Why enuge grow chiken in the state house

Mr. Onyebuchi said he is glad that none of the
allegations border on corruption or fraud.
The Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday
Onyebuchi, who is currently facing impeachment
threat by the State House of Assembly, has formally
responded to the notice served on him, explaining
why he is running a poultry farm in his official
quarters.
He also denied another allegation that he was
disrespectful to the governor, Sullivan Chime,
insisting that since he was elected deputy governor
in 2011, he had represented the governor at
numerous events.
The Assembly had on July 24 served Mr. Onyebuchi
a notice of impeachment accusing him of “gross
misconduct in the performance of the functions of
the office of the Deputy Governor of Enugu State.”
Specifically the lawmakers accused the deputy
governor of running a poultry farm contrary to a
resolution of the Assembly passed on February 12,
2013 prohibiting the maintenance and operation of
commercial livestock and poultry farms within
residential neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis.
He was also accused of habitually refusing, failing or
neglecting to carry out the functions of his office as
directed by the governor thereby breaching Section
193(1) of the Constitution.
The notice, signed by 22 of the 24 members of the
Assembly was posted at the gate of his private
residence at 46 Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu.
While thanking the legislators for giving him the
opportunity to respond to the allegation, Mr.
Onyebuchi, in a letter dated July 30 to the
Assembly, explained that he was never served with
any of its resolutions prohibiting maintenance of
commercial livestock nor was any such resolution
ever brought to his notice by any official of the
Enugu State Government.
He explained that upon his assumption of office in
2011, he observed, while inspecting his official
quarters that it had on its ground an area
designated and fenced as an Agricultural Unit with
facilities for among other things, a poultry (farm)
with technical support from ENADEP and the
Commercial Agriculture Programme of the State
Ministry of Agriculture.
The said poultry farm, according to him, was
declared in his asset declaration form and
inspected by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
“It is important to state that the structure for the
said poultry farm was built by Dizengorf WA Limited
during the regime of late Chief M. I. Okpara,” he
added. “The first occupant of the premises was late
Chief Nwodo and he operated a poultry farm there.
Subsequent occupants of the premises, up to my
immediate predecessor in office, operated poultry
farms in the premises. Similar structures were built
by Chief Okpara in most of what was then known as
“Ministers’ Quarters”. Indeed, till date, the
Government House, Enugu, also has an Agricultural
Unit, larger than the one in my official quarters,
where a large poultry farm continues to be
maintained. The policy under the Okpara regime
was to encourage public office holders to engage in
farming especially poultry.”
Mr Onyebuchi stated that no complaint of any
environmental or health hazard from the said
poultry was brought to his attention between 2008
and November 2013.
He stated that on December 27, 2013 he got two
letters, one of which was dated December 24, 2013
on the issue, to which he replied to explain his
position on the matter.
He pointed out that the statement, in both letters,
that his official residence was covered by a
Certificate of Occupancy containing a purpose
clause to use the premises for residential purposes
only, was untrue.
The deputy governor also debunked the claim that
he was disobedient to Mr. Chime.
He dismissed, in particular, the allegation that he
refused to represent the governor at the flag-off
ceremony of the construction of the 2nd Niger
Bridge in Onitsha in March. The ceremony was
performed by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said, “With due respect, it is not correct that on
11 March, 2014 I refused the directive of the
Governor to represent him at the flag off ceremony
of the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge in
Onitsha by the President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan.