BY CHIDI  NKWOPARA

OWERRI – The scheduled proclamation of the new Imo State House of Assembly was delayed for more than four hours, Tuesday, following the barricading of the Assembly gate by beneficiaries of the Ikedi Ohakim 10,000 jobs scheme.

The angry youths, who were sacked by Governor Rochas Okorocha during his maiden radio and television broadcast last Monday, first marched to the office of the Head of Service, Mr. Evans Uzokwe, before moving to the state Assembly complex.

Carrying placards, some of which read: No 10,000 jobs, no Rochas; no civil service, no rescue mission; what is free education without jobs?; we need our jobs back; we are not strangers in Imo State, the youths refused pleas from the combined team of Army and Policemen, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, who were quickly moved to the Assembly to keep the peace.

Effort by the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, who rushed to the scene, to douse tension failed, as the aggrieved workers endlessly booed him at every turn of his speech. Agbaso had promised the youths that the administration would immediately institute a committee to look into their grievance, adding that Governor Rochas Okorocha was not on vendetta mission.

One of the beneficiaries of the 10,000 job offer who spoke on grounds of anonymity, recalled that people suffered and died to enthrone Okorocha, adding that what they got in exchange was their summary dismissal from service.

The young man said: ”Some of us have earned salaries for six months. So you can see that the governor was miserly with the truth when he said we were given our appointment letters in the last week of the last administration.”

26 Assembly members sworn-in

Meanwhile, 26 of the 27 members of Imo State House of Assembly were sworn in yesterday, as the member for Ihitte Uboma State Constituency, Mr. Ben Uwajimogu, emerged as the new speaker of the House. Soon after swearing-in of  members, the speaker gave the name of Sir Chris Duru as the new Clerk of the House.

The vacant seat in the House is that of Oguta Constituency where election was not held at the last polls.

Speaker, 3 others dump PDP

Four legislators, including the speaker, shocked the spectators when they openly renounced their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and pitched their tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

Other lawmakers who opted out of PDP include the member representing Okigwe and Ahiazu Mbaise state constituencies, Mr. Acho Ihim, and Adaku Ihuoma, respectively.