From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
The Anambra State’s chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), yesterday, lamented the growing level of insecurity in the state, rating the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, poorly.
IPAC, in a statement signed by its chairman, Chief Uche Ugwoji; secretary, Uzochukwu Eminent, and publicity secretary, Chief Mathias Ameke, lamented that kidnappers, gunmen, and other criminal elements have virtually taken over the state.
“After one year and counting, the story is different. Onitsha the commercial nerve centre of the state in particular, the area from where majority of the IGR of the state comes from is a shadow of itself.
“From 6 O’clock in the evening, people have already locked themselves in, for fear of being kidnapped or robbed. There is palpable fear everywhere due to security lapses, other urban areas in Anambra State are not left out.
“It is common knowledge that the duty of the government is to provide security and welfare for the people; the protection of lives and property; businesses do not thrive in the presence of insecurity.
“In places like Ihiala Local Government Area, the entire area is besieged by the so-called unknown gunmen to the extent that the indigenes of this area do burials and marriages at the permission of these hoodlums. We pray the Governor to beef up security in these areas”, the statement reads.
IPAC lamented that the government unleashed thugs on the people of the state who harassed and extorted them in the name of collecting revenue for it.
“The government in a bid to shore up its revenue created Enforcement Units (thugs) who now unguardedly, without qualms, harass, extort and intimidate transporters and even private motor owners.
“In the area of refuse collection, the Enforcement Units extort and collect huge sums of money from parents who sent their children to dumpsites to drop refuse, even when the buckets positioned at the dumpsites are filled up, claiming that the refuse were dropped outside the already filled buckets.”
IPAC said that it was disappointed that almost after two years in office, the governor was yet to fulfil his campaign promise to conduct the local government elections.
“At inception, this government made many promises to Ndi Anambra. The government promised to organize LGA elections within one year in office. One year has come and gone, the government is yet to put modalities in place for the organization of LGA elections and continues to run the unconstitutional transition committees in contravention of our extant constitutional provisions.
“What baffles IPAC is that this government continues to annihilate that tier of government, while coveting its allocation from the centre. The question is, why is the government bent on appropriating the funds meant for Local Government Areas?” it queried.
IPAC, therefore, demanded that the “state government should immediately reconstitute the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) by forwarding names of members to the State House Assembly for approval and empower the commission to organize election.”
“The appropriation of local government funds by the state government must henceforth stop. Local government funds from the federation account should only be received by Elected Chairmen and not the aberration called transition chairmen.
“The government should account to Ndi Anambra the local government funds so far collected and how the various LGAs benefitted. We are prepared to challenge this aberration in court.
“The immediate disbandment of all the so-called Enforcement Units that extort money, harass and intimidate our people, especially motorists.”
The group, however, commended Soludo for the good works he had done so far, especially in the area of road construction while demanding more for the state.