- Issues stern warning to perpetrators of false narratives
The Enugu State Government on Wednesday, cleared negative perception dominant in the public space about its involvement in a land issue, while also issuing a stern warning to oppositions that have resulted in a campaign of calumny against its administration.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Hon. Chukwudi Fred Ezinwa, Ezeagu liaison officer, who spoke on issue in a bid to clear narratives, disclosed that some faceless person has resorted to disseminating negative narratives about the government’s involvement in the land issue, without following due process of fact checking and balancing.
Condemning the sporadic spread of the false narrative, Ezinwa also revealed that the opposition and it likes of unscrupulous elements, have embarked on using twitter and other social media platforms to ensure that they tell a false story and mislead the unsuspecting general public.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to the publication made by one Mr. Benjamin Humble who doesn’t even known and cannot identify the exact location of the said land in his tweet, rather involved himself in spreading false narratives on his Twitter handle regarding the issue of Obinofia Ndiuno land in Ezeagu Local Government, and as the former Governor of Umueze village (8 years), former President General Obinofia Ndiuno Town Union (4 years), Caretaker Chairman Ezeagu Local Government (1yr 7 months), the immediate past Executive Chairman Ezeagu Local Government (2 yrs) and current Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor ‘Liason’ Ezeagu Local Government, therefore, I am well informed and positioned to address the general public on truth regarding the core of this matter.
“I would not have bothered myself to reply the unsubstantiated and biased information as regards to the land in question, but in order to keep the records straight for future reference, I want to make it clear on a very transparent ground that the Governor and his administration, did not in any way sell half of Obinofia Ndiuno or either give it out for RUGA; rather the truth of the matter is that Godwin’s company owned by the Chinese Company, approached the village and the community of which we consented to the investment proposal.
“On the process of the discussion with the community, we were duly informed that the government acquired the land Ten Years Ago for Songhai Farms situated at Ihuzie village in Obinofia Ndiuno Village, based on that information we were invited by the Excellency the Governor, for further discussion to fashion out how the investors will invest in our community peacefully without fear or intimidation.
‘I particularly led a delegation on Monday alongside His Royal Highness Igwe C.N Ozoeze, the President of the Town Union, among others to visit the governor, His Excellency Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to interface and chart a way out of the whole ruckus, our visit was majorly to look into the compensation and other social corporate responsibility for the community and while encouraging investments for community growth. Also the governor promised that a committee that would comprise of the government, the community the investors will be set up and the committee will engage in an interface to agree on palatable decisions that will further bring growth to the development of the community.
“That been said, the government will not accept anybody trying to embark on further campaign of calumny, or blackmail against its government; we therefore warn perpetrators of such action to desist from their pick of idleness, We also urge and indulge all indigenes and the general public at large, to disregard any unfounded, unsubstantiated information aimed at ridiculing and soiling a government and its leader who has committedly ensured that the peaceful coexistence of the state remains non-negotiable. He added.
Ezinwa finally added that the issue surrounding acquisition of the 10,000 hectares of the land in our community cannot be resolved with a social media battle and propaganda, he also advised that should the handlers have not met a satisfactory stand, kindly come back and seek clarification.
