS DAY THE 7TH OF DECEMBER, 2013.

PROTOCOL

Today is an epoch making event in the history of Okposhi Community; the inauguration of the fourth democratically elected Executives of Okposi Town Union. It may interest you to note that Okposhi Community was created in April 1998; four years later we had the first Town Union Executives headed by Mr. Michael Igwe in January 2002. In 2005, following the expansion of mining activities in the community and as with every other community with natural resources in Nigeria, diverse interest started emerging both within and outside the community which gave room for constitution of various care-taker committees headed variously  by Messrs. Charles Nwafor, Chief Hyacinth Odu and Mr. Richard Ovu respectively between 2005-2008. In 2009 following serious agitations from youths (concerned youths) and the stakeholders to free the community from personal interests of some individuals who collaborated with hoodlums from outside the community to defraud the community of its fair share of her God’s given resources, democratically elected Okposi Town Union Executives headed by Mr. Eze Nicholas . In 2011 they handed over to another elected Executives headed by Mr. Eze Jeremaiah.

Today’s event is so unique owing to the fact that the 2013 Okposhi town union election witnessed the highest mass participation in the history of democracy in the community in particular and Ebonyi State in general. Indeed it is a reflection of the wish and aspirations of Okposhi people. It is an event that will put behind us Okposhi’s chequred history of violence and political unrest among the various institutions and groups in the community.

Giving the consequences of value loss and seeming lack of direction by some of our leaders following relocation of quarry to the community; Okposhi has survived as a strong, united and indivisible community. The celebration of today is amply justified, despite these setbacks, Okposhi has continued to forge ahead in the quest for development as a community that is located within the state capital in Ezza North L.G.A. By the grace of God, today marks the fourth inauguration of Town Union Executive under the kindred zoning arrangement which started in 2009.

We therefore salute the major developmental actors in the community – the state governor His Excellency Governor Martin Nwanchor Elechi CON (Ochudo) and his administration for establishing the Ebonyi State Stone Crushing Enterprises zone in our community; the Executive Chairman of Ezza North L.G.A Engr. Jeff Ogbu and the care-taker committee headed byKelvin Kenechukwu Okeh and co for conducting free, fair and credible election and as we know, it is the first assignment of the executive chairman in our community after his election as the council chairman. Indeed it is an assignment well done.

In line with our campaign manifesto, this regime is going to embark on various developmental projects viz;

1.     PEACE AND SECURITY:

This administration will ensure relative peace and security in the community and will ensure total reconciliation of all interest groups in the community through the following measure:

ü Constitution of peace committee

ü Proper reorganization and funding of security outfit in the community.

ü regular meeting of peace and security committee

ü Finding lasting solutions to high level of insecurity, robbery incidents within the community, juvenile delinquency, drug addiction hooliganism thuggery among others.

May I also use this opportunity to call on the executive chairman to assist us in ensuring that the authorities of Ebonyi state stone crushing enterprises adhere to the closing time given by the state government (6:00pm) as this has contributed to indiscriminate killing of our children by some reckless drivers, intrusion of hoodlums in the community and denial of government /community legitimate revenue.

2.     HEALTH:

 This administration will place priority to our health centers bearing in mind that health is wealth and a healthy community is a wealthy community. In this regard we will assist our health centers to ensure adequate procurement of drugs and personnel from relevant authorities.

3.     ELECTRICITY:

The immediate past administration tried immensely for procurement and installation of 500KVA transformer at Uwhumba Eze which has boosted electricity supply in the community. In spite of this, some parts of the community has little or no electrical power supply thereby throwing some villages into darkness in midst of light. This administration will do all it can to ensure that before the end of first quarter of our regime, electricity will be extended to all parts of the community. This we intend to achieve through partnership with various village unions, donor agencies state and local government. We therefore appeal to our amiable local government chairman to come to our aid by procuring two transformers, one to be installed at Ugalaba to cover Ekwetekwe, Enyagharigwe and Mbaoma villages, the second one to be installed at Agudiegwu village to cover Ogbaga, Enyibichiri and some part of Imeli village.

4.     WATER:

 Water is life and knowing the importance of water, this administration will ensure that all the villages that are yet to have water will get bore-hole through our partnership with state and local government.

5.     YOUTH EMPOWERMENT:

This administration is youth centered and as such knows the problems militating against youth development in the community. A keen observer will agree with me that most youths of our community no longer go to school or learn any trade; one begins to wonder what the future of these youths will look like if adequate correctional measure is not taken to reverse this trend. In this regard, we shall partner with different youth body at the national, state and local government levels to build youth skill acquisition center in the community where those who are not opportuned to go to school and those who are not academically viable, will learn various trade that will prepare them to become good citizens and so secure their future. Similarly, we will set up youth empowerment fund to take care of those who have acquired competent skills in various trade but lack the financial power to procure the necessary tools to establish their own by making available to them soft loans to enable them start.

6.     EDUCATION:

Education as we know brings development in society; makes the people easy to govern and difficult to exploit, for one to be developed, he must be educated. In the area of education, this administration will set up monitoring committee that will partner with our local education  authority in monitoring and checkmating teaching and learning activities in all the schools in the community. To all the teachers who are diligent in their duties, the community will reward and to those who play truancy and abscond from their duties it will no longer be business as usual as this monitoring committee will ensure that offenders are reported to the appropriate authorities. A scholarship fund will be set to take care of our students who are academically viable but lack the necessary financial support to continue with   their education.

Like the saying goes “a tree cannot make a forest” so we the executives cannot achieve much without your support, co-operation and collaboration. The beauty of democracy is mass participation. We therefore urge each and every one of you to join hands with us; together we shall take our Great community to the next level.

Long live Okposhi community!

Long live Ezza North L.G.A!

Long live Ebonyi State!

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Nwokwu Solomon Emeka

General Secretary Okposhi Town Union.