Community Praises Soludo For Assigning Member Commissioner

The people of Amanuke Community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra have applauded Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for selecting one of them into his cabinet.

At a civic reception on Saturday, Mr Obinna Nwachukwu, Leader of Amanuke Youths, thanked Soludo for appointing Chief Chikodi Anara as a commissioner. The people, however, called on the governor to bring development to the area and look into the kingship tussle in the community.

They pointed out Amanuke was a stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and had supported the party in all elections, including the Nov. 6 election which brought Soludo to power. The youth leader said beyond the appointment, Amanuke had communal and development challenges which they were calling on the governor to address.

“We want our dear governor to come to Amanuke to see the level of underdevelopment. We are suffering, no good roads, no potable water and no electricity. We hope we will be better under his government,” he said. Also speaking, Chief Zephaniah Oyemezie, an octogenarian, said the refusal of some people to allow the person chosen as traditional ruler to be recognised by the government had torn the 10 villages that made Amanuke apart.

Oyemezie said the community had an age-long procedure for selecting its traditional ruler and that in the interest of peace and progress of the town Soludo should take keen interest in the issue which started in 2014. “We have an elected Igwe in Amanuke since 2014 in the person of Chief Dennis Ezebuilo but he has not been issued a certificate of recognition.

“I am among those that crowned him along with the representatives of the 10 other villages,” he said. On her part, Mrs Abigail Nkemdilim, who spoke on behalf of the women, said they were happy that Soludo was victorious at the poll and was already working to transform Anambra. Nkemdilim said that Amanuke people were asking him to bring back peace to the community and personally ensure that good governance got to the people.

A cleric, Mr Hycinth Okafor, said Amanuke had never worked against any government in power and urged Soludo to reciprocate by addressing some of the challenges confronting the community.

Okafor said he would not say government was not working but the problem was that a few individuals in the community hijacked projects that were due to the community.