The members, Board Of Trustees of Ndoki Community Development Union,on Thursday, April 25 visited Governor Alex Otti of Abia State at the Government House, Umuahia.led by their President General, Chief Uche Sunday Aja,(Odereoha), the Union congratulated the governor on his electoral victory and other victories in the various courts where his electoral victory was challenged.
The Union thanked the governor for appointing Prince Okey Kanu and Dr Ngozi Nwagbara as commissioner for Information and Mayor of Ukwa East LGA respectively.
The Union also thanked the governor for providing several amenities for the people despite the global challenges of the time.
They however implored the governor who was unavoidably absent but ably represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba to provide more amenities to go round the villages, towns and communities. The needed amenities, according to them include grading and tarring of rural roads, provision of electricity transformers, high and low tension poles and cables, water boreholes, building and renovation of schools, health care centres and hospitals, employments and board appointments for Ndoki sons and daughters.
The Union also implored the governor to take special interest in boundary matters especially as it concerns Ukwa East LGA where their neighbour, Etim Ekpo Local Government area of Akwa Ibom state is, daily, encroaching into Ndoki land and doing everything to annex Ndoki communities, with the backing of their Akwa Ibom state government. They pleaded with the governor not to allow Akwa Ibom state to annex their communities.
On the second phase of their demands, the Union pleaded with the governor to do everything within his power to see that the proposed Seaport at Obeaku Ndoki in Ukwa East LGA becomes a reality in the shortest possible time. The Union told the governor that there is the state government exco resolution to build a SEAPORT at Obeaku Ndoki and that many private investors have indicated interest in the project but that the governor should engage any investor that he knows that has the capacity and capability to build the Seaport .
The Union revealed that the Obeaku Seaport , when completed will provide millions of jobs for Ndoki sons and daughters and Abians, thousands of housing units, shopping malls, gas plant for steady power supply, hospital, police station, etc.
According to the Union, the Obeaku Seaport which is about 23 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean will link Abia state and the entire south East zone and its closeness to the Atlantic Ocean will make shipping business easier for Abians.
Responding, the governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, asked the Mayor of Ukwa East LGA and the commissioner for Information to speak on the activities of government. The Mayor, Dr Ngozi Nwagbara who spoke first thanked the governor for her appointment and stated that with only few months in office that she has been empowered by the governor to grade roads, provide hand pumps, renovated a bridge, health centres, the council secretariat etc. She assured that what she has done so far is nothing to compare to what is coming. And called on the people to give the governor maximum support.
The commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, on his own enumerated the numerous projects the governor has already done, including the roads. He revealed that contracts have been awarded for many roads in the state and in Ukwa East LGA in particular. He mentioned the roads in Ukwa East LGA where the contractor is waiting for the right time to start work. According to the commissioner, there is no promise that the governor made that he will not fulfil including the Obeaku Seaport , advising the Union to ignore the noise of those he tagged the “fallen angels ” and give the governor total support.
The governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba PhD told the Union that the best thing that has happened to Abia state is the election of Dr Alex Otti as the governor of Abia State. He assured that Dr Otti has come to work for the people of Abia State. According to him, the governor is taking Abia state as one Constituency and is not segregating against any section of the state.
The Chief of Staff stated that the governor is constructing roads across the state .
On the Seaport demand, the Chief of Staff stated that the governor has approved the Seaport at Obeaku Ndoki in Ukwa East LGA. He stated that with the industrial park at Owaza in Ukwa West LGA, that the state needs a Seaport and that the place suitable for it is Obeaku Ndoki which is closer to the Atlantic Ocean. On employments and appointments of Ndoki sons and daughters, he said that the governor has not marginalised the Ndoki people and promised that more appointments will be made and Ndoki people will continue to be part of the system.
On the boundary issue, he urged the people not to resort to self help but to report any encroachment by Akwa Ibom state people to the deputy governor and promised that he was going to take it up with the deputy governor immediately after the meeting. He asked the Union and traditional rulers to continue to support the governor and protect government projects in their areas.
In his vote of thanks, HRH Eze Ikeagwuchi Ekeke thanked the governor for granting the Union the audience and promised that the Union will not let the governor and the government down. He thanked him for making it clear that the Obeaku Seaport is a project after the governor ‘s heart.
Earlier, the Union paid a courtesy call on the commissioner for Information in his office where matters concerning the development of Ndoki were discussed.
Members, Board of Trustees of Ndoki Community Development Union on the courtesy call were Chief (Elder) Uche Sunday Aja, Odereoha- President General, HRH Eze Ikeagwuchi Ekeke- Grand Patron/Leader, Barrister Fidelis Nnah- Secretary General, HRH Eze Henry U Okere-Patron and Comrade Emmanuel Akparanta- chairman National Youth Council, Ukwa East chapter.
