The Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has issued an immediate clampdown on suspected criminals vandalising the state’s properties.
The governor issued the directive through his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser, Media to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, on Tuesday evening.
The directive came following reports of criminal vandalism of government assets such as solar light panels/other fittings, transformer components, hospital/health centre fittings and equipment, school laboratories equipment and libraries ICT facilities, among others, in different parts of Imo State.
Also, the governor directed all the 27 local government chairmen in Imo State, councillors, supervisory councillors, town union leadership and other critical stakeholders to put machinery in motion aimed at fishing out the criminal vandals of government assets in their environment.
Also, there are reports of ongoing damage to some of the newly constructed roads across the state where citizens have, now, resorted to using the roads to set bonfires during one celebration or the other in their domain, or as slab to mix cement, sand and concrete for construction purposes in such areas.
Ogwuike said, “After a critical assessment of the ugly development and the damage the acts pose to the facilities and the security hazards such acts constitute to the generality of the citizens, the government directed that immediate steps be taken to correct the anomaly.
“Consequently, all persons found to be vandalising government assets, directly or indirectly, either in the cities or in the communities, are to be arrested immediately and dealt with according to the law.
“Those involved in vandalism of government assets, the contractor/owner of the house using the roads as a slab for purposes of construction and those found to be encroaching and stealing government assets are to be meted out the punishment befitting their misdemeanour according to the law.
“To achieve the desired result, Governor Uzodimma has tasked the local government area authorities to work collaboratively with requisite offices in the state, including the office of the Commissioner for Vigilante Services, Special Advisers – Security, Vigilante Services, Monitoring and Compliance, and Rural Development, among others, to ensure that the right things are done.
“My job is to help you offer something tangible to your people,” Governor Uzodimma told the Local Government Chairman, Councillors, Supervisory Councillors and Secretary of Local Government Areas as he harped on the need to protect the citizens, their schools, hospitals/health centres and all government facilities that make life meaningful in Imo State.
“The governor also spoke extensively about the need for collaboration between the councils and the state authorities in the interest of the people.”
