Chigozie Marquis
Imo State governor Senator Hope Uzodimma who is also the Commissioner for Land, Surveyor and Urban Planning, has been informed to investigate the Traditional Ruler of Irete Autonomous Community in Owerri West Local Government Area, HRH Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe for openly denial of his involvement with the leadership of Imo State Almagamated Market Traders Association ISAMATA, Hon Emmanuel Ezeanochie in the allegations of land racketeering, invasions and conversion of Community Primary School Playing ground Irete Autonomous Community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State and turning same to built over 50 Lock up stalls and adjoining school premises to Afor Market square.
Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe while briefing newsmen earlier in his palace accepted that the School Playing grounds was tempered with in order to built a perimeter dwarf fence but later changed to building a lock up stalls with it for the overriding public interest whereas the stalls have been shared between him and his cronies including the Purported Developer.
Denying his earlier submission in an Imo State based tabloid and some online Newspapers , Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe was quoted to have “described a media report accusing him and the President of ISAMATA, Hon. Emmanuel Ezeanochie of converting Primary School land to build over 50 lock-up stalls as a calculated effort of its author to smear their images”.
“Eze Ekwelibe stated that Irete people are currently enjoying peaceful atmosphere and not in crisis as speculated by the writer of the misleading article”.
“He narrated that Irete Community Primary School shares common boundary with their Afor Market which makes the area looks very busy,prompting them to however got approval from Imo State Universal Basic Education Board, IMSUBEB to build a perimeter fence demarcating the Market from School for which they were also got another approval from Owerri West LGA Educational Authority to build lock-up stalls that would cover as perimeter fence for the overriding interest of Irete Community since people have been trading in shanties there”.
“According to him,”it was on that note that we told a Developer,Anico Group who came from Government to develop Afor Market was asked by Irete Community after reaching Memorandum of Understanding to first consider building the School perimeter fence. We thought about tasking ourselves to carry out the project,but to God be the glory that the Developer came in and funded the project one hundred percent. Nobody touch the School playground. And Irete people did not sell shops there”.
” Honestly, the School buildings are dilapidated,but it is the duty of Government to act. The School Headmistress,Mrs. Ngozi Nwanebo has right to agitate or demand for renovation of her School,but she should channel her grievances to the appropriate quarters. Nobody has ever reported in my Palace that agents of any company vandalize the School property. The perimeter fence is for the security of the School,pupils and teachers”.
“Eze Ekwelibe further said that the agreement to build the stalls was generally accepted by the Community Stakeholders not a personal interest and pointed out that, when they conceived the plans to build a perimeter or dwarf fence at the school premises was as a result of prevalent insecurity orchestrated by the unsuccessful attack on one of the teachers by unknown gunmen.”And inview of peace and tranquility, the Community decided to build fence to protect the School and later through the State Education Management Board got approval before it was changed by the Owerri West Local Government Area Umuguma. The change in the original approval from the State Education Management Board prelude building of lock-up stalls”. “His writer” stated.
Going by the above assertions beyond reasonable doubt, Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe need to face the State government land grabbing investigation and Recovery Committee under the leadership of the SA.on Land Recovery Hon Paschal Nwakamma and the State governor Senator Hope Uzodimma to explained in details how and his role in the building of 50 Lock up stalls in the market as well as the illegal joining the Irete Community Primary School with the Afor Irete market Square.
Eze Ekwelibe accepted that the land was sold in the interest of the people of Irete and denied at the same time that there was nothing like conversion of the school premises to Afor Irete market Square whereas the Lock up stalls are standing tall closed to his palace backing the dilapidated primary school blocks with licking roofs which he claimed ignorance.
what concerns him was the school land but maintenance of the school doesn’t concerned him only the State government.
Let them give accounts of the proceeds generated from the selling of the stalls for peace to reign in Irete Autonomous Community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
