Mayor Israel Nweke Receives Rousing Welcome in Osisioma

Mayor Israel Nweke Receives Rousing Welcome in Osisioma

There has never been anything like it before in the history of Osisioma Ngwa local government area of Abia State.

For the very first time the hitherto serene ambience of Osisioma Ngwa Council Headquarters was agog with unprecedented razzmatazz as a mammoth crowd of illustrious sons and daughters of Osisioma Ngwa irrespective of political party affiliations, traditional rulers, civil servants, friends including distinguished personalities from far and near turned out in their numbers to welcome the Mayor of Osisioma Ngwa local government area of Abia State, Engr. Israel Nweke shortly after the successful inauguration of the new Transition Committee Chairmen of the seventeen local government areas of the state and their Deputies by the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) at Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia on Thursday, November 30, 2023.

On arrival at Osisioma Ngwa Council Headquarters, Mayor Israel Nweke and his entourage were received by the Head of Service of Osisioma Ngwa local government area, Elder Uzoma Nwolu, other senior staff of the council, members of Labour Party (LP) among others.

He was ushered into his office where Rev. Ogboso Ejindu dedicated his office to God and prayed for God to imbue him with wisdom in order to serve well to the glory of God.

Thereafter, they came out to the council hall where the Head of Service, Elder Uzoma Nwolu presented his hand over document to him, which both of them signed as well as the local government seal after a brief welcome ceremony.

In his remarks, Elder Uzoma Nwolu described the arrival of the new Mayor of Osisioma Ngwa local government area as the beginning of so many good things to come to them and assured him of their loyalty and support.

Speaking, HRH King E. I. Adawaisi, the Eze Udo 11 of Amavo Ancient Kingdom in Osisioma Ngwa extolled the sterling leadership qualities of Engr. Israel Nweke describing his appointment as well-deserved.

He said that Mayor Israel Nweke is a seasoned administrator who has the interest of the people at heart adding that he has demonstrated capacity and acquitted himself creditably in the various positions he has occupied in the past within and outside the nation.

He expressed confidence that the new TC Chairman, Mayor Israel Nweke would not disappoint their expectations and prayed God to grant him wisdom to discharge his duties creditably.

He assured him of his total support and urged the people to give him their unalloyed support so as to bring their expectations to fruition.

In his response, Mayor Israel Nweke who was full of joy and gratitude sang spirit-filled songs to the Almighty God for His goodness upon his life.

He appreciated the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) for his appointment as well as the people for their love and support.

He commended the Head of Service, Elder Uzoma for piloting the affairs of the local government well for quite some time before their appointment and subsequent inauguration.

He told the people that he came to serve adding that the reason the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti brought him to Osisioma Ngwa is to make sure that his agenda gets to the grassroots.

He emphasized that he came to work, not to embezzle local government fund and solicited the cooperation of the local government staff and the entire process so that together they would make Osisioma Ngwa better.

He expressed happiness with the neatness of the council headquarters and condition of the offices on arrival adding that with their support they would make Osisioma Ngwa the best local government area in Abia State.

Here him: “When we went for confirmation after our screening, we formed a group comprising all the Mayors and every Mayor was busy posting pictures of their council headquarters. If you see the pictures you would shout and I became afraid. I asked them is that also the way Osisioma Ngwa is and they told me that Osisioma Ngwa was not as bad as others. But coming here today I am proud of you. I do not know how many local government areas have this kind of office in the whole Abia State. If I post this one people would continue to shout because they do not have this type of thing in other places. So if you people had done this much, then I should do better. I think I have some advantages over those who do not have office and with your support, that of the stakeholders and others we will make this place the best local government area in Abia State”.

Mayor Israel Nweke appreciated his lovely wife for her love and support as well as his sister in-law who came in from abroad for her great sacrifice.

He commended his Deputy, Barr. Young Ngwaziem adding that with them in the saddle that Osisioma Ngwa local government area would witness rapid transformation in all ramifications.

He said that they are going to hit the ground running because there are so many works to be done and urged the workers to come to work early.

According to him, he has been an international civil servant of great repute who is used to come to work by 8.00am and close by 6.00pm.

He told them to sit up if they are not used to working that way.

Mayor Israel Nweke noted that the access roads to the markets in Osisioma Ngwa do not exist. He promised that they would at least make it motorable.

He also assured that the schools in Osisioma Ngwa would be fenced.

In his remarks, the Deputy Mayor, Barr. Young Ngwaziem congratulated Engr. Israel Nweke on his inauguration as the Mayor of Osisioma Ngwa local government area and assured him of his total support.

He informed the local government workers to brace themselves for more work as they are in a hurry to touch every nook and cranny of the local government area adding that they have been empowered to work.

