NOA CALLS IMO RESIDENTS TO PROTECT CTITICAL PUBLIC INFRASTUCTURE
The National Orientation Agency has blamed the destruction of public utilities and critical infrastructure by unscrupulous elements in the society to nonchalant attitude of some Nigerians.
The Imo State Director of the Agency Mr. Vitus Ekeocha made this known at a town hall meeting organized for stakeholders in the protection of public assets in Owerri.
The theme of the event was “Change begins with me: Protection and Preservation of Public Assets and Critical Infrastructure in Nigeria.”
Analysts have often argued that the provision of infrastructures needed to uplift the well being of citizens has remained one of the greatest challenges of successive administrations in the country.
However, some miscreants have sworn to sabotage the efforts of government in this direction by often engaging in acts of vandalism.
More worrisome is the seeming nonchalant attitude of many Nigerians towards the protection of infrastructures such as power installations, telecommunication equipment, roads, public buildings, oil and gas pipelines.
The Imo State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Vitus Ekeocha, represented by his deputy, Mr. Innocent Iwuchukwu, stressed the need for Nigerians to take ownership of public assets within their domains instead of viewing them as mere government property.
The Assistant Commandant Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Zone E Imo State, Mr. Regis Amaechi, said the task of protecting critical infrastructure required the collaborative effort of every Nigerian.
A Deputy Director in the Imo State Water Development Agency, Mr. Chibuikem Obilor, called on the state government to check the activities of illegal miners who destroy water bodies.
The President General of Inyishi in Ikeduru Local Government, Chief Morgan Okafor, expressed regret that a multi million naira dam being constructed in his community by the federal government had been vandalized.
He urged the government to always involve communities while executing projects in their areas to enable them to take ownership of such infrastructure.
CHINAZO ILECHUKWU