ILL PUT IMO ON A STRONG FOOTING - PROF NJOKU Written by CHUKS Ofurum As the nation celebrates her 54th Independence Anniversary, a frontline governorship aspirant in Imo State under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prof. Jude Ejike Njoku has assured the people of the state that he will put Imo State on a strong footing by laying the foundation that take the state to the promised land if he becomes the governor of the state. He called on the people of the state and Nigerians in general to be resolute, steadfast and prayerful so as to be able to navigate through the current challenges facing them. The professor of Agric Economics and former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Owerri, said challenges, trials and difficulties brings out the best in any individual, race or nation pointing out that the current challenges the country is facing is not meant to destroy her but to strengthen her. He reminded Nigerians that great nations all over the world did not achieve greatness on a platter of gold but through challenges which birthed innovations and inventions saying soon Nigeria will achieve greatness if the people did not bulge under the current challenges. He furthered,” As a Nigerian, I am proud of this nation because despite all odds, the country has achieved a high level of social and economic independence and appreciable development. Going by what the nation has had to pass through in its chequered history, I believe she has made tremendous progress. No nation achieves greatness without passing and overcoming some challenges. Nigeria is not an exception. I am quite confident that the nation will overcome the current challenges facing her and take its rightful place among the comity of developed nations”. He called on the people to continue to support the nation in prayers stating that many Nigerians have benefitted from the country through scholarships and other incentives. “Many of us benefitted from government scholarship, bursary awards and other favours. We owe the country a lot. We must continue to support her in prayers and also contribute to her development through shunning all the negative indices that portray the country in bad light”. On the 15 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country, Prof. Njoku praised the efforts of Nigerians in sustaining the nascent democracy stating that from all indications democracy has come to stay in the country. He maintained that many developed nations are still finding it difficult to establish strong democratic institutions and praised Nigerian leaders for maintaining strong democratic tenets through strong democratic structures. “America and Britain with all their sophistication are still not perfect in their electoral systems. Many developed and developing nations are still experimenting on one democratic system or the other. We must give kudos to Nigeria and Nigerians for sustaining the current democracy. Despite some teething problems, the country is gradually getting it right. The recent elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States respectively, are eloquent testimonies of the determination of the leaders to establish a strong democratic institutions that will withstand the test of time”. On the performance of the current President Goodluck Ebele Jonathans administration, Prof. Njoku described the performance as highly commendable saying the President has done very well. He described the transformation agenda of the President as a well-thought out workable document stressing that the president has proved that he is a technocrat by adhering to his programme notwithstanding the distractions he has faced. “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has done well. Despite all the numerous challenges and distractions, he was focused on his programme. He has given governance a human face. He has midwifed the electoral system, conducted a free and fair elections in states in which his party had lost to the opposition. No other President would have allowed it. He has also transformed the agricultural sector by building massive dams and irrigations. He has revolutionized the aviation industry by renovating and upgrading the nations airports thereby giving confidence to air travelers. Road construction is unparalled in the history of the nation. Major roads in the country have received massive attention. The second Niger Bridge is commendable. At least it will help to reduce traffic congestion between Asaba and Onitsha. I must also commend him on the dredging of the River Niger. In the Health sector, the handling of the Ebola virus disease and other similar cases, have received worldwide commendation. The President has revolutionized the health sector by building new specialists hospitals and upgrading old ones throughout the country. I also give him passmark on the noticeable improvement in the power sector. By the time the current reform in the power sector is completed, Nigerians will enjoy steady power supply which will engender massive industrial revolution. Also his handling of the security challenges especially the Boko Haram insurgency is highly professional, humane and commendable. One thing those who accuse the President of being weak, do not know is that he is a professional and a democrat. People expect him to bomb the entire North East to smoke out Boko Haram from their enclave. That is not necessary. The President has handled the Boko Haram challenge with professionalism. He employed tact and intelligence gathering to unearth the sponsors of the insurgents and today those involved are known and do not have any hiding place again. So the president did what an intelligent person will do in that situation”. Prof. Njoku however stated that there are many areas that still calls for improvement and called on Nigerians to rally round the president to move the nation to a greater height. On his governorship aspiration, the onetime Imo State Commissioner for Education and that of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning in the Ikedi Ohakim administration mentioned that he is in the race to restore sanity and good governance to Imo State stating that his years of experience and track record of performance has placed him in a strong pedestral to give the state good governance. He further stated that his exposure as consultant to several national and international organizations like FAO, WHO, UNESCO, USAID and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture will be used as a means of attracting additional funding for the development of Imo State and advised professionals to get involved in politics as a way of ensuring that credible men of integrity come in to sanitize the political system of Imo State and give good, stable, trustworthy and dependable governance that users in peace and prosperity to the people of Imo State in 2015 and beyond. He advised the electorate to be careful and discerning in choosing those they give the governorship ticket and who will eventually govern them advising them to go for candidates whose identity and background they know, those they trust, those whose track records of performance they know, those with humility, those who can bring about peace, security, tranquility, progress and development, and those who can accommodate and make them integral parts of the governance of the state. The Papal medallion winner and Knight of Saint Mulumba, KSM, who is also the 2004 Best Vice Chancellor Award winner in Nigeria, further urged Imolites to emulate states like Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi in the South East that have rid themselves of governors of doubtful character and integrity, and therefore have installed good governance, sanity, accelerated and sustainable development advising them to shun money politics and support candidates with credibility and high pedigree, noting that it is only by presenting such popular candidates that they can be sure of winning the general elections and changing the face of politics and governance in Imo State. On his agenda for the state if elected as governor, Prof. Njoku reiterated his commitment to a free and quality education with bursary and scholarship awards to brilliant students who will be sent overseas to study specialized courses in one of the best schools and return to develop the state regretting that Imo State has never produced the Central Bank Governor, Chief Justice of the Federation, etc, promising to raise the standard of education to put the state ahead of others. He will equally partner with other professionals in the field of education to establish private universities that will cater for the large number of admission seekers in the state stating that the South West accounts for eighty percent of private universities in the country. Other areas according to him will include security, Agriculture and infrastructural development. He equally mentioned job creation through the establishment of small and medium scale industries which according to him will offer genuine and sustainable employment to the youths and remove them from the streets and from crime and criminality. He will equally create satellite towns in all the three zones with modern facilities to decongest Owerri, the State Capital and revamp the Imo State Water Corporation to ensure steady supply of clean and potable water to the citizens.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 20:57:16 +0000
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