The immediate past Executive Chairman of Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, Prince Marcel Amadioha, has disclosed that he spent more than N100 million to tackle insecurity in the area.
Addressing practising journalists from Ohaji-Egbema in Owerri at the weekend, Amadioha revealed that the council procured security equipment, including trackers, which assisted efforts to confront insecurity.
He described the insecurity in the oil-producing communities as a domestic problem unrelated to the activities of unknown gunmen. He added that local security challenges, including cultism, later escalated into kidnapping and other security threats in the area.
He said he was able to tackle the situation as council chairman because the perpetrators of the crimes were people from the area who could easily be identified.
Amadioha, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ohaji-Egbema State Constituency seat in the Imo State House of Assembly, recalled the efforts his administration made to address insecurity, secure the area and promote peace.
He stated that insecurity in the area might persist until leaders stopped using it against certain people.
He said he had done his utmost to address several issues affecting residents, including the construction of health facilities, markets, roads and electricity projects, as well as reconciliation efforts and the construction of the council secretariat building, which was the last project commissioned under his administration.
Describing himself as the most qualified House of Assembly candidate among the political parties in the constituency, Amadioha said he was capable of providing quality representation and expressed confidence that he would win the election.
He said, “Even those contesting the election with me, I have impacted in their lives.”
He added that he had made a significant difference, worked hard and served the people better than any previous executive chairman of the council.
Amadioha appealed to his constituents to vote for him based on his achievements and the services he had rendered to the people.
He said the House of Assembly, as a lawmaking body, needed an experienced and focused representative who understood legislative business and would not require basic training to perform the role.
Amadioha assured constituents that, if elected, he would carry out his oversight duties by examining the operations of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC).
He said this would help revive the interventionist agency and enable it to serve oil-producing communities by addressing some of their challenges.
Commenting on the operations of oil companies in the local government area, Amadioha blamed some community leaders, lamenting their failure to inform host communities about the companies’ operational costs.