The traditional ruler of Asaga Ohafia, Ezeogo Michael Ndukwe, has commended the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, for embarking on the rehabilitation of failed portions of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli- Ohafia road.
Ezeogo Ndukwe said this in an exclusive interview with The Point at the Iriji Ndi Ezeji festival at Ndi Awa Odo, Asaga Ohafia in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.
The royal father added that such an intervention was long overdue.
Stressing the importance of the road, which traverses Umuahia North, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Ohafia Local Governments Areas to the state, he appealed for a timely completion of the job.
According to him, “It takes uncommon guts, as he has exhibited, to embark on such project, especially during the peak of the rainy season as we are in now. He (governor), therefore, deserves our commendation.”
The monarch challenged the contractor handling the project to ensure its execution with the recommended materials and the specified quality to earn the confidence of the government.
He appealed to the governor to extend similar gesture to his community, which he described as largely agrarian, to enable it to maximize its potential in the sector and for easy vehicular movement.
Calling on the government to assist the people with modern farming equipment, high yielding seeds, and fertilizer at subsidized prices, Ndukwe reiterated the support and loyalty of his people to the government.
Officiating on the occasion, the Catholic Priest of St. Anthony’s Parish, Uzuakoli, the Reverend Father Augustine Obi, stressed that people should always show appreciation to God for his mercies.
Obi, who is also the principal of Coronata Secondary School, Asaga, commended the celebrants for dedicating the occasion associated with the new yam festival to God, rather than to an idol.
In his welcome address, the community leader, Ezeji Felix Uchendu Eziyi gave thanks to God for keeping both the members and the entire community alive to witness the annual festival.
He said that the festival, which marked the beginning of new yam festival would last for over one month, adding that, according to history, it dated back to centuries ago when the community was founded.
