Ekweremadu Attacks Ex- Governor Chime, Says His Administration Is A Failure

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, October 16th, 2016

By Ignatius Okpara

ABIA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, on Saturday accused the immediate past Enugu State Governor, Barrister Sullivan Chime of deliberately neglecting and impoverishing the people of Aninri council Area of the state, where he (Ekweremadu) hails during eight years of his administration.

The ex- Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament, who hails from Mpu community in the locality, made the allegation during the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi flag-off of nine rural projects.

Ekweremadu and Chime, had been at logger head over the years, over personal and political differences.

According to him, Chime’s 8 year tenure was the darkest in the lives of Aninri people.

He noted that during the period, the state government had no presence in the entire council, adding that projects executed in the area were by the Federal and local governments.

Hear Ekweremadu: “Eight years ago, all development projects in this area were done by the federal and local governments, but we now have a Governor who is ready to work for our people.

“Between 2007 and 2015, no indigene of Aninri was employed in the state civil service and from statistics, we have the least number of civil servants in the state,” he pointed out.

Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West senatorial district at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, (NASS), said that the local government area had only 400 workers in the state service, stressing that no permanent secretary was from the council Area.

“This neglect of our people for eight years was that bad, but God has raised someone who will raise us’’ he stated.

“For instance, at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), we only have four staff members from Aninri while Udi, Awgu and Oji River Local Government Areas have 360, 85 and 60 staff, respectively, in the institution
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He said it was Governor Ugwuanyi, who drew his attention to the anomalies in the state civil service, but promised that he had taken steps to address the lopsidedness.

The Senator added: “The governor, (Ugwuanyi) has appointed our son as permanent secretary and another one as director of works in IMT.

“The State Commissioner of works is also from Aninri and more are coming,” he said.

He said “it is gratifying that our people are now feeling the impact of the state government and we will continue to support the Governor.

The Lawmaker however, urged the people of the area to unite and move the locality forward, saying the future was very bright for the people, under the present State’s Governor administration.