By Chinonso Alozie

Owerri—The traditional ruler of Ebenasaa Autonomous Community, Orsu Local  Government Area, Imo State, His Royal  Highness, Eze Michael Okechukwu Abanigbo, has pleaded with the Imo State  government to  give special attention to their community, due to lack of social amenities in the area.

His Royal Highness, Eze Michael Okechukwu Abanigbo

The traditional ruler made this appeal recently in an address presented to the South-East Voice and signed by the President–General of the community, Edmund Orajekwe, during the coronation ceremony of Abanigbo and conferment of Chieftaincy title awards to sons and daughters of the Ebenassa community.

The areas the traditional ruler needed urgent attention included roads, creation of small scale industries to reduce the growing population of unemployed and qualified graduates as well as engaging them positively. He also emphasized the importance of support from the government to boost the agricultural sector of the community.

He said, “as a young community, we need special attention and care to enable us grow. Our people are agro-based, which included production of all sorts of Agro products along the Urasi, Ezize and Eze Obune rivers  bank. There are no access roads to evaluate all these products because of bad road networks and very poor topography.

“We are praying you to help us construct the age long Ebenassa ring road traversing from Nkwodi, Umungozi via Obi Amakwe to Umuogu, Umughadinawa, Eluiuugwu to Ama Idi Emeruo to Ihuoma village. With this Ring road in place the people of Imo State will always enjoy a bumper harvest from Ebenassa. We also pray for improved seedlings of all sorts to enhance early harvest.”

He also pointed out that, “As a result of the current dwindling in oil price that adversely affected our dear economy, I call on all the Ebenasaa sons and daughters to come home and develop small scale industries to help in creating small scale industries to help in creating small jobs for our  teaming youths.”

The traditional ruler, however, cautioned the newly inaugurated cabinet members to conduct themselves according to the norms and traditions of the community.

“As we inaugurate both the inches, high chief, we humbly mandate all those to emerge for the inauguration to live up to expectations and do everything humanly possible but in conformity with the norms and values as well as the external laws made to guide human behaviour to ensure that this young community grow faster than other communities that are of the same age,” he said.