The Folks’s Democratic Occasion (PDP), Imo State chapter, has expressed its worries over the Imo State Environmental Transformation Fee (ENTRACO) which it alleged has turn into a terrorist arm within the Governor Hope Uzodinma administration.
PDP additionally expressed fears that if nothing is finished urgently to deal with the alarming drift of ENTRACO from the conventional, it would snowball into one thing extra harmful and untoward.
In a press release issued in Owerri by Lancelot Obiaku, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, the social gathering mentioned that when folks hear the phrase “terrorism” and solid their minds shortly to armed teams dwelling in forests and disturbing the peace of the folks, but terrorism shouldn’t be at all times discovered within the forest.
“It may additionally put on reflective vests, drive government-branded vehicles, and strikes about within the metropolis, sowing concern within the hearts of harmless folks”, he mentioned.
PDP regretted that what occurred alongside Toronto/MCC Street in Owerri, a number of days in the past, as captured by a CCTV digital camera, is nothing in need of terrorism, including that they watched as males armed with cutlasses, bottles, and different harmful weapons pounced on motorists and merchants.
He described it as not enforcement however violence, saying that the social gathering noticed with dismay the way in which and method the armed group , known as Imo ENTRACO, unleashed concern and bodily hurt on residents, regardless of the identify it bears.
Learn additionally: We’ll resist impunity, uphold justice in PDP – Wike
In keeping with the social gathering, the motion matches the outline of a terrorist group, noting that their concern is that these males function beneath the safety of the federal government.
“Whereas condemning these excesses, the PDP asserts, instructively, that ENTRACO was by no means designed to function on this method. The fee was established in 2008 for beautifying and sustaining a clear, inexperienced and wholesome atmosphere within the state, and this consists of overseeing sanitation, cleansing of gutters, planting of flower and bushes, and different efforts focused on the creation of an atmosphere wholesome for human habitation”, he mentioned.
Obiaku recalled that in the course of the administration of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim who established the Fee, ENTRACO achieved this mandate by making town clear, whereas the folks have been at peace with the company’s actions.
He noticed that recently, notably for the reason that appointment of 1 Anyahie as chairman, ENTRACO has drifted from its founding goal, and that as a substitute of cleansing and beautifying the state, it has turn into a supply of each day torment to motorists, merchants, and small enterprise house owners.
He mentioned: “Imo PDP wonders how the Imo State Visitors Administration Company (ISTMA) which already exists and which is empowered by legislation to deal with site visitors and parking violations can be in operation, whereas ENTRACO takes up the enterprise of wielding cutlasses and chasing drivers throughout town and State.”
The social gathering accused the State Governor of empowering one in every of his aides to maneuver about with thugs and folks wanting like widespread criminals who wield all types of weapons within the identify of monitoring and analysis.
The social gathering defined that with these incongruous strikes, the federal government was encouraging banditry and cultism, and constructing monsters, regretting that after they metamorphose to full blown terrorists, the federal government is not going to flip round and accuse the opposition events of sponsoring terrorism within the state, because it has at all times, irrationality, accomplished.
PDP insisted that if by any means the federal government has given ENTRACO authority to overreach, they have to perform their duties with respect for human dignity.
“Accordingly ,using violence in opposition to residents runs opposite to the oath the Governor took to guard lives and property in Imo State and the legislation establishing the fee,” he mentioned.
The social gathering recalled that simply two months in the past, Naze youths blocked Imo ENTRACO workplace in protest of allegedly killing one in every of their brothers in an accident brought on by ENTRACO operatives.
He described it as unlucky that after each tragedy they trigger, the ENTRACO releases smug and unapologetic statements from its untrained mouthpieces which have a tendency so as to add insult to harm.
The Publicity Secretary cited an instance with different states and cities, together with Enugu, Abia and Aba, the place site visitors offences are curtailed with out cruelty
He additional defined that the Abia State Harmonized Process Pressure (ASHTF) enforces order firmly however humanely whereas officers are skilled, and so they hear and one can motive with them.
Obiaku mentioned that they don’t behave like avenue thugs, cultists and terrorists, describing it as disgrace that the identical can’t be mentioned of ENTRACO officers in Imo State who appear to derive pleasure from inflicting ache. “This isn’t good for a state as soon as identified for its civility and love for schooling”.
“And, allow us to make it clear, the courageous resistance of youths alongside MCC Street, which sadly led to bloodshed, ought to function a warning. When authorities companies turn into a supply of oppression, the folks will ultimately rise in self-defense. If nothing is finished to verify the excesses of ENTRACO, we concern that in the future the scenario could escalate past management”, he mentioned.
PDP has, subsequently, known as on the governor to cease ENTRACO from harassing and destroying the companies of petty merchants who do enterprise with out obstructing motion, including that these women and men are solely making an attempt to maintain their households fed.
The social gathering identified that the younger women and men working POS companies are striving to earn actually moderately than have interaction in crime, but they’re always chased, overwhelmed, and stripped of their instruments of commerce. In keeping with the social gathering, many have misplaced big sums, items, chairs, tables, and umbrellas within the means of working from ENTRACO officers.
The PDP subsequently, known as for the employment of the proper folks and correct coaching of officers employed for any type of enforcement within the state, whereas advising that if any authorities company should implement a coverage, it should strategy it by means of engagement with the folks straight affected and all stakeholders, and persuasion.
“That is what the PDP will do if it have been in energy within the state. The thought of waking up one morning to begin the destruction of individuals’s technique of livelihood have to be shunned,” he mentioned.
He famous that Imo folks solely need to dwell in a clear and orderly Metropolis however not in concern and that Imo folks need to respect the legislation, however not at the price of their dignity and security.
He mentioned: “ENTRACO should, subsequently, be reined in and redirected to its authentic responsibility which is environmental transformation, not intimidation.”
