STEWARDSHIP REPORT CARDS OF OWELLE ROCHAS OKOROCHA AND IKEDI GODSON OHAKIM…2011-DECEMBER 2014 AND 2007- 2011 RESPECTIVELY. In 2011 Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha sent a clear message to the general public that he is on a mission to rescue Imolites with the vision to build an Imo State of our collective dream for this and indeed the future generations. He further stated that his mandate is to save the lives of the numerous poor ndi Imo while protecting the interest of the few rich. In 2007 Chief Dr Ikedi Ohakim presented to imolites the following policy statements on NEW FACE OF IMO AGENDA. To transform Imo State into a modern state with strong diversified manufacturing and tourism based economy anchored the emerging skills, midwifed by science and technology with guaranteed employment and employment opportunities. To create economic environment suitable for the introduction of partial welfare state where education, health care delivery can be made to be available to all who can not afford it free. A model state that will place premium on entrenchment of LAW and ORDER, PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE) and challenge the entrepreneurial and competitive spirit of our people. Above all add value to leadership through accountability and responsibility in government. Please I crave your indulgency to be patient with me as I take you down the memory lane and review these policy statements. GOV. ROCHAS OKOROCHAS’S ADMINISTRATION 2011-DECEMBER 2014. Some things are happening in Okorocha lead administration, but to what extent compared to the level of our expectation. Lets be objective and fair to Rochas Okorocha in what he has been doing, since assumption of office in 2011. He has actually helped himself, his family, far and near, cronies, foreign and anti-Igbo associates. Yes, Rochas is working, at what level of efficiency and effectiveness, is another unanswered question, with the reports of failed contracts, stolen trillions and substandard projects dotting all the corners of the State`s gates. In education, apart from the Federal Governments funding SUBEB and the MDG support, the efforts of Rochas, in either free or subsidized education is yet to be juxtaposed with the denial of tertiary Institution`s admission of 30% indigent students of IMO State, in favor a wobbling 30% to the indigene. In the name of ‘free education’ Gov. Okorocha increased imsu school feel from 30k to 100k with 80% reduction for indigene and 50% reduction for non-indigene. He increased Imsu ICEP feel from 55k to 100k. He also increased imsu acceptance feel from 32k to 75k. Imsu post graduate students feel was increased from 70k to 150k and transcript was increased from 5k to 15k for local and from 10k to 30k for international. Imo state used to be the first or second position in federation in having best result in WASSE but of late 2014 WAEC statistics indicates 8th position which is as a result of poor quality education that is colored in FREE EDUCATION. GOV. Okorocha claimed to have constructed 15km in each LGA at the tune of two hundred million but these roads are no where to found. He constructed about 20 roundabouts of which 60% are completed. More than 50% of the roads constructed by Gov Okorocha’s administration have been washed away by erosion. It is interesting to know that okorocha built international conference square, bongo square, hero square, ikemba square and ochiedike diagnostic square. Also building 27 general hospitals in each LGA of which at less than 70% completion.? Gov. okorocha promises imolites to build the following: though he has paid for these projects but nothing on ground to justify such payments, 7 Star Prince Hotel,. 1,000 Housing Units, Ecumenical Centre,e. Akachi, Magnificent Towers . 5 Star Hotel at Dan Anyiam. fhOwelle Dental Centre,. Owelle Vision Centre, . Imo State Mega Market, Imo State Farmers Market, . Industrial Park . Imo Turkish University, Imo European University, Imo Marine University,. Imo College of Education,. Princess Hotel Okigwe, Heartland, Skyscrapers hotel. Gov. claimed to have engaged 25000 imo youths for what he tagged youths must work and promised to pay them stipend of 10000 per month of non them have received 6months of salary. GOV. IKEDI OHAKIM’S ADMINISTRATION 2007-2011 Upon assumption of office in 2007, Ikedi ohakim met on ground the following: 1) A state capital with serious environmental challenges. 2) Absence of key urban physical infrastructures, many roads requiring maintenance, coupled with dysfunctional water schemes. 