…Moves to prevent erosion menace in community
More than one year after the official takeover of office, the President General of the Oko People’s Union, OPU, Mr. Amaechi Okoli (Ochinanwata), his executives, the leadership of the five villages, branches and kindreds that make up the community, on Saturday held their first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Oko Civic Centre, which is considered the seat of power for the community.
Welcoming members of NEC to the meeting, Mr. Okoli thanked them for trooping out en masse for the meeting at the Civic Centre, the first of its kind in the life of the administration not minding the short notice. Giving reasons for the delay in hosting meetings at the venue, the President General explained that the ongoing renovation work at the centre prevented them from having meetings there adding that now that the renovation works were almost completed, members would be having meetings regularly at the Centre.
On the issue of the Eke Oko land dispute, Mr. Amaechi Okoli took time to give an update on the matter adding that he was aware that there was a committee set up by the traditional ruler of Oko, Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme, a committee he said was doing a lot already to resolve the dispute. After deliberations on the way forward by the NEC members, the meeting agreed to set up a committee to liaise and harmonize with the committee set up by Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme as well as consult with the Chairman, Orumba North Local Government Area, Hon. Sir Ogo Ekwueme, who incidentally is from the community, on the way forward.
Members of the Committee are: Hon. Emmanuel Nwajiaku as Chairman, Mr. Cyprian Osigwe, Mr. Tochukwu Ezeokafor, Mr. John Nwafor, Mr. Chimezie Ezeokeke and Mr. Tochukwu Okeke as members. It was agreed that members of the committee, on converging for their first meeting would pick one of them to serve as the Secretary.
On the advice of the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo for the community to do their bit in resolving the erosion menace in the community, the meeting harped on the need for all house owners to dig catchment pits in their compound to recollect rain water and gradually release them in the drainage. After much deliberations, it was agreed that all house owners both indigenes and non indigenes have up to January 31, 2023 to dig the catchment pits.
The President General warned that as from February 1, 2023, Enforcement Team from the community would begin house to house visit to enforce compliance. He added that those who failed to comply with the directive, risks fine as well as penalty fee for not complying. He urged members and residents of the community to do their bits to curtail the menace of erosion while waiting for the state government to intervene.
The encroachment on the Community Secondary School Oko land by a family in Ezioko, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’ visit to Oko erosion site, efforts to engage Nanka community to unblock the blockage causing erosion in Ezioko, Oko, the student of Federal Polytechnic, Oko murdered by Oko indigene and many others formed part of the discussion during the meeting.
About fifty (50) persons from the five villages and forty five (45) wards (kindreds) attended the emergency NEC meeting which was adjourned to December 31, 2022 when the Oko People’s Congress (OPC) which is the highest decision making organ in the community would be convened.
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