War drums are sounding in Ngor Okpala and Aboh Mbaise Local Government Areas of Imo State, as plot to relocate the Imo State University of Agriculture from the Areas unravels at Imo House of Assembly chamber inform of a Bill.
On Wednesday May 20,2020, the Majority Leader of the Imo House of Assembly, Hon Uche Ogbuagu, who presents all Government Bills to the Legislature presented the bill for the first time in the House.
The Bill was later accepted and a day fixed for its first reading, a process which will commence the exercise before it is passed into Law.
Even though the bill is yet to pass through the full rigour before being signed into Law, but the people of Ngor Okpala and Aboh Mbaise LGAs have sounded a loud warning that any attempt to remove the University from their Area would be met with stiff resistance.
The Bill presented by Uche Ogbuagu is to amend the Imo State Law that established the Imo State University of Agriculture, and give the current Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma the power to relocate the University to any place of his choice.
Already it has been discovered that Uzodinma wants to remove the University from its present permanent site at Umuanum, a boundary community between Ngor Okpala and Aboh Mbaise LGA, to Umuagwo in Ohaji/Egbema LGA.
However, the situation has caused tension in both Local Government Areas following interpretations of the relocation plan by the Government.
Trumpeta learnt that the Hope Uzodinma led Government want to move the University to State Polytechnic at Umuagwo, which used to be College of Agriculture.
But majority of people from Ngor Okpala and Aboh Mbaise LGA are accusing the Governor Uzodinma of political vengeance as they allege that the Governor wants to relocate the University just to get at his predecessor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
“Governor Uzodinma cannot within four months office remove the only higher Institution in Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala when he has not laid a foundation for construction of even a school Block in our Area. This is the height of political vengeance and slap on the face of our people” a Traditional Ruler who craved anonymity told Trumpeta.
“That University was the only thing we can point at as what we got from Okorocha’s eight years regime. Now, we expect Governor Uzodinma to add to this one and rather we hear he wants to remove the University. That is stretching the patience of the masses too far” Dr Alphansus Okereke told Trumpeta.
Meanwhile, an Imo Assembly source told Trumpeta that the bill has not even passed first reading and therefore no cause for alarm as it could be shot down later.
“It better be, because this matter is not a small one. How can a Governor give us a University and another who does not know how it happened, under four months wants to remove it from our place. Are we fools? Prof Justus Okere asked Trumpeta.