3) A demoralized and aging civil service with average age of 50 years. 4) Over 70% of unemployment of our employable graduates. 5) A chaotic transport system in our capital territory dominated by ‘inaga’. 6) Over 127 Autonomous Communities at war with themselves. This scared away the youth from coming home, stalled community development, made elders to lose control over the young ones and therefore gave room to criminality and un-development, etc. 7) Battle of political class divided into ‘onongono’ and ‘Abuja’. 8) Very low revenue base. By the first 100 days in office, the implemented NEW FACE OF IMO AGENDA was already on a test-run, where model school blocks were constructed in every Local Government Area; transformers hitherto lying fallow were energized and broken down water schemes were rehabilitated. . IKEDI OHAKIM constructed additional 35 model classroom blocks and rehabilitated over 1,500 primary and secondary schools in the 304 political wards in the state. His administration returned 44 secondary schools to the Mission to promote discipline, high morals and greater commitment to excellence. In addition to these, he offered 2,600 scholarships to deserving citizens of the state and offered bursary to each student of Imo in Law schools. He also recruited 5,000 new teachers under the 10,000 Job Scheme and designed capacity building programmes for teachers and other staff. HE upgraded Michael college of Agriculture to imo state polytechnic. He also upgraded Avan Ikoku College of education to federal college of education. To quicken rapid development, he established, Imo Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA) to ensure that rural roads in all the 27 LGAs are maintained. He purchased 27 graders, 27 heavy duty tipers, 27 hillux pickup vans, 12 pay loaders, 6 Rollers, 270 head pans, 270 bicyles, 270rales and 100 motor cycles for effective run of IROMA. Over 300 kilometres of asphalt roads were completed while 232 kilometres more were under construction. In addition, hundreds of kilometers of rural roads have been paved by the Ministry and IROMA. The aim is to make Imo State a one-city state. Ikedi ohakim established IMO STATE INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY (ISIPA) through executive bill. The agency , the Agency had executed several projects and programmes including: 1) Coordinating the first ever Imo Investment Summit in 2010. 2) Establishing a World-class office with the best IT infrastructure and robust online presence. 3) Conducting five (5) investment forums with SMEs, Cooperatives, NACCIMA and Industrialists. 4) Facilitating three (3) SME development workshops zonally for all 27 LGA Chairmen. 5) Identifying partner banks for our investment facilitation projects (Project 27 and Project Enterprise). 6) Registering over 100 small-scale industries and providing them with free investment and business incubation advice. 7) Providing Incubation support to Imo Wonderlake Development Company. 8) Coordinating the Induction Training for 10,000 job New Recruits as its contribution to boosting labour and productivity, which are key enablers of favourable investment climate. Under the Imo Health System Development Programme, over 133 health projects were implemented as follows: • 45 Primary Health Care Centres across all the 27 LGAs were rehabilitated/constructed. These facilities included new maternity buildings, nurses’ quarters, fencing and other renovation works.• 15 boreholes and overhead tanks • 17 Emergency Obstetrics Care Centre (EOCs) • 22 different programmes for provision of 27 Generators, 27 Ambulances and 27 Hiace Buses for each LGA, provision of 4 Hospital Emergency ambulance for the Emergency Obstetrics Centres and provision of basic medical equipment for maternal care for the 45 primary health centres; and • 34 different workshop and training programmes to build capacity in the sector. The Clean and Green Initiative is one of the key programmes of his administration. ENTRACO was launched on strong belief that a clean environment is fundamental to human development. He has purchased disposal trucks, disposal bins and bags to aid a clean and green environment. We also have cultivated grasses, trees and shrubs along major streets in the state capital to enhance the aesthetic nature of the state. The people of Imo have now re-imbibed the culture of hygiene and cleanliness for which they were hitherto known. The result led to Owerri been awarded as the Cleanest City in Nigeria in 2008, 2009 and 2010. IMO WONDERLAKE RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTRE PROJECT was one of the key projects of which N12.5b out of N18.5b already raised in the debt capital market was earmarked for the project. This fund cover all aspects of Phase 1, while the N27.5b needed to fund Phase 2 was planned to be raised from investors as equity; the following were the Key accomplishments before the exit of his addministration:• Renovation and upgrade of the Oguta Lake Motel.