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The people of Umunakanu Owerri in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State have called on the governor of the state, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to shelve relocation of the state polytechnic to Omuma, his hometown.
They said such would increase social vices in the communities and attract hoodlums.
They also begged Uzodimma to allow the campus to remain at Umunakanu Owerri and make Omuma, the main campus of the Polytechnic.
The people made the appeal when they carried out a peaceful protest at the gate of the polytechnic at Ehime Mbano.
The protesters, who comprised of students, youths, market women and stakeholders of the community, chanted protest songs and carried placards with different inscriptions such as: ‘No Relocation of Imo Poly, Mbano Campus,’ ‘Mbano people and Imo Poly students want Mbano campus to remain,’ ‘No, we won’t allow the relocation of Imo Ploy campus to Omuma,’ and ‘We are comfortable with Ehime Mbano campus here,’ among numerous others.
Leader of the community/protesters, Chief Vitus Osuji, appealed to Uzodimma to rescind his decision to remove the polytechnic from Mbano area.
He said, “Such action of removal will heighten crimes and increase poverty in the Mbano community and its environs. The idea of thinking about the removal is ill-timed and unfortunate.
“Ehime Mbano campus has been in existence since 2012, during Rochas Okorocha’s regime, who saw the need to create a multi-campus system to improve development and give people a sense of belonging. Since the existence of the campus, the economy of the community has turned around and Ehime Mbano people and neighbours have been given a sense of belonging. Investors have come in and a lot of houses have been springing up. Uzodimma should rescind his decision and allow the campus to stay here”.
“The only dividend of democracy we have enjoyed is the citing of Imo Poly in our area. The removal will increase social vices as hoodlums will turn the area into their hideout.”
