Take Responsibility For Development Of Your Land, Ossy Nwaka Urges Ikwuano
*Proposes N1b project
… A must read!!!
By Charity Uwakwe
“Don’t always think of what govt will do for you rather think of what you can do for yourself”, were the words of Evang. Comrd. Ossy Nwaka.
The Founder and President of New Era Foundation, (NEF), Comrd. Osinachi Nwaka has enjoined the people of Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State to consider what impacts they could make on the Council independent on the government.
Ossy Nwaka, while speaking on the topic: ‘Funding Development By The People And For The People’, at Ngwugwo, Ibere, in Ikwuano LGA, during the meeting of Ikwuano Development Union- Federated (IDU-F), stressed that it was high time the people began to think about what impactful measures as could be deployed to improve on themselves other than waiting anticipatingly for the government to be at their ‘beck and call’
According to Nwaka, the quest for the progress of Ikwuano “is no longer party thing, rather it is now Ikwuano thing. So, I have come to tell us like our Governor always says, weep no more, things are getting better.”
New Era Foundation President who expressed profound joy over the efforts of the Honourable member representing Ikwuano State Constituency, Hon. Boniface Isienyi barely three months after assumption of office, reassured that the present government would leave no stone unturned in making do her campaign promises adding, “because we believe that after four years, go and verify.
Continuing, Nwaka said:
“But, beyond that, don’t always think of what govt will do for you rather it is also good that you think of what you can do for yourself.”
Nwaka who, with an aura confidence, proposed a one billion naira development project, insisted that taking responsibility for the growth and development of the Council by the sons and daughters of the land would, in no doubt, boost the economy of the Council, and at the same time, promote the dignity of same.
Among other benefits, create employment opportunities for their teeming unemployed youths, foster unity and prosperity thereby living indelible legacies for unborn generations.
“Why we need to think of what we can do for ourselves I because it brings unity, prosperity and legacies for the generation yet unborn.
“Thinking of what we can do for ourselves brings about multiple employments.
“It brings goodwill and respect from government. And that’s why I’m presenting this before the elders of our land.
“And I ask, wouldn’t it be better for us that while we are depending on the government of Dr. Alex Otti to give us dividends of democracy, can Ikwuano raise a one billion development fund?”
He argued that developing the Council by the indigenes could at inception, seem an uphill task to many, but, however, he maintained that the people of Ikwuano could improve on their living standards thus bringing the long awaited development through individual selfless based efforts.
Amidst optimism, Nwaka outlined that by splitting the sum of one billion naira among philanthropists across the four clans of the Council.
Speaking, he said:
“Some will say, how can we do it? Some will also say it’s not achievable but I’m of the school of thoughts that a one billion naira project mounted in Ikwuano will turn Ikwuano around and we cannot do it by saying it’s Oboro thing or Oloko thing or relegating it to anyone of clans. No! A little drops of water make a mighty ocean.
“I just need barely one thousand philanthropists from within these four clans that will just give us one million naira each; I just need only two thousand persons that will give us five hundred thousand naira each and we’ll raise one billion naira in less than six months.
“When we get it done, this government we think has not responded to Ikwuano will respond to Ikwuano; when we get it done, those opportunities and commercial activities that take you from your village to Umuahia, Aba, Port Harcourt as the case may be, or IKOT-EKPENE will now reside within us.
“Our children that cannot get employment because they’re not from Aba, Umuahia or Port Harcourt, those things now resides within us”, he added.
Earlier in his address, Pharm. M. Uzuegbu, the President-general of Ibere
Clan described Development Union as an organization established to unite “and bring about progress or development in a given community or social cultural melieu”.
Uzuegbu warned that the Development Union ought not to be a political organization, adding, “and should not be associated with partisan politics but should remain apolitical.
As such, it should not be misrepresented or misconstrued.
Furthermore, he emphasized the need to distinguish the roles of the Development Unions from Traditional Rulers, noting that the former complements the latter.
Hear him: “It is equally necessary to mention that the Development Unions have different roles from that of Traditional Rulers and partisans politicians. Development Unions complement Traditional Rulers and work hand on glove with stakeholders in the society, including Politicians to bring development to the people. Only through a joint effort will we be able to reach our fundamental goals.
“It is unfortunate that today, Ikwuano seems not to meet up with the standard of what an ideal Development Union is. The reason for this is not farfetched, this is because of unwarranted Political influence on Development Union activities. I therefore call on Politicians and traditional rulers not to misunderstand the roles of Development Union but to see them as partners in progress.
The renowned pharmacist who condemned in totality, the seemingly, extant disunity among the clans, wailed that the challenges bedeviling the area did not only cripple the economy of the Council but also left the youths unemployed, hence some, as he wailed, had resorted to drug addiction and all manners of social vices.
“Indeed, Ikwuano as a people have many challenges and key among them is disunity and pull him down syndrome which has taken us to no where. There is equally no government presence in Ikwuano and the last eight years was the worst as there was no single road construction done in Ikwuano. Our agricultural products are wasting for lack of roads to bring them to markets, schools and healthcare centres are decrepit, our youths are not employed, they are face by drug abuse and misuse.”
