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A youth group, Concerned Uzo-Uwani Youth Movement (CUYM), has passed a vote of confidence on the chairman, Uzo Uwani Local Government Area, Chijioke Ezugwu.
The group said the decision to endorse him for a second term in office was in consideration of his laudable efforts in addressing the security challenge troubling the area.
In a statement jointly signed by Idiga Cletus C, National President, CUYM and the National Secretary, Arumona Christopher, the group observed that Ezugwu has demonstrated commendable commitment to improving security across Uzo-Uwani and restored peace across the agrarian communities.
“It is important to recall the recent past when kidnappers almost overran the forests in Uzo-Uwani and forced farmers to abandon their farmlands due to persistent attacks by criminal elements.
Farming activities in Opanda, Adani, Omo, Ifite Ogwari and a host of other farm settlements were threatened as many farmers could no longer access their farms for fear of being killed,” the group recalled.
The group said Ezugwu’s administration undertook extensive road clearing across the LGA, making movement easier for residents and road users. According to the youths, prior to the current administration, travelling to the Council headquarters via the Ukpata–Adaba–Umulokpa Road was fraught with fear because of frequent attacks. They expressed satisfaction that the route has now become considerably safer and accessible to motorists.
The youth leaders expressed satisfaction that the Chairman had successfully tamed the monster of insecurity, kidnapping and killings that had been troubling the area, and deserves a second term to consolidate the gains recorded in his first tenure.
They further described Ezugwu’s administration as a purposeful leadership, marked by grassroots engagement and empowerment of the people at the grassroots.
The association recounted that before he came to power as Chairman, the agrarian communities of Uzo Uwani faced existential threats from criminal elements that laid siege on the area, with chilling reports of bloody clashes, kidnapping and destruction of farmlands.
According to the group, the communities that depended solely on farming faced food insecurity, even as many people fled their homes to far away places to escape the rampaging criminals.
“Ezugwu strengthened law enforcement presence in flash-points in Uzo Uwani. His administration spearheaded the recent inauguration of ‘Operation Kwechiri’ and provided operational vehicles for prompt response to distress calls. He improved operational safety and provided incentives to boost the morale of officers serving in the area,” the group added.
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They applauded several intervention projects of Ezugwu in the locality, which they said reflect a deliberate effort to restore the area as a food basket.
The group said he facilitated the construction of a permanent Police Mobile Base at Nkpunato, Nkpologu to improve the visibility of police in the area to combat local criminal networks mushrooming in local areas. He stressed that the Chairman, who served earlier as the Chief Security Officer of the area, used his experience to beef up security in the area and flush out criminals. He said the Chairman gave overwhelming support to the presence of the DRS patrol team, which has significantly improved response capacity, deterred criminal activities and restored confidence among residents of Uzo Uwani and its environs.
While warning opposition forces fighting the Chairman, the youths expressed satisfaction with the construction of Nkpologu-Ugwu Ugbene-Ajima- Eziani Road by the Chairman, and expressed hope that the completion of the project would open up the area for easier transportation of farm produce.
The youths explained that the Chairman after a needs assessment of the communities, launched rural water borehole projects across communities, which have been completed and commissioned in Nkpologu, Uvuru, Umulokpa and Ukpabi Nimbo to address the challenge of water scarcity in the areas.
The Youth leaders described Ezugwu as a grassroots politician that uplifted the downtrodden, maintaining a robust stakeholders’ engagement that gave everyone in the locality a sense of belonging in his administration.
According to the youth leaders, the Chairman, since assumption of office, considered the empowerment of the people a top priority. According to him, over 2000 people from different communities in Uzo Uwani have benefitted from the Chairman’s human capital development initiative geared towards alleviating poverty, encouraging entrepreneurship and boosting the local economy through wealth creation.
The group said the Chairman embarked on several legacy projects in the areas, especially the construction of Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Hall at the Local Government Headquarters, Umulokpa and also the rehabilitation of the dilapidated Local Government Council’s Secretariat.
“It is important to emphasise that the primary focus of the Ezugwu administration has been security, and to the best of our knowledge, the Chairman is performing creditably in this regard.
“On this note, the Concerned Uzo-Uwani Youth Movement (CUYM), after due consultation with other youths, unanimously passes a vote of confidence on the Chairman and endorses him for a second term in office,” the group stated.
The group further explained that the association is not a political movement, and not driven by bias but by verifiable achievements that are evident to the public to verify.
