Why I sacked OCDA chairman — Uzodimma

By CHINONSO ALOZIE, Owerri

The Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has said he sacked the Chairman of the Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, Innocent Ikpamazie and appointed Francis Onyedikachi Chukwu, to clean up the mess that has been going on in the agency.

Vanguard gathered in Owerri, that the sacking of Ikpamazie came days after the Secretary of the State Government, SSG, Cosmos Iwu, issued a warning to members of the public to stop colluding with government officials to allocate government lands to themselves.

On what led to the sacking of the Chairman of OCDA, the Imo governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachukwu said:

“Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved the appointment of Engr Francis Onyedikachi Chukwu as the new Special Adviser/ General Manager of Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) with Francis Chukwu’s appointment, Innocent Ikpamazie who was calling the shot at the OCDA with the same designation has been removed.

“The appointment of Francis Chukwu takes immediate effect. The handing and taking over formalities are expected to be completed before the closing of work on Friday, November 19, 2021. Governor Uzodimma has also admonished the new SA/ GM of OCDA to devote his energy and time to sanitize the agency and restore the confidence of the people in its activities.”

Earlier, the warning from the Imo SSG, which came before the sack of the OCDA Chairman, said: “It has come to the attention of Imo State Government that some persons are currently engaged in land grabbing, purporting same to have been approved by His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

“It has become necessary to state that since his assumption of office as Governor, His Excellency has neither allocated any land to any person nor signed any Certificate of Occupancy.

“Government is aware that the persons engaged in these illegal transactions are colluding with unscrupulous land officials to backdate their documents.

“Government, therefore, warns that anyone who engages in any illegal land acquisition and development will lose such property through revocation or outright demolition of structures therein.

“The government also warns that all lands revoked recently in line with the White Paper on Lands Recovery and Related Matters in Imo State are still prohibited from allocation. The public is advised to be guided accordingly.” (Vanguard)