April 04, (THEWILL) – The Coordinator of Ivo Development Centre in Ebonyi State, Honourable Aja Donatus Ikenna, has expressed commitment to ensuring the security of lives and properties of the people, following heightened insecurity in his domain.
Honourable Ikenna disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abakaliki while speaking on the spate of herdsmen attacks, communal crisis and activities of hoodlums in Ivo DC.
According to him, the security of his people was his priority, but he stated that his administration had spent a huge amount of funds to sustain security.
He acknowledged the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, for allowing him and other coordinators to serve and take care of the people.
“Before being the coordinator, I already had a cordial relationship with my people. As God may have it, through our workaholic and amiable governor, Rt. Hon. Prince Nwifuru Ogbonna Francis made us what we are today and made us proud before our people by allowing us to see the funds we use to take care of our people.
“There are many ways of taking care of people. It is not only through financial assistance but through your behaviour. Financial aid is so essential in that it is through this means that we assist people.
“As a public office holder, people will always approach you for help. I know I have been assisting my people financially, and with this gesture, the second tenure of the governor is reassured. I am there for him.
“The life-touching projects we are doing in my development centre are facilitated by the governor. We must make the people believe that whatever we are doing is enabled by the governor, and that is why his second tenure is sacrosanct. Everybody will vote for him.
“I have done a lot of infrastructural work in my development centre. I did perimeter fencing to guarantee security, I renovated the staff quarters and my office. I have done grading and lateriting. Even as I speak to you, grading work is ongoing. I have more than fifty people I pay monthly. The list is there.
“I am following the governor’s policy of the People’s Charter of Needs. Whenever we have an allocation, the money is used judiciously. In a nutshell, I am from a development centre where there is a serious security challenge. As I speak to you now, I am in serious indebtedness because of the security challenge in my development centre.
“Are you aware that Fulani herdsmen have been attacking my development centre? Even today, they attacked the development centre. It happens almost every day. My management committee was attacked last week in his house. His cars were burnt, and his phones and other belongings were taken away.
“This security challenge started when I assumed office. I am from the village that is having problems with Akaeze village. The crisis started in February last year to date. I cannot fold my arms while my people are dying. In this area, where there are security challenges, the leaders are the target. Security alone is very expensive. You need to borrow to address insecurity”, he said.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
