The Ezedike clan in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State has appealed to the State Government to expedite completion of the ongoing construction of Akpakwume-Nze-Aku-Nkpologwu Road.
The leaders of the clan made the plea during the conferment of chieftaincy titles on Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the immediate past Accountant-General of the State, Dr. Paschal Okolie, on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ezedike clan is made up of three autonomous communities in the local government area.
The communities are Akpakwume, Ezi-Nze and Ibute-Nze.
In an address, jointly signed by the traditional rulers of the communities and delivered by Prof. Jude Amadi, they lauded the state government for initiating the ongoing road project.
They, however, called for more efforts to facilitate the completion of the road project.
According to the communities’ leaders, the road is the only major access linking the communities with the rest of the state.
“It is also important to our agrarian communities through which our people are evacuating their farm produce to major markets in the state,’’ Amadi said.
On the chieftaincy title conferred on the governor, they noted that the honour on the governor was due to his people-oriented style of leadership, which had attracted numerous benefits to the clan.
“Some of the governor’s projects in the communities to included 2.5 MVA transformer, Ezi-Nze civic centre, construction of classroom blocks and examination halls for primary and secondary schools in the communities.
“Your Excellency, your people-oriented style of leadership, which is ingenious, pragmatic, purposeful and peace-loving, has continued to endear you to the good people of Enugu State,’’ he noted.
On the chieftaincy title conferred on Okolie, the communities noted that he had touched so many people with his philanthropic gestures and community service.
“Dr. Okolie has not only become a role model, but also a reference point of integrity and transparency in public service career as well as in communal development and services,’’ Amadi said.
Receiving the chieftaincy title of ‘Chinenyeze 1 of Ezedike’, Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked the people for carefully observing and pinpointing some of the modest achievements of his administration within their communities.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, promised to carefully look into the demand of the communities, particularly the ongoing road construction.
Also responding, Okolie who received the chieftaincy title of ‘Ugwumba 1 of Ezedike’, said that the honour was an acknowledgement by the people that he had done much for them.
“I am assuring the people that I will do more to uplift the communities and humanity in general,’’ he said.
