By Joy Odor
Youths from Nkpologu community in Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu State has challenged Governor Peter Mbah to probe the alleged misappropriation of N20m for the provision of electricity given to the community by former Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that their traditional ruler and others misappropriated.
According to a statement by the Leader of the youths in Enugu, Cyprain Chukwuka to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Governor released N20m during his era to the traditional ruler, Simeon Idu and others to provide electricity, but they brazenly misappropriated the money and woefully failed to accomplish the task.
The youths who spoke against the backdrop of an earlier call on the governor to stop the nomination of one of their sons as a LG Chairman said it became pertinent to expose their ruler based on his stand over the raging issue.
The statement informed that the youth have appealed to them severally to provide electricity which the town never had but they connived with the contractor and dished out bribes to some of the town union leaders and they continued to oppress us.
“We then took the case up with the government and police but all our efforts to either recover the money or make them provide the much needed electricity failed because they continued using some fraudulent people in government to thwart our genuine efforts to give electricity to our long suffering people.
“At a stage, they started threatening to jail all of us but somehow, we survived their threats.
“They were even boasting openly that the matter will be closed permanently as soon as then Governor Ugwuanyi leaves office.
“We were planning to notify our new able governor, Peter Mbah of the atrocities of our traditional ruler and others when the issue of our son who was slated to be chairman of our Local government came up.
“The traditional ruler and his partners in crime are now devilishly using this opportunity to denounce our honest and genuine cry for justice over the killing of one of us believing that if the governor hearkens to our cry, they will be exposed.”
“They further stated that they are using this medium to cry out because they have nobody to reach out to the governor for them adding that if they had been able to get any genuine and trusted spokespersons to deliver their anger to the governor, they would not have resorted to publicising their grievances.
“We massively voted for Governor Peter Mbah and we are very happy with his achievements so far in office.
“We are not indicting him but pointing areas where he should straighten in continuation of his commendable records which is well known to us and we will never relent in supporting him, “he stated.
