*BY IKENNA ORIOHA*
The people of Obitti autonomous community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State have demanded social amenities, such as electricity, road, health-care centre, etc, so that idleness, youth restiveness, vices occasioned by bad leadership will reduce.
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The demand for social amenities by Obitti people was made through the youth leader of the community, Comr. Chukwuchebe Eluke, Thursday, while speaking to journalists in Owerri.
The youth leader, who lamented sheer neglect and abandonment by Imo state government over the years frowned at the level of underdevelopment which Obitti people have been suffering from had negatively dealt with them hence their revolt and agitation.
According to Comr. Eluke, “Obitti youths are very sad with Imo state government over its sheer neglect and less-concerned attitude to the social, educational and economic needs of the agrarian community. Obitti houses Imo Rubber Estate Limited, IREL, Obitti has a Reservoir of Gas: Oguali I and Oguali II, a Gas Location, plus many Oil Fields, contributing majorly to the revenue generation of Imo state and yet it has no public supply of electricity, no good road network, no functioning health-care centre, no good school structure as pupils stay in the open for studies, our youths are denied admissions in tertiary level, our youths are denied adequate employment in government and private sectors while government keeps giving us false promises of development. The Amnesty Programe by Imo state government in 2017 was denied boys of Obitti, because it was hijacked by some cabals”.
“Obitti community do not have good leaders. Those who force themselves on the community as leaders are the real enemies of the community. They hijack every opportunity that comes to the community to their own selfish interest, they bury truth and do not fight to develop their area. The N3000 Development Levy the Imo state government mandateed every adult indigene to pay and if complied with, will be used to install transformer to generate electricity at Obitti community otherwise no indigene of Obitti will remain loyal and supportive to the government. Government has no right to impose such a levy on Imo indigenes when there is dearth of social needs. And surtaxing Obitti indigenes is an aberration because government has not done any good development at Obitti community. So, those who rule Obitti with impurity, greed, rancour and wickedness are always ready to divert and hijack every good opportunity to satisfy their whims and caprices”. he said
The people, who called for the collective interest of their community for way forward, however urged their leaders, traditional ruler and his cabinets to utilize the money made from their Market Shops to buy Electric Transformer to complete their electrification, hoping that with collective effort and contrite spirit, Obitti shall rise again.
They posited that Obitti community is one of the peaceful, enterprising, educated, literate, and successful communities in Imo state-hence the people are demanding social amenities from Imo state government so that the youths will engage in productive ventures, just as they advised their leaders to turn to a new leaf or face the wrath of God.
