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“My vision is to upturn under-development in Isi-Uzo Council Area” – Hon. Obeagu

…As Igwe Ogbodo lauds Gov. Mbah’s reformation agenda.
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   BY MAURICE OKAFOR/ENUGU
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Chairman of Isi -Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, Hon. Obiora Obeagu, has explained that his ultimate goal in governance is to facilitate the rate of development in communities and villages in his council area.
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To this end, he said would lead to upturning Isi -Uzo Local Government Area into a semi-urban council.
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Hon. Obeagu, a lawyer cum human rights activist, dropped this hints on Tuesday when the State Commissioner for Local Government, Rural Development and chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Deacon Okey Ogbodo, led  a state government delegation to his office at Ikem.
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Barrister Obeagu lamented that prior to his intervention, there was a period the entire Isi-Uzo local government area was almost inaccessible by road.
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He said, “In-spite of the fact that Isi Uzo is one of the oldest local government areas in Nigeria with thriving  agricultural potentials, it is neglected and with dearth of social amenities which has been the bane of the communities in the council area.”
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 According to him, Isi-Uzo served as a County Council around 1954 and was carved out as a local government area in 1976.
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“Sadly for almost 50 years of it:s existence,the old local government has remained without a major face-lift,hence an urgent need for expansion and upgrade of facilities to reposition the local government for efficient service delivery abd overall development of Isi-Uzo”, he stated.
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He explained that it was towards this direction that his administration intervened by putting asphalt on parts of the dilapidated 28 kilometre Ugwogo- Nike-Neke road which is a very important road linking Isi Uzo local government to other towns in Southern and Northern parts of the country.
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“My administration also intervened in the reconstruction of the damaged Umuhu-Eha-Amufu bridge abd the Obollo-Ikem-Eha-Amufu-Nkalagu federal road, thereby making Isi -Uzo local government area accessible to the outside world once again”, he said.
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He also said that his administration with the support of state government, tackled the problem of insecurity especially kidnapping which was rampant in the area prior to his assuming office.
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Obeagu further said that he appointed over 500 youths and women as personal assistants, special advisers, senior special assistants and CDC, adding that his administration also paid indigent students on bursary awards while many are on scholarships.
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He also said that his administration is constructing a new two-storey office building to serve as a secretariat of the council.
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“The New secretariat on completion will accommodate over 900 workers and have two major halls that will be rendering commercial services as a means of increasing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the council.
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Answering questions from newsmen, the local government chairman described prudent management of scarce resources, coupled with his human rights activism as the secret of his success.
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“I appreciate the present state administration led by Governor Peter Mbah policy on going into partnership projects with each of the 17 Council chairmen. The partnership project will boost socio- economic development of Isi -Uzo Local Government Area and contribute meaningfully in uplifting Isi -Uzo from a rural to semi-urban area”, he said.
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In his speech, Commissioner  Ogbodo commended Hon. Obeagu for his various interventions to enhance socio- economic development in the council area which he noted had  imparted positively on the people.
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Deacon Ogbodo reiterated that the aim of the local government tour to 17 council areas is to access the performance of the council chairmen, their relationship with the various stakeholders, pointing out that peace is a panacea for development.
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“The ultimate goal is to enhance efficiency of the local government system for service delivery and human empowerment”, Hon. Ogbodo stressed.
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“What the local government chairman has done is in line with the disruptive innovation of Governor Peter Mbah, bringing local government chairman to account for their stewardship, to show how they are taking care of the various stakeholders, youths and others”, he added.
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The various stakeholders who spoke during the interactive session including traditional rulers, women groups, youths, President Generals, Councillors etc, commended the present council administration in Isi -Uzo led by Hon Obiora Obeagu for turning a new leaf in socio infrastructural development of the local government area.
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His Royal Highness, Igwe Samuel Okey Ogbodo, commended Governor Peter Mbah for giving the  present council chairman in Enugu State the leverage to embark on projects that benefit the rural dwellers.

Editor
Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
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Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
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