The Need To Support The Imo Civil Guard Corps (Aired Newstalk)

A CALL TO SUPPORT THE ‘IMO CIVIL GUARD CORPS’ ABLY LED BY CHIEF HONOURABLE DONATUS EWE EJIFUGHA

      

Just as he desires to see that everything is complete and as well put in place in Imo State at large in line with the famous Rescue Mission Agenda, the governor thought it wise to institute a uniform arm of the Imo Orientation Agency to ease the fight against various traffic cum environmental vices.

Owing to this fact, on July 26 - 2013, His Excellency Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha – OON inaugurated the anticipated state paramilitary corps which was named Imo State Civil Guard Corps. An initiative that attracted numerous commendations from all walks of life in the state and in the diaspora.

Subsequently, on Thursday 8^th May 2014, the bill regarding the legal recognition of the aforementioned corps, which was sponsored by Hon. Victor Ndunagu, was duly passed into law by the impeccable members of the Imo State House of Assembly ably led by Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu after one week of the official launch of the corps. Such historic gesture was made possible by the law makers in order to encourage the founder of the corps, Chief Rochas okorocha for the remarkable step he took to ensure that such formidable paramilitary organization is formed in the state, and when it is mostly needed.

In the said law, it was categorically stated that the head of the corps – Imo Civil Guard shall be recognized and addressed as The Commandant General, and he/she shall stay in the office for five consecutive years having been appointed by any serving Governor of Imo State.

The fundamental objects of the Imo Civil guard Corps include Crowd and Traffic Controls, and Guard Services. Suffice to say that, activities such as street trading, hawking, illegal parks location, just to mention but few, are expected to be adequately handled by the corps.

Lest I forget, it is worthy to note that the Imo State Civil Guard Corps is working in synergy with other existing military and paramilitary corps in the state, including the Army, Police Force, Civil Defence Corps, NDLEA, Prisons, Immigration, Customs, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in maintenance of law and order in Imo State.

The most enticing aspect of the Imo Civil Guard Corps is that, the amiable and indefatigable governor – His Excellency Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha appointed a well experienced personnel of no questionable character and a distinguished worthy son of Oru East extraction, Awo-Omamma precisely, in the person of Chief Honourable Donatus Ewe Ejifugha (Odenjiji) to pilot the affairs of the corps as the Commandant General.

Having retired from the Police Force as a senior police officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) to be precise, Hon. Donatus Ejifugha was employed by Chief Rochas OKorocha as his personal Chief Security Officer (CSO) prior to his assumption of office as the Imo State Governor. As soon as he became the Governor of the state, he appointed Hon. Ejifugha as his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Security and Advanced Protocols. In the year 2013, he was directed by the Governor to serve as the Sole Administrator of Oru East Local Government Area before he rose to his present position as the Commandant General of the Imo State Civil Guard Corps having been found worthy by his boss to serve in such challenging position.

Among other Senior Officers, the Imo Civil Guard Corps constitutes the Deputy Commandant General, the Commandant, Deputy Commandant, Zonal Commanders, and others too numerous to mention. The offices of the Deputy Commandant General and the Commandant of the corps are currently occupied by Chief Jude Uregbe and Mr. Martins Eke respectively. 

The current recruitment strength of the corps is about 1200. According to the ethics of the corps, after conducting a certain recruitment having undergone an intensive training coupled with thorough orientation, each of the successful new recruits would be assigned to the various established units of the corps that are found in all the twenty-seven (27) Local Government Areas in Imo State, which include the Administrative, Operations, Transport and Provost departments, and as well the Traffic sections; some of them would also be assigned to most of the government offices or parastatals for guard services.

It is no longer news that the officers of the Imo Civil Guard Organization are in all corners of the state and also working round the clock to ensure that their duties are effectively carried out in respect to the directive of the tireless Commandant General, Chief Hon. Donatus Ejifugha. Presently their landmark achievements including the alleviation of illegal parking of vehicles, street trading as well as hawking activities in Owerri metropolis, speak for themselves

Currently, the corps is faced with numerous challenges to include lack of operational vehicles such as Power Bikes, Towing vans, Buses, Hilux vans, and what have you. On this note, I call on all the government functionaries and stakeholders to magnanimously contribute their respective quotas to ensure that the remarkable aim of Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha towards creating a thorough serene environment in the Eastern Heartland is duly actualized. 

 

                COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

   Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist 

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