From: Petrus Obi, Enugu
After over 20 years of leadership crisis, peace has finally returned to Ogugu community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, with the election of a new Town Union leadership.
Announcing the return of peace to the community, the newly elected President-General (PG) of Ogugu Progressive Union General Assembly (OPUGA), Chief Paulinus Ofido, stated that the community was now poised to recover lost grounds in terms of development projects through partnerships with government and communal efforts.
Ofido explained that through the intervention of well meaning indigenes of the community as well as the state government through the Ministry of Rural Development headed by Ozo Gab Onuzurike, all the court cases numbering nine at a time, were resolved with an election that produced the new executive headed by him.
He said that with the resolution of the Town Union squabbles that created two factions before now, the community will now work towards the election of a new traditional ruler for the community, a dispute that is also in court.
“The State government brought peace to my community. We are therefore grateful to the Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The governor is also doing extremely well in terms of developmental projects in the state.
For that reason, we shall remain supportive of this administration and will massively vote Governor Ugwuanyi for second term come 2019,” he said. The Town Union President General listed his priority to include working to ensure full restoration of peace by healing all wounds, instituting quarterly inter-denominational church service to seek God’s face, rehabilitation of existing borehole and reticulation of water to all parts of the community, renovation of the community secondary school, and engagement of youths in useful projects including floating of a football team to be registered with the state league.
“We shall drive the think-home philosophy for our people to site industries at home to engage our youths; some of my people we consulted both within and outside the shores of Nigeria are already responding. Also, we have spoken to our women and the two factions have agreed to come together and we will soon conduct elections to bring them together,” he said.