• Imo Wonderlake Development Company (IWDC), the holding company of the project fully incorporated, set up and fully functional. • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) concluded and report submitted. • Topography and Perimeter Survey completed and report submitted. • Final Master Plan and Project Model developed and submitted. • Engineering Design and BOQ 100% on track. • Civil works contracts awarded Operation Festival, the administration’s special task force on security which was established in 2008 by my administration designed and equipped to tackle the problem of violent crime and insecurity in the state. Ikedi ohakim’s administration acquired 205 security vehicles, motorcycles, four armoured personnel carriers, 30 vigilante buses and other security equipments and distributed to the Army, Police, and Civil Defence to checkmate crime in the state. Also, 27 new buses were donated by the state government to the LGA’s vigilante to halt incessant kidnapping in the state. Blind spots were identified and kept under surveillance and security in these areas beefed up Ikedi ohakim government also attracted and built a Court of Appeal in Owerri. Overall, the outcome was a higher turnaround, improved efficiency and a pervading sense of renewed confidence in the judiciary. Under his administration, the Imo State Judiciary had witnessed improvements. Our courts were renovated and re-equipped; judges and other key judicial officers were facilitated with new cars, high-capacity generators, internet and other vital tools. This was also same with all the magistrates. Ikedi ohakim ban okada in owerri metropolis and gave over 2000 keke and tricycles to teaming imo youths. Purchase 300 brand new A/C taxis for ITC. Purchased 250 modern taxis and buses for IMO Municipal Trasnport. 10 mocoplo buses for IMO Municipal Trasnport. Under the diverse development programmes of the state, ikedi ohakim created the following jobs: 30 civil engineers were employed to drive the rural road rehabilitation and maintenance programmes under IRROMA. 27 road supervisors and 350 road maintenance hands were employed • 27 medical Doctors were employed to manage the rehabilitated 27 primary health centers • 1003 youths were employed under the Imo vigilant services scheme • ENTRACO absorbed 6000 workers at technical, supervisory, co-ordinating levels including sweepers at the state capital and 27 local government area • About 55000 jobs were indirectly created through private sector because of the boom in hospitality, transportation event management, and construction industry • 10000 graduates were employed to strengthen in the public service in that was overstretched due to new policies and programmes of the New Face of Imo agenda. Thus, lifting the 15 years embargo on employment in the public service in the state. The government realized that people are retiring every month and year, while no conscious effort was made to create an opportunity for them to train new hand on the job. Thus the decision to open up public service new entrants and equally infuse fresh blood in the system given the challenges of building knowledge-base economy with modern technological tools under the new face of Imo Vision. IKEDI OHAKIM drilled over 1325 functional water schemes considering the fact that provision of clean and portable water happened to be a critical index in measuring compliance with MDGs requirements. Having taken you thus far, you will agree with me that NEW FACE OF IMO was not an accidental ideological grand or coinage, neither was it one of the those political buzz words hoisted in the firmament to sound out. The rescue mission team has tried but failed and crying to be rescued. Having shown you the report cards of RESCUE MISSION AND NEW FACE OF IMO, you can now honestly score the two. let your conscience judge you. For me, NEW FACE OF IMO delivered on promises in line with the measurable development indices based on the strategic pathways and logical frame works of the new face development plan. In God we trust. Imo is in the Hands of God. TASIE CHINEDU. (07067923326)
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:26:12 +0000