FRANKLY SPEAKING
With Roland Akachukwu Emmanuel
21-03-2014
THE VUVUZUELA GOVERNOR 3
YEARS AFTER Pt 1
Prior to the 2011 Governorship Election in IMO state, the mood
was gloomy. The citizens were anxious, eager to get rid of a not too bad Government.
Mr Ohakim's government, like every other, had it's bad & good sides but not
comparable to this overtly incompetent administration led by Chief Rochas Okorocha.
Ohakim and Okorohca both have one thing in common: The both betrayed the trust
reposed in them when they, without consultation, dumped the parties that
brought them to power. Chief Ohakim might have consulted but same cannot be
said of Chief Okorocha. I am not here to talk about party politics but it is an
integral part of our politics. My Main area of concern is, what has this
present government achieved after 3years in power?
Ohakim's government was one any Imolite would not want to
remember again. Nevertheless, the former governor achieved a little, much more
compared to the present Government. I, like most Imolites, then campaigned for
change. A change we knew we needed like we most need now. Many who prayed for
change and subsequently embraced a man we thought represented change are now
disappointed.
IMO State, since 2011 is like a ship in the middle of the ocean,
sailing without a competent captain. The level of incompetence of the present
government is without words. One was full of hope that things would change for the
better under a man who came promising heaven and earth but is delivering
nothing to write home about. A friend once said, 'Roland, If a man promises you
Heaven, please give him Earth. And If he comes with Earth, give him the
later....but if he comes with both, be watchful of the Trojan horse gift '. I
was in IMO recently and there has been no significant change. Apart from
beautiful roundabouts, nothing else exists. From Owerri to Mbaise to Izombe to
Mbano to Ogbaku etc, nothing has significantly changed.
Imolites are highly cerebral, one of the most enlightened
political communities. They are not easily swayed by political rhetoric &
sermons, when they set their mind on a thing, they would move mountains to
achieve it. In 2011, during electioneering campaign, the present government
promised a lot. 3 Years after the RESCUE MISSION was launched, how far so far?
1) EDUCATION: According to the government, the EVERY CHILD COUNTS
policy (ECC) would ensure "Free & Qualitative Education at the
Basic/Secondary adn tertiary levels ". We have the earlier mentioned
'FREE' as we were told, but what about the later 'QUALITATIVE' under this
present Government? The Government promised to embark on refurbishming of schools
totaling =N=9.2 billion in cost. But 89% of schools across The State are still
in shambles 3 years after. The over hyped promise of 304 precast Modern Model
School blocks are virtually nowhere to be found. I have only seen one in
Owerri, but Owerri is not the only Community or Town in Imo State. There are a
few in some pockets of neighborhoods, but that is not the 304 as earlier
promised. Furthermore, after the usual promises that heralded the Elections
much has not been heard of well hyped 'ENTREPRENEURSHIP & WEALTH CREATION
POLICY (EWC). The PRACTICAL EDUCATION SYSTEM (PES) which we were told would
address such strategic areas as creative writing, Film production and editing,
Fashion Designing, Mechanics, Carpentry/Joinery/Craft Making, Neighborhood
Security/ Surveillance, inter alia. All these and more to be established within
the Imo Vocational Village (IVV) to be sited in the three senatorial zones and
the promised Introduction of craft & civic education in our primary
schools, were they all poli-trick-al rhetoric?
2) HEALTH: Any serious government knows that 'Health is Wealth'.
I am encouraged for one fact, there are blocks/buildings being erected across
the State. But buildings are not what make a hospital. If it is, the Red Cross/Crