Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Dr Walter Ozioko, has said that he was more committed to serving his people as that was his main reason for contesting election.
Ozioko said this when he received the Enugu State Good Governance Initiative (ENS-GGI) team at the Nsukka Local Government Secretariat.
The team comprised of leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in the state, Nigeria Union of Journalist’s (NUJ), Enugu State Council, and the Civil Society Coalition, Enugu State.
The GGI team was in the Local Government in continuation of its biennial inspection of projects embarked by local government areas councils in the state.
The chairman said he had nothing to hide than to satisfy the yearnings of his people by trying to provide democracy dividends that they so desired.
“I am here to work for my people according to the resources at my disposal.
“I came purposely to serve my people and I am just doing that,” he said.
Ozioko, who took the team on inspection of his numerous projects within and outside Nsukka town, said that he knew the needs of his people before seeking the office of chairman.
While on the independent assessment tour, the team inspected the Adada land reclamation project which the chairman said would give the council additional space for the executive, and social functions due to limited space at the council Secretariat.
The team also inspected a multi-million naira office complex built for the Legislators of the local government duly completed by the administration and awaiting furnishings.
The administration also built an additional office complex for the local government workers and a skill acquisition center already awaiting commissioning.
According to the chairman: “All these projects will be commissioned the same day by His Excellency, Governor (Dr) Peter Mbah.
The team later visited avalanche of link roads and ring roads numbering over 10 kilometers at various axis of Nsukka town being constructed by the administration.
Some of the link/ring roads have been duly asphalted and put to use while some others are awaiting asphalting and some are at the level of earth work.
The team also observed that all the link/ring road are being constricted with double dranainges to enable them last longer.
Speaking on the drainages, the chairman said that many parts of Nsukka urban were water logged, “therefore, to construct a lasting road you need to do double drainage and that is why all my roads are with double drainages.”
Outside Nsukka town the administration also built boreholes in Opi and Eden communities.
According to him, lands have been acquired for large scale agricultural farming in Okoje community and others.
Dr Ozioko lamented that two years were not enough to satisfy the people, adding that if given more time “he will do more.”
Speaking after the inspection, leaders of the NLC, NUJ and civil society Coalition, gave the administration a part on the back.
Fabian Nwigbo, state chairman of NLC, commended the chairman for initiating projects that have direct bearing on the people, saying that that was the whole essence of the formation good governance initiative.
Also, the vice chairman of NUJ, Mr Regus Onukwuoji, who stood in for the State Chairman, Sam Udekwe, described the administration of Ozioko as a beacon of hope for democracy while Mr Onyebuchi Igboke of the Civil society coalition advised the chairman to keep up the good works.