People of Ndiowu Community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra has called on the state government to intervene in the brewing crisis in the community over town union leadership.
They made the call during a protest at the Government House on Monday where they decried the continued use of appointed caretaker team in the last five years which they insist its responsible for the underdevelopment and misappropriation of the community’s commonwealth by a few influential members of the town.
Chief Ikechukwu Orji, an elder in Ndiowu, who spoke with journalists said the community had conducted town union election three times but the ‘cabal’ has vehemently oppossed the will of the people by ensuring that government did not accept the results. Orji also said that the `Community Choose a Project Fund’ which every community got N20 million from the state government had not been judiciously used as there was nothing to show for the monies received so far.
According to him, the community is in darkness and needs the urgent assistance of the state government against the forces acting against peace and progress of Ndiowu.
On her part, Mrs Obiageli Nwafor, who spoke on behalf of the women explained that Ndiowu women tasked and contributed N500 each for the construction of Oye market in their community but the cabal presented it to the governor as the project which they built with the Ndiowu community project fund from state government.
She called on the governor to direct the cabals to hands off on piloting the community’s affairs and allow the people chose their leaders themselves as they have made their choice of President General before but the cabal influenced the government to reject it so they can continue to rule them through a caretaker committee
Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Secretary to Anambra Government who received the petition, thanked the people for their good conduct while pointing out that though it was necessary that government intervened, communities should on their own ensure they existed peacefully.
Prof. Chukwulobelu then assured the people that he would direct the protest letter to the Commissioner for Local Government and Town Union Matters as well as draw the attention of the governor to it.
