From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
A chieftain of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Chris Mocha, yesterday, said he joined the pro-Biafra group to fight injustice.
Chief Mocha who hails from Umerum community in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State said when he discovered that successive governments in Anambra State over the years were marginalizing Umerum community, he joined Uwazuruike’s MASSOB to constructively criticize and make his own input for the wellbeing of his people.
Mocha who is among the cabinet Chiefs to the traditional ruler of Umerum community, Igwe Christopher Chibuogu Ndibe described sixteen years administrations of Governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano’s All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as a disaster to Umerum community.
“Successive APGA governments and every other one be it military or democratic rule for that matter have abandoned Umerum community to the extent that the community had no electricity for the first time since its creation fifty six years ago.
“My people supported APGA in all their programmes and activities and voted massively for the party during elections because of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. But all the community got in return for the support was neglect to provide infrastructural development such as roads, among others.
“There was no good appointment of our sons or daughters in the previous administrations of Mr Peter Obi and Chief Obiano .
“The community is eagerly waiting for the incumbent executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof.Charles Soludo to appoint our sons or daughters of Umerum because among them there are competent and qualified persons to work with him.
“It was rumoured sometime in March this year, that work had commenced on the construction of Amansea – Ebenebe – Ugbene – Ugbenu through Awba- Ofemili in Awka North locyal Government Area to traverse to Ayamelum through Umerum. This is very commendable and a new dawn has now come.
“The people of Umerum were used during the electioneering campaigns and only dumped and abandoned shortly afer winning the election.
“It is until one begins to see the seriousness with which Governor Soludo is working on the said road project from Amansea to connect Ayamelum clan, that we shall begin to sing his praises.
“Ayamelum people want to see the difference between his own administration and that of his predecessors, ” he said.
He noted that what Umerum community got in return for voting for APGA in sixteen years of Mr Obi and Obiano administrations were minor positions including special assistant to Governor on waste disposal and secretary to Ayamelum Local Government education
authority.
He said that the people of Umerum community were predominantly rice farmers and fishermen, adding that the absence of good road network to transport their agricultural produce had been a source of concern to them.
He told journalists that politicians had always made promises to them without redeeming those promises.
He noted that it was always a nightmare during rainy seasons traveling to Umerum.
He expressed worry that there was no tarred road, potable water or electricity.
Responding to claims that there is no functional health centre in the community, a resident of the community and Chairman on health matters, Mr Dennis Ofumelu dismissed the claim, saying the two health centres, one located at Otu- Umerum waterside and the other one at Ukpambaka square were functioning very well and equipped with drugs.
He said: “To Anambra State ministry of health, Awka, the other health center located at Aguma is functioning only on pages of the papers but in practice, the reverse was the case.
“The Aguma health-centre due to neglect by government had been abandoned and taken over by weeds and cockroaches.”