No completed FG projects in Imo_Gov. Rochas Imo state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has debunked the insinuations from opposition quarters that he the governor has diverted money meant for execution of federal government projects into his youth must work project, saying that no federal project has been completed in Imo state since 2011 his administration came on board even as he celebrated his over 1,000 verifiable projects. Owelle claimed that he has continued paying bills running into billions of naira incurred by the past administration of Chief Ikedi Ohakim totaling N26bn, adding that while N13.5bn bond has not been paid with its fast accumulating interest which Ohakim borrowed to the detriment of the state. But the governor posited that government has paid N16bn loan borrowed by Ohakim on the eve of his election, hence he promised to clear the lug of bills in shortest time. Governor Okorocha made the clarification Tuesday while addressing a cross section of media heads, stakeholders and government officials at the government house to mark the week long democracy day celebration. The governor while enumerating his achievements since assumption of office, ranging from free education, massive roads construction, ultra-modern hospitals, new class room blocks and psychological transformation as well as freedom square, however posited that the administration has achieved much on the security of lives and property with little or no reports of kidnapping and armed robbery. He added that since he assumed office, there has not been any report of bank robbery which characterized the previous administration, adding that it was part of his electioneering promises since he emerged on the unusual election process under difficult situation via the supplementary election. According to him, it was difficult to unseat a sitting governor of ruling party. However, while the governor recounted the forfeiture of his security vote as part of his contribution to the growth of the state and for the running of free education, which cost about N35bn as captured in his 4yr development plan, he then commended the Imo Assembly which he described as understandable House. The governor admitted that without the support of the legislature, it would have been difficult for his administration to record the feat in the period under review, adding that he was able to prone down government expenses from parties and traveling allowances and other political wasteful expenses as well as servicing political masters even international protocol. Okorocha pointed out that one of the gains of his government was the revival of Avutu poultry, Imo shoe industry and revitalized Ohaji palm plantation, stressing that he has increased the monthly subvention of IMSU from N70m to N252m, while they work on the accreditation of law faculty. He said he was able to save about N1bn from placement of government bill boards, as his government has never paid any dine to any agency on bill boards, stressing that he has sacrificed most of his conveniences to the development of the state, adding that he has not stepped into his office for over two years since he assumed office in order to ensure total compliance to the rescue mission tenets. Accessing the economic status of the state, the governor maintained that the economy of the state has appreciably increased as the infrastructural development has grown as one of the greatest in Nigeria, adding that he at least visits some project sites more than fifty times to achieve results. He also implored Imo youths to be more proactive in terms of skill works, regretting that government spends over N20bn monthly on foreign artisans who design most of the works for the state, insisting that out of the 30,000 artisans working for Imo government 85% were foreigners. Owelle also criticized the comparism of Imo state revenue with states like Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers and Rivers, saying that Imo gets times three allocation of what each of the states get in one month, not even Rivers that goes home monthly with what the state takes annually. The governor used the occasion to galvanize the people into knowing and understanding the governments projects as the students of the tertiary institutions get N10, 000 each as transport fare, describing the stipends being paid to students of Imo indigenes as bond of relationship with the Imo children, vowing that even if he leaves office nobody can stop free education because it has become law. On the issue of shortage of school uniforms, the governor stated that a firm has been contracted at Lagos to sew the remaining uniforms as nobody has the capacity to produce about 60,000 pieces in short period of time, adding that they may adopt new strategy by providing uniforms and tailors in the different schools while the government takes care of the bill. Answering question on prerogative powers of the governor, Owelle said that he would be furious to sign death warrant of criminals and lazy to allow criminals go unpunished, while it would be painful to suffer innocent Imo citizens
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 12:46:45 +0000
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