Lawmaker urges Imo communities to support govt

A member of Federal House of Representatives Hon. Eugene Okechukwu Dibiagwu, has advised the oil-bearing communities of Ohaji/Egbema of Imo State to support leadership and protect government properties in their domain

Dibiagwu representing Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru West federal constituency while presenting his keynote address at the 2026 1st Session of the 6th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Ohaji/Egbema held at St Paul’s Church Obitti-Ohaji, urged his constituents to stop pulling down their brothers and sisters.

He said: “We must support leadership even when we did not vote for it, when a son of this soil is appointed, celebrate him. When a daughter of this land wins a contract, pray”, when a youth from Ohaji/Egbema opens a business, patronise it.”

He reminded them that when government in power goes, the road will remain.in their land, charging them to rise up to the occasion and report anybody stealing government properties in their lands.

Speaking on the Theme: ‘Navigating The Path To Essential Development in Ohaji/Egbema Amid Economic Reforms, Persistent, Inflation, And An Uncertain, Volatile Environment: Essential Panaceas’, he identified three volatilities holding back the people of Ohaji/Egbema.

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He regretted that these volatilities which include environmental volatility, security volatility and political and policy volatility wears many faces which have stolen something from the communities.

Hon. Dibiagwu acknowledged the fact that the Land of Ohaji/Egbema is blessed with oil and gas, but the oil companies that mine these resources have turned the blessings into an environmental disaster.

He said: “The same earth that gives us oil and gas through the ANOH and Assa projects also gives us gas flares that paint our skies orange and our roofs black

On security volatility, the federal lawmaker pointed out that in recent years, fear has walked our roads, from kidnapping on the rural paths to cult clashes in the communities to brutal attacks and wanton killings to dread of the unknown after dark.

He observed that when a government starts road, another government abandons it while when a company signs an MOU with one set of community leaders, another set tears it up, regretted that the result is that the people no longer believe.

The federal lawmakers while pointing out the way forward for the people of Ohaji/Egbema, appealed to them to embrace peace, engage in proper planning, remain productive and partnership with government.

For the church, the keynote speaker while describing the church as the light of the land to protect, speak love and guide in truth.

He urged the church not to hesitate to pray when government fails and protect when government builds, adding that the church should do more than anointing them, holding them accountable all the time.

He used the event to advise the traditional rulers and the youths in the oil-producing communities to endeavour to unite their communities, speak peace to the youths while the youths should rather be organised and not agonise.

Dibiagwu further urged the youths to form cooperative, learn skills, and protect government projects in their lands.