Excitement as Enugu community gets first fire station

Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

Fifty-six years after the first fire station was built in Enugu, Enugu State, the state government recently built two other stations for Igbo-Eze North and Udenu local government areas of the state.

The project was launched recently at Ogrute, headquarters of Igbo-Eze North. It was a moment of joy for the people in more than 50 communities, most of whom had never seen a fire truck.

The Central Mosque, located in Amufie, and a section of the stalls along Japan Road near the popular Ekeozzi Market in Ogrute went up in flames last year. The facilities were totally destroyed, as there was no fire station or truck to come to the aid of the people. Little wonder the people were excited at the gesture.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State said at the opening of the facility that his administration was determined to provide projects that would turn around the fortunes of the people and link hitherto forgotten parts of the state to other communities.

The opening of the fire service station was one of the highlights of the visit of Ugwuanyi to Igbo-Eze North for a reception in his honour and the inauguration of the Gburugburu Movement (GM), Igbo-Eze North Chapter.

GM is a movement of supporters of Ugwuanyi, cutting across party and religious divides.
At the Ogrute Township Stadium venue of the reception, an unprecedented crowd gathered to welcome the governor and his entourage inside the 50,000 capacity arena. Members of the various support groups, including that of Simon Atigwe, general manager, Enugu State Rural Electrification Board, and Prince Emeka Mamah’s Ambassadors for Gburugburu, donned various uniforms.

Chairman of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, Comrade Uwakwe Ezeja, while welcoming the governor, said Ugwuanyi had made the campaign for his second term easier for the people in Igbo-Eze North through his scorecard in the last three years.

“If there is any common denominator in Igbo-Eze North, it is our love for Gburugburu, which is incontestable. He has empowered our people and he is ready to do more,” he said.
The chairman, Peoples Denmocratic Party (PDP), Igbo-Eze North, Mr. Alex Urama, said Ugwuanyi had rekindled the hope of the masses in governance since he has given the people at the grassroots a sense of belonging by embarking on people-oriented projects.

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The member representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dennis Nnamdi Agbo, described Ugwuanyi as the best donation to Enugu State. Senator Chukwuka Godfrey Utazi, in his own remarks, said Ugwuanyi had made the Enugu State caucus of the National Assembly stand strong because of his integrity.

On his part, the director-general of the Gburugburu Movement, Igbo-Eze North chapter, Innocent Agbo, said Ugwuanyi’s unprecedented bottom-up approach to governance had led to the massive infrastructural development across the over 450 communities in Enugu State.

While inaugurating the Igbo-Eze North chapter of GM, the grand patron, Chief Festus Oshaba Onuh, chairman, Ferotex Group, noted that the movement was united and committed to propagating the ideals of good governance as espoused by Ugwuanyi. He said there was no vacancy in Enugu Lion Building in 2019.

Former president, Nigerian Institute of Management, Dr. Sally Nkem Adukwu, who spoke on behalf of the women, said Ugwuanyi had taught the people leadership in a big way. Lawmakers representing Igbo-Eze North I and II constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Ethel Ugwuanyi and Tony Ogidi, in separate remarks, lauded the cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature under Ugwuanyi. Chief Nduka Eya, in his own speech, also praised Ugwuanyi for his development strides in Enugu State.

Enugu State commissioner for environment and solid minerals, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, told the governor that the people of Igbo-Eze North were ready to repeat what they did in the 2015 election by giving him the highest number of votes in the state.

Former Deputy Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, David Atigwe (Atlanta), moved a formal motion for the adoption of Ugwuanyi as the choice of Igbo-Eze North for the 2019 election. He said, apart from the governor’s sterling performance, it was only fair that Ugwuanyi, from Enugu North zone, should do a second term as was done in Enugu East through ex-governor Chimaroke Nnamani and Enugu West through former governor Sullivan Chime.

In his response, Ugwuanyi sang songs of praise to God, just as he thanked the people for their love and support.

He recalled that the people of Igbo-Eze North had been supporting him since 2003, while he served at the National Assembly for three consecutive tenures before becoming governor.
“Now you have given me another support even as governor to proceed for a second tenure. I will book a mass for all of you in church to thank God on your behalf. We have changed the pattern of playing politics in Enugu State because we have handed the state over to God. No more name-calling but mass mobilisation.

“Take the issue of permanent voters’ cards seriously and exercise your right to elect your leaders.
“Today, Enugu State has become a reference point for good governance in Nigeria and we thank God for all things. I came to thank you for the continued support. I have lost both parents to death but God has been my backbone with the support of all of you. And with your prayers, we shall take Enugu State to the next level,” he said.