The Concerned Uzo-Uwani Youth Movement (CUYM) has passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman, Uzo Uwani LGA, Barrister Chijioke Ezugwu and endorsed him for a second term in office.
The group said the decision to support the Chairman for a second term in office was in consideration of his laudable efforts in addressing the worrisome security challenge troubling the area.

In a statement jointly signed by Hon. Idiga Cletus C, National President, CUYM and the National Secretary, Comrade Arumona Christopher, the group observed that Ezugwu, a lawyer, has demonstrated commendable commitment to improving security across Uzo-Uwani LGA and restored peace across agrarian communities.

“It is important to recall the recent past when kidnappers almost overran the forests in Uzo-Uwani and forced farmers to abandon their farmlands due to persistent attacks by criminal elements.
Farming activities in Opanda, Adani, Omo, Ifite Ogwari and a host of other farm settlements were threatened as many farmers could no longer access their farms for fear of being killed”, the group recalled.

The group said Ezugwu’s administration undertook extensive road clearing across the LGA as part of the measures to curb kidnapping, making movement easier for residents and road users. According to the youths, prior to the current administration, travelling to the Council headquarters via the Ukpata–Adaba–Umulokpa road was fraught with fear because of frequent attacks by terrorists. They expressed satisfaction that the route has become considerably safer and accessible to motorists and farmers in the area.

The youth leaders further described Ezugwu’s administration as a purposeful leadership, marked by grassroots engagement, and empowerment of people at the grassroots.

The Youth leaders described Ezugwu as a grassroots politician that uplifted the downtrodden, maintaining a robust stakeholders’ engagement that gave everyone in the locality a sense of belonging in his administration.

According to the youth leaders, the Chairman, since assumption of office, considered the empowerment of the people a top priority. According to him, over 2000 people from different communities in Uzo Uwani have benefitted from the Chairman’s human capital development initiative geared to alleviate poverty, encourage entrepreneurship and boost the local economy through wealth creation.

According to the group, the Chairman’s security initiative has helped to address the emerging challenge of food insecurity, when several farm settlements were abandoned and farms destroyed by terrorist groups.

“Ezugwu strengthened law enforcement presence in flashpoints in Uzo Uwani. His administration spearheaded the recent inauguration of “Operation Kweshiri” and provided operational vehicles for prompt response to distress calls. He improved operational safety and provided incentives to boost the morale of officers serving in the area”, the group said.

The youths applauded several intervention projects of Ezugwu in the locality, which they said reflected a deliberate effort to restore the area as a food basket.

The group said Barr. Ezugwu also gave maximum support to the construction of a permanent Police Mobile Base at Nkpunato, Nkpologu to improve the visibility of police in the area, stressing that the Chairman, who served earlier as the Chief Security Officer of the area, used his experience to beef up security in the area and flush out criminals. The group said the Chairman gave the required support to the DRS patrol team which has significantly improved response capacity, deterred criminal activities, and restored confidence among residents of Uzo Uwani and its environs.

The youths explained that the Chairman launched rural water borehole projects across communities, which have been completed and commissioned for use in Nkpologu, Uvuru, Umulokpa, Ukpabi Nimbo to address the challenge of water scarcity in these rural areas.

According to the group, Ezugwu took up several legacy projects in the areas, especially the construction of Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Hall at the Local Government Headquarters, Umulokpa, the proposed Igboano International Market Project and the rehabilitation of the dilapidated Local Government Council’s Secretariat.

“It is important to emphasize that the primary focus of the Ezugwu administration has been security, and to the best of our knowledge, the Chairman has performed creditably in this regard.
On this note, the Concerned Uzo-Uwani Youth Movement (CUYM), after due consultation with other youths, unanimously passes a vote of confidence on the Chairman and endorse him for a second term in office”, the group stated.

The group further explained that the association is not a political movement, and not driven by bias but by verifiable achievements that are evident to the public to verify.