Hon Roland Alari and Chief Roland Ibierutomwen are currently running from pillar to post to retain their jobs. They were both elected and sworn in the same day as chairmen of Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon local government areas respectively.
Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode used to be one local government until Uhunmwode was carved out of it in 1991by the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Both council chiefs have the same fate of being suspended from office by lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly though for separate reasons.
They also preside over local governments that are yearning for development when compared to other flouring local governments in the state.
Apart from major highways that criss-cross both local governments, there are no other good roads linking communities except the roads under construction by the state government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Basic amenities like electricity, water, quality healthcare that are supposed to be provided by the local councils are conspicuously absent.
Chief Ibierutomwen, who is a former lawmaker, was suspended indefinitely for travelling to Italy alongside all elected council officials for the purpose of studying local government administration.
Trouble started for Chief Ibierutomwen when the Orhionmwon Youth Congress (OYC) caused traffic gridlock on the Benin-Onitsha highway and protesting at the gate of the council secretariat over allegations of corruption.
Some of their placards read: “Stop looting Orhionmwon treasury,” “Develop Abudu now” and “Probe Ibierutomwen’s trip to Italy now,” among others.
Leader of the protesting youths, Mr John Osazuwa, said they were informed that Chief Ibierutomwen abandoned his duty at Abudu and travelled to Italy.
In a petition to Governor Oshiomhole and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the OYC stated that “whereas Orhionmwon prides itself as the foremost oil and gas producing community in Edo State, several communities in the council are neglected. Dilapidated roads, markets, schools and health centres are begging for attention.”
They called for a probe into the circumstances under which the chairman approved millions of Naira for the trip to Italy to understudy local government administration.
Some officials of Orhionmwon council told Niger Delta Report that the trip to Italy was approved, but Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lucky James challenged them to show evidence of the approval.
James, who also absolved the Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu said no state government officials would approve such ‘a funny trip.’
Meanwhile, his counterpart, Roland Alari was suspended for two months at the first instance for allegedly leading thugs to assault councillors at the legislative chambers and stopped them from removing their leader, Douglas Idahor.
It was learnt that Alari’s attempt to stop the removal of Douglas was to pre-empt the councillors from commencing impeachment process against him.
Alari was said to have been at loggerheads with the councillors for not carrying out some resolutions passed by them. The resolutions included buying officials vehicles for principal officials of the house, refurbishing official bus of the councillors to bring them to work from Benin, refurbishing their official residence at Ehor as well as refusal to approve funds for seminars to enable them to improve their competence and legislative duties.
Sources say the chairman bought official car for Douglas without addressing other resolutions. This, according to the source, caused the councillors to reason that their leader has compromised and become insensitive to their plights.
Another source said Alari’s trouble started when he refused to provide support for the mobile clinic bought by Hon. Elisabeth Ativie representing Uhunmwode constituency in a bid to lessen her electoral chances in the future.
It was further learnt that Alari told Ativie that he would not use council fund to support what was supposed to be a constituency project of a lawmaker.
Besides, the move by Hon. Ativie to ensure the taking over of a health centre at Obadan by the Federal Government was frustrated because Alari allegedly insisted that it was the council fund that was used to build the now-moribund health centre.
Following the suspension of Alari, the people of Ehor, administrative headquarters of Uhunmwode, have vowed to use the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to probe past and present leaders who they blamed for the area’s under-development.
The traditional ruler of Ehor, His Royal Highness (HRH) David Igiehon, traced the under-development of Ehor town and the entire local government area to past local government chairmen who he accused of amassing wealth for themselves.
He said: “The chairmen that have ruled the local government in the past only went to the council to amass wealth for themselves. The chairmen do not have a residential house within the local government during their time. Though there are only 10 wards in Uhunmwode local government area, these chairmen had formed another illegal Ward 11 where they reside and rule the 10 wards from there.”
Chairman of the Ehor Development Forum, Mr. David Uduebor who spoke at the first Ehor National Day, said they were jubilant when Uhunmwode was created out of Orhionmwon with Ehor as its headquarters.
He said: “All sons and daughters of Ehor were joyful over the creation of the Uhunmwode local government area. Our belief was that at last our sufferings and neglect by the Orhionmwon Local Government Area had come to an end.
“It is sad to state that virtually all previous administrations at the local government headquarters have utterly neglected the development of Ehor town. One wonders where the billions of Naira allocated to this local government have gone to since 1991.
“You cannot see any development in Ehor town let alone its environs. The Ehor Development Forum says enough is enough. Henceforth, we shall demand to know how Federal Allocations which are published in national dailies are spent. The Freedom of Information Act shall be put into action.
“The Lucky Igbinedion administration established a pineapple juice industry at Ehor. The buildings were constructed and machinery installed. In a commando type of action, cranes were brought into Ehor and the machines were removed to unknown destination to the amazement of everybody.
“The government went ahead and sold the purported industry. Till date, as I speak to you, the proposed industry remains a mirage. This is what that utterly neglected people of Ehor will call the only visible state intervention.”
