A concerned native of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr Simon Okechukwu, weekend, called on the federal government, through the Independent National Electoral Commission, to unbundle the two state constituencies of the LGA which were merged in 1999.
Okechukwu, who spoke with THE WHISTLER, alleged that the merging of the two state constituencies amounted to injustice and deprivation. He mentioned them as Uzo-Uwani South Constituency and Uzo-Uwani North Constituency.
He said, “The two constituencies were merged into one in 1999. Since that time, no formal appeal has been made to the government to consider restoring the second constituency. One constituency now represents 16 wards; a population that has outgrown in size and needs, and a geographical spread that makes effective representation difficult. This is not just an administrative matter; it is about equity and to ensure that the voices of communities across Uzo-Uwani are heard. The continued merging of the two constituencies has left many communities underserved, and it is time for that to change.”
Okechukwu, a former media aide to ex-Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuayi, appealed to the concerned agencies to restore the scraped constituency “to correct a historical imbalance and strengthen democracy at the grass roots”.
Okechukwu further appealed to the senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Sen Ikeje Asogwa, to use his good offices to draw the attention of the federal government to rehabilitate the Nsukka-Nkpologu-Adani-Ogurugu, a federal road that connects Uzo-Uwani to Anambra State.
“Its current state hampers movement of farm produce, access to healthcare, and economic growth,” he said, and also demanded the rehabilitation of the Nsukka-Ovoko-Iheaka- Obollo-Afor, another federal road which is in a dilapidated state.
In his words, “This route is a vital link for commuters, traders, and students. Fixing it will reduce accidents, cut travel time, and open Uzo-Uwani and the entire senatorial zone to commerce and investments. These roads are federal responsibilities, and with the influence of our representatives at the National Assembly, we believe the attention and budgetary allocations can be secured.”
Our correspondent reports that Uzo-Uwani LGA was created in 1950 as a County Council.
(The Whistler)