Uzo Nwafor Ready To ”Rock ‘n Roll’

● Engages in widespread consultations but obstacles pop up along the path

By PHC Telegraph

 

Chairman of the Etche Local Government, Area, Uzodinma Nwafor who promptly reported at Okehi, the council headquarters, hours after he was sworn into office has been consulting behind the scene with critical stakeholders in order to build a broad coalition which will ensure the success of his administration.

Nwafor’s election on the platform of the Action Alliance in an election in which 19 APC councillors were elected under the banner of the APP has led to widespread jubilation across Etcheland.

At Okehi, the people took ownership of the responsibility to clear the council premises of overgrown weeds, a move which is seen as evidence of the acceptability of a man who once served as a community youth leader.

In the meantime, the Onyeishi Etche, His Eminence, Eze E.N.B Opurum has since despatched a message of congratulations to the elected chairman.

Eze Opurum described Nwafor’s emergence as a welcome development, saying in the said statement that it is his prayer that the Nwafor years as Chairman of the Etche Local Government Council would be quite fruitful.

Observers see the reaction of the monarch as a possible indication that members of Etche’s traditional institution may indeed be happy with the emergence of the new helmsman.

We understand that Nwafor who has promised to hit the ground running is busy building bridges of cooperation that the people hope would promote understanding and a sense of inclusiveness.

Etche’s Legislative Assembly is yet to be inaugurated, but the council chairman hasn’t spared any effort, this publication has learnt, in his bid to get stakeholders  to act together in the overall interest of the Etche nation.

Intricate consultations intended to ensure that the various clans which comprise the ethnic nation have a sense of belonging are being intensified.

There are five clans in Etche, namely Igbo Agwuruasa, Ozuzu (Mbaasa), MBA, Okehi and Ulakwo/Umuselem.

There are however insinuations that the recognition of two second class chiefs by the Rivers State Government may have broken Ulakwo/Umuselem clan into two.

Meanwhile, Etche people at home and in the diaspora are expressing joy over the timely decision of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to  appoint an aadditional member of the State Executive Council from the Etche Local Government Area.

With an area of 774.7 km² and 464.1/km² Population Density [2022], Etche which has 19 wards is among one of the largest LGAs  in Rivers State.

For years, there have been expectations among the Etche people that Government would name two commissioners from the area.

Under the administration of Governor Fubara, the dream of the Etche people to have two representatives in the State Executive Council has been realised.

This means that the Etche Ethnic nation with two local government areas now has three serving commissioners.

Recall that Austin Nnadozie who hails from Umuechem in the Etche Local Government Area had earlier been appointed a member of the State Executive Council by Governor Fubara.

Nnadozie is responsible for Youth Empowerment and Employment Generation.

The other day, the Governor appointed John Ngubo Otamiri, immediate past Caretaker Committee Chairman as the Commissioner of Commerce and Industry.

Otamiri becomes the second Etche man within a period of 15 years to serve as Commissioner of Commerce and Industry.

Before proceeding to the National Assembly in 2011, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke served under the Rotimi Amaechi administration as the Commissioner in that Ministry.

It is on record that Nwuke achieved the restoration of Presidential Hotel, the revival of Pabod Breweries as it then was and also initialed the understanding between the State Government and private investors which led to the birth of the Port Harcourt Mall.

In a related development, a pressure group in Constituency 1 which is monitoring the current political situation in Etcheland has warned politicians that are hell-bent on undermining the Nwafor administration to desist forthwith.

The group said it was aware of a threat by a political appointee and his associates to destabilize the council if the chairman does not give in to their requests.

According to a statement titled, “Protecting the integrity of Governance in the Etche Local Government“, members of the  leaders Council of Etche Constituency 1 Political Assembly (Simplified Movement Wing) urged sinister politicians in the area not to interfere with governance issues

“To those plotting to undermine the leadership of the Executive Chairman,  Dr Uzodinma Nwafor, we issue a stern warning.

“STOP the plan to disrupt smooth governance in Etche Local Government Area “, they warned.

They further stated, “Rumours have circulated about a secret meetings with 19 councillors, instigating legislative-executive conflict should Dr Nwafor refuse to relinquish public resources for personal gain.

“We condemn these clandestine gatherings and their retrogressive agenda, which only serve to harm the people of Etche.

“The Leaders Council of Etche Constituency 1 Political Assembly (Simplifued Movement  Wing) stands firmly against such intimidation tactics.

“We demand that Dr Nwafor be allowed to select his team and govern effectively, unhindered by corruption and mismanagement.”

No less than 21 prominent sons of Etche drawn from Constituency 1 who are led by Barrister Paul Nwankwoala signed the document.

The Port Harcourt Telegraph has gathered through impeccable sources that John Ngubo Otamiri whose ambition to emerge as the council chairman failed has already met with APP councillors as the arm-twisting game begins.

He is believed to have shouted severally at the council chairman on phone, barking orders over appointments and allegedly telling him that the present administration belongs to him.

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