Elders council boss, Okah applauds Nwifuru for restoring peace, order in war-torn communities in Ebonyi

…..urges Nwifuru to stop illegal Mining in the state

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

The chairman of Ebonyi state elders council, Mr. Ben Okah has applauded governor Francis Nwifuru for restoring peace and order in the war-torn communities of the state within one year in office.

Okah made this known while speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State, to mark the one year anniversary of the governor Francis Nwifuru in office.

According to him: “within the eleventh months of the governance of governor Francis Nwifuru in Ebonyi state, there have been peace. People are relaxed and going about their businesses peacefully. And that is the basics for growth in any society. And so, our environment is very calm and very very peaceful. And I applaud the governor for the restoration of peace in the state, and I pray, it should continue.

“If you look at the war ridden communities like; Ezza-Effium, Ezzillo, Abaomege- Ishinkwor communities, etc, and everything has died down. He has stepped up to appoint prominent stakeholders in the state to mitigate in those war ridden communities. And there has been calm and I believe that in no distance time, the entire state will return to what it used to be.

The former commissioner to Ebonyi state government on public utility, Okah emphasized that the numerous achievements of Francis Nwifuru within one year in office as the governor of Ebonyi state deserved to be celebrated.

He enumerated the governor’s achievements to include; “water reticulation in Ezzillo, you can say it’s not getting to every house in the state because of the piping issues. But water is flowing everyday from Ezzillo. And that’s very important, people who are using it are enjoying it, others are yet to be connected. In my office, we have tap water everytime. And that is a very big achievement.

“The governor has also constructed a lot of roads both in the communities and urban areas. He constructed two kilometer roads in every community and he is even doing more. You noticed that the airport is not working because of the runway rehabilitation to accommodate bigger aeroplanes, which will soon start operation.

“In the industries, I know in three places, the governor has already succeeded; the pipe industry is working, the waste recycling plant is working and the fertilizer plant is also working very effectively and the governor has promised to setup more industries to be able to absorb the teeming unemployed Ebonyi youths.

“In the civil service, the governor has paid gratuity and pension to the retirees and infact, he has done greatly well.

The Elders council chairman, Okah however urged the governor Francis Nwifuru to boost the economy of the state through mining and should stop all illegal Mining in the state.

“Our economy should be based on mining. Ebonyi State government should do everything to begin to benefit from mining and stop illegal Mining. The government should begin to tax the legal miners. And that’s the only way the state government can boost it’s revenue, that can be used to develop the state” he stated.