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Abia State traditional rulers have expressed their excitement and gratitude to Governor Alex Otti for increasing their stipends recently while asking for more to enhance community policing and vigilante service in the state.
This commendation and appeal came weekend from Eze Philip Ajomiwe of Oriendu, Eze Charles Chionye Ngwuli, Chairman, Ohuhu Council of Traditional Rulers and Sir Chijioke Chikwekwem, Uga IV of Nkwoegwu autonomous community as the Oriendu community held its annual masquerade festival, Ekpe, pleading with the state governor to further update their stipend to be in tandem with the current economic realities in the country and to enable them to fight crime at the community level.
Eze Ajomiwe, the Ndu I of Oriendu expressed his happiness about the increase in traditional rulers’ stipend.
Eze Ajomiwe, who is about 26 years on the throne, said, “We have not seen this before. He is a promise keeper. He promised and fulfilled, from N50,000 to N100,000 and N120,000, but now, from N250,000 to N350,000.”
The royal father noted, “However, all goes into fuel. He (Otti) has started doing well, and I encourage him to raise his hand more. There is insecurity in the communities and this is a major concern for traditional rulers. For some years, we were asked to form a community vigilante. We did and used our money to sponsor that. Without money, you cannot form a vigilante.
“In the area of Abia Community Policing and Vigilante, what is the governor waiting for? There should be security votes for traditional rulers to equip them to fund community policing and vigilante. The governor should today, tomorrow, see to the enforcement of community policing and vigilante. The earlier it is implemented, it will help. Vehicles, uniforms, motorcycles, torchlights and more are needed. This will help the government.”
He recalled that such communities like his are at the boundary with Imo State, stating, “A lot happens here, and we have been shouting over that. When they kill people in Imo State, they will dump the corpses at our boundary river. Recently, 13 corpses were dropped in the Imo River and or at the pipeline. If we have security, it will not be like that. They will kidnap in Mbano, Imo State, and they will bring the victims and dump in the pipeline.
“We rescued the last one, who we thought was a kidnapper, but did not know that he was a victim. Communities should be able to monitor and close all outlets. With insecurity, there is trouble in the state.”
He informed that the governor had a meeting with the traditional rulers, where he called for security reports from the communities.
He added, “I also wrote and made the governor know that the prevailing restiveness, the youths that take and sell drugs, is because they are not doing anything and are unemployed. Work should be created for them. An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. I told the governor to try and get the kids engaged, especially in agriculture. There is a need to let the children at the primary and secondary schools be aware of the need to be engaged. We cannot do that empty-handed.
“The governor should try and ensure that all these youths in the communities have something to do. Not to give them money individually, but to empower them through agriculture or something else for them to have what to do. This is my plea to the state and Federal Governments.”
He commended Governor Otti for the stand on out-of-school children, suggesting that to make the law effective, school children should also be given books free like in other states, including free meals to attract them back to school.
He used the opportunity to condemn frivolous chieftaincy titles awards, stating that collecting money for chieftaincy titles to undeserving individuals should be avoided while advocating for the use of the Igbo language in schools through law.
Eze Ngwuli, the Chairman of the Ohuhu Council of Traditional Rulers expressed his appreciation for the increase in the traditional rulers’ stipend and called for collaboration.
He added, “If the governor will allow a synergy in the area of insecurity, he should consider the increased percentage of local government allocation to royal fathers, which will be tied to what the royal father will be doing in the community, like security, as well as communication gadgets and central command, where the traditional rulers will be reporting to.
“Anything that happens in the community, the traditional ruler will be asked as you have equipped him.”
He also urged the governor to always interact with the royal fathers and discuss with them to make it easier for the government.
Also speaking, Sir Chikwekwem, the Uga IV of the Nkwoegwu autonomous community noted that traditional rulers have works they do at the community level. He enthused, “There is no money at the traditional stool, but we work with our own money.”
He called on the Federal Government to reduce hunger as there is hunger in the land so that it will be easier for the peole in the communities.