Finally, Mayor Israel Nweke assured the workers that he would treat them well and solicited their support to carry on.

He appreciated members of Labour Party (LP), Sir G. O. C. Kanu and other leaders of the party present adding that he would make Labour Party in Osisioma proud.

According to him the only thing that would be ringing the bell in Osisioma Ngwa is Labour Party.

The gathering was well-attended by principal officers of the local government council and heads of security agencies comprising Police, DSS, Civil Defence, Vigilantes among others.

Some of those present included Chinyere Chigbu (Treasurer), Ugochukwu Iheanacho (HPM), Mrs. Onyinyechi Reuben (HoD, Works), Mrs. Nkemdirim Ihesinachi (HoD, Budget, Planning and Statistics), Mrs. Adaku Thomas Nkoro (Social Development), Lady Ijeoma Brown (HoD, Agriculture), Comrade Onuoha Chioma (Internal Auditor), Elder Ndudirim Desire Adindu (HoD, Environment), Comrade Ujoh Samuel (LG NULGE chairman), Chief Ihezuo Nwaigwe, Chief Chukwudi Nweke, Elder Nkem Onwubiko, Chief Sir G. O. C. Kanu, Victor Nweke, Elder Sylvanus Nwachukwu (Chairman, Labour Party, Osisioma LGA), Hon. Engr. Emma Ufomba, HRH King E. I. Adawaisi, Chief Azuka Ufomba, Elder G. O. Azu and others.

Thereafter, all roads led to Mayor Israel Nweke’s Amavo palatial country home for a memorable reception.

The whole place was a beehive of activities. Live bands and cultural troupes added glamour to the occasion as people ate and drank to their satisfaction.

The reception attracted the presence of who-is-who in Osisioma Ngwa including former Executive Chairman of Osisioma Ngwa local government area and Labour Party candidate for Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency in the 2023 election, Hon. Iheyinna Mgbeahuru, Hon. Chima Emmanuel Oriaku (Commissioner for Science and Technology), Sir Godson Anucha (SA to the Governor on Labour Matters), the member representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency, Hon. Iheanacho Nwogu and his Osisioma Ngwa South State Constituency counterpart, Hon. Fyne Ahuama, Senior Apostle I. Geoffrey (Chairman, Stakeholders Forum, Osisioma Ngwa) among others.

In his remarks, Hon. Iheyinna Mgbeahuru congratulated Engr. Israel Nweke on his well deserved appointment as the Mayor of Osisioma Ngwa local government area as well as the people for their overwhelming solidarity.

He urged him and his Deputy, Barr. Young Ngwaziem to key into the policy of Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti in transforming the council.

He assured them of his unalloyed support and prayed God to give him more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the council to greater height.

He appealed to the people of Osisioma Ngwa local government area to support the present Labour Party-led administration in the state, which he said had completed so many roads in Osisioma Ngwa and mean well for the entire Abia populace.

He commended the member representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency, Hon. Iheanacho Nwogu and Hon. Fyne Ahuama representing Osisioma Ngwa South for identifying with their brother, Mayor Israel Nweke irrespective of party affiliations adding that it is in tandem with Dr. Alex Otti’s New Abia Agenda.

He recalled that such synergy was absent during his tenure as the executive chairman of Osisioma Ngwa local government area when the then member representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency did all he could to remove him from office.

Speaking, the member representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency, Hon. Iheanacho Nwogu described the appointment of Engr. Israel Nweke as well deserved.

He said that God has remembered the people of Amavo this time by producing him as the House member representing Osisioma Ngwa North and Engr. Israel Nweke as the Mayor of Osisioma Ngwa.

He expressed profound gratitude to God for uplifting them in their political careers adding that they would not disappoint the people of Osisioma Ngwa.

Contributing, Hon. Fyne Ahuama thanked God for keeping them alive to come and rejoice with their brother, Engr. Israel Nweke on his appointment as the Mayor of Osisioma Ngwa local government area.

He recalled that as the chairman of the committee that screened the seventeen TC Chairmen and their Deputies that when it got to the turn of Engr. Israel Nweke he told him to take a bow and go.

He expressed optimism that he would deliver and urged the people to give him total support.

On his part, Elder Okechi Achilefu, former SA to the Governor on Community Produce and Procurement as well as ex-supervisory councillor for youths, sports and education in Osisioma Ngwa said that Mayor Israel Nweke is eminently qualified for the appointment.

He expressed confidence that he would surpass their expectations stressing that he has the requisite knowledge, exposure, integrity and capacity to do more for them than what they had witnessed over the years in Osisioma Ngwa local government area, especially in the areas of good rural road network, primary healthcare, education among others.

It was a night to remember as everybody went back to their various homes happy and satisfied.