
Ihiala people commend Obiano on solidarity, task him on roads

Leaders of towns and villages in Ihiala Local Government Area have have expressed gratitude to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State who paid them solidarity visit after a fire incident at Nkwogbe Market.
The market, according to the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, is the largest in the 10 towns that make up the council area.

“We are impressed that Chief Obiano visited the market to not only comfort the people and see the extent of damage within just 24 hours the tragedy occurred but also pledged a fire truck for the people which will be provided immediately,” the leaders of the people stated.

Some of the political, social and traditional leaders who jointly signed the statement include the Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Pascal Agbodike; the member representing Ihiala 1 in the state House of Assembly, Barrister Chidi Udemadu; the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba; and the chairman of the Ihiala LGA Transition Committee, Engineer Jeff Obi.
Others are the Chairman of the Ihiala LGA Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Emmanuel Nnabuife, who is also the traditional ruler of Isseke Town; the traditional ruler of Ihiala Town, Igwe Thomas Obidiegwu; and the President General of the Ihiala Progress Union, Chief Okey Chukwu.
The group lamented frequent fire outbreaks in the market and commended Governor Obiano on being the first of all governors to make a rapid response to the sad events.
They also noted that Governor Obiano has also activated measures to find the cause of the fire outbreaks.
A panel headed by former chairman of the Anambra State Post-Primary School Service Commission, Mrs Joy Ulasi, has been set up to determine within one month the causes of the inferno and provide advice on how to avoid a possible reoccurrence.
The leaders welcomed the promise of a fire truck, describing it as the most critical step towards the completion of the Anambra State Fire Service Station under construction in Ihiala to serve the entire LGA and beyond. Other requirements to complete the station and make it operational are a borehole, a perimeter fence and deployment of firemen to the place.
They pledged to help mobilize stakeholders to complete the station, more so with the fast approach of the harmatan season during which Nigerian records more fires because of the dry weather.
The leaders agreed to work in concert with the Ihiala Local Government and the state government as well as other stakeholders to construct a standard market, noting that the market, one of the biggest in Anambra State but built in the early 1960s with zinc and woods, was no longer adequate for a fast developing urban community.
“We need a standard market with modern facilities, where even such professionals as lawyers, doctors, engineers, dentists and management consultants can have offices like the Ikota Shopping Complex, the commercial part of Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate in Lekki Peninsula, Lagos”, they stated.
They also advised leaders to borrow a leaf from Governor Obiano by always demonstrating solidarity with their people, especially when the latter are facing acute challenges.
“One hallmark of good leadership everywhere in the world”, they asserted, “is humanness coupled with responsiveness. On this score, Chief Obiano has done well, and it is for this reason we urge him to start more decisively to tackle the acute problems of waste management and roads in our area. We know he is leaving in March, but he is one of the few governors in Nigeria who will finish strong up to the last day in office.”