From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has approved fifteen million naira for the Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state to support the mass burial of forty-three indigenes who lost their lives during the internal crisis that rocked the community in November 2021.
Presenting the cheque on behalf of the Governor to the President-General of the Ogwuaniocha Progressive Association, Honourable Vitalis Ekweanua, in the presence of other community stakeholders in his office during the weekend, the State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Anthony Ifeanya, commended the community for taking the necessary steps to enable peace to thrive.
Barrister Ifeanya, who announced Governor Soludo’s willingness to visit the community with developmental projects, vowed that the Ogwuaniocha people must receive everything due to them as a host community under his watch.
Receiving the cheque, the President-General, Honourable Ekweanua, disclosed that in their quest to achieve all the activities mapped out to restore lasting peace, they sourced funds and held the mass burial for the forty-three deceased members on Saturday, April 20, 2025, and greatly appreciated Governor Soludo for his gesture.
Ekweanua, however, lamented that despite the state government’s efforts, the community still remains in a deserted atmosphere.
According to him, the fifteen million naira support is a welcome development, but the community is asking for more government presence in infrastructural development.
“As I speak to you, about 90 percent of houses, including my house as the President-General of the town, were also destroyed beyond repair.
“Our healthcare facilities are also affected. Nothing good is happening here. We are currently helpless. We seriously need our solution governor to urgently intervene.
“The company drilling oil in our community is also our major challenge. Ever since they commenced operations in the area, we stopped farming and fishing due to oil spillage, and no compensation has been given to us.
“For the past three years, we have been living in fear, pain, and hunger as a result of the crisis. Our kidnapped traditional ruler has remained missing since the crisis broke out in November 2021 under the immediate past administration of Governor Willie Obiano.
“We are appealing to Governor Soludo to extend more of his kind-hearted agenda for Ndi Anambra to our community by reconstructing the affected facilities and also building us a bridge at Ulasi River that would link Umunankwo to Ihiala Local Government Area of the state. With this, I believe, the community would regain its lost glory.
“Soludo has been a God-sent governor to Anambra; we will support him with 100/100 votes to ensure that he emerges victorious in the Saturday, November 8, 2025, governorship election in the state,” he said.
The cheque presentation ceremony was also attended by the representative of the late Igwe Oliver Nnaji of the community, Owelle Anthony Nnaji, the Ogwuaniocha Community Women Leader, Mrs Appolonia Ezenwa, and the Youth President of the town, Engineer Uchenna Onyedi.