The national president of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), Chief Barr. Titus Nnabuike Akpudo, has given more insight why the association appointed the President General (PG) of Umueri General Assembly, Amb. Chief Johnny Chukwudi Metchie as the Prime Minister (Onowu) of the state.
Chief Metchie who is the African Director, International Association for Peace Advocates, was on Saturday officially inaugurated as ASATU Prime Minister following his appointment by 179 PGs representing all the communities in the state. The occasion took place at the ASATU Secretariat, Government House, Awka with the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo represented by his deputy.
In an interview with journalists, yesterday, Akpudo who is also the national vice president, Southeast Association of Town Unions, stated that the process of selecting a prime minister was painstaking as the association took many things into consideration, in order to appoint the most deserving.
He described Chief Metchie as an outstanding personality who have used his office, wide contacts and personal resources to change the story of Umueri within the short period of his leadership, in addition to waging peace among Umueri and its neighbours, especially Aguleri.
“We appointed Chief Metchie as ASATU Prime Minister because he deserved it. He has demonstrated exemplary leadership and unprecedented development to Umueri, the kind we have not seen before in the community. He has also assisted ASATU in many ways. And this just for the few months he has been in office.
“Apart from his philanthropist gestures and ingenuity, Chief Metchie has proved himself to be a motivator.
“For example, we were waiting for government on community policing but Metchie moved on to install CCTV to cover the entire Umueri community which has made the area very secure and almost crime-free. We considered that alone as an outstanding achievement, in view of the precarious security situation in the country.
“He assisted his people in upgrading health facilities and attracted so much attention that the state government has just approved the renovation of Umueri General Hospital, among two others.
“Metchie has constructed roads in some villages in the community, he is constructing a new market and carrying out weekly sanitation, giving scholarship to indigent members of the community and have secured health insurance cards for the elderly in Umueri for free treatment,” Apugo said, adding that the position of Prime Minister goes to a competent leader who is deeply committed to the welfare of the people.
While speaking at his inauguration ceremony, Chief Metchie who holds the titles of Ezi of Umueri and Ozoigbondu, bestowed on him by Eze-Enugu Aguleri, thanked ASATU leadership for finding him worthy of the position of Prime Minister, adding that the recognition comes with the twin sense of humility and motivation.
“I am humbled by the award because, barely seven months in office as the President General of Umueri General Assembly, it is a rare privilege that the entire members of this Association, made up of great leaders, could consider me for the honour, the first person to be so recognized.
“The award is a motivation to me because, I see it as a challenge to do more, to further expand the frontiers of our humble efforts towards tackling the basic issues affecting our people. I see the award as a motivation to work closer with the state government, ably led by the Governor, His Excellency, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for our people, this time, not only Umueri, but the entire 179 communities that make up Anambra State,” he said.
According to him, whatever he had done for the community and others were inspired by God and support from his people.
Meanwhile, Chief Metchie has congratulated the people of the state on the one-year anniversary of the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri.
