The Ilile Autonomous Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State have lamented over the deplorable state of Umuokanne/Ilile/Umuapu road and appealed for state government intervention through the Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission ISOPADEC, for the rehabilitation.
The President General of the community Athanesius Nwanebi Nwagbara disclosed this when he led his people made up of red cap chiefs, leaders of thought, women and youth leaders and other notable sons of the community for a solidarity visit to the MD of ISOPADEC Chief Charles Orie in his country home Umuokanne, Ohaji.
He regretted that the road which was built by the former Governor of Imo State, Chief Sam Mbakwe has being impassable for many years because of its abandonment by successive governments administrations in the state.
The community equally appealed to the Commission to ensure the provision of electricity, functional Primary Health Care facility as well as inclusion of Ilile Autonomous Community in the Cooperate Social Responsibility CSR of WaterSmith Oil Company as part of their host communities.
They intimated the MD that WatetSmith Oil Company does not relate with the community despite the fact that they suffer the harzards of oil exploration as a result of the boundary they shared with Awara Community.
The community while congratulating Chief Orie on his appointment as the MD of ISOPADEC, paid special tribute to the Governor of Imo State, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodimma for appointing Chief Orie into his present position.
They expressed optimism that he would use his managerial ingenuity to see to the rapid development of the oil producing areas in Imo State and Ohaji in particular.
In their separate speeches, the woman leader of Ilile community Mrs.Alice Amadi and the Youth President Comrade Chibuike Ezekwe appealed to the MD to ugently come to the aide of the community by rehabilitating the road to ensure easy passage.
The youth president pleadged the cooperation and suport of the youths of the community with the contractors to ensure success and early completion of the project.
While welcoming the Ilile Community, the GM ISOPADEC Chief.Charles Orie assured the commission resolve to rehabilitate the Umuokanne/Ilile/Umuapu road before end of 2021.
He said that already a fisibility survey of the road have been undertaking by the contractor, assuring that once it is concluded work on the rehabilitation of the road would commence.
He blamed the failure of some of the oil companies in Ohaji/Egbema to register their presence in Ilile and Umuokanne communities to lack of accesable roads, assuring that the commission would do everything to give the road a first lift.
He said:”I am more worried about the road than every one, because it paind me that instead of riding on the road to my community Umuokanne, I will be subjected to going round the high way and other communities before comming home”.
On electricity and health centres, the MD assured the commitment of the commission to install electricity in all communities in Ohaji/Egbema LGA and revitalize the Umuokanne General Hospital to be make it a functional hospital to cater the health needs of the people of Ohaji.
He appealed to the community heads to advise their children to endavour to protect any government properties in their communities rather than engage in act of vanderlism which on the long run affects communities and set them backwards.
He used the meeting to advise the youths to coporate and support the contractors rather than engage in act capable of chasing them away away which would result in abandoning the project.
The pix showing the people of Ilile Community in Ohaji during their solidarity visit to the MD ISOPADEC, Chief Charlse Orie at his country home Umuokanne, Ohaji/Egbena LGA, Imo State.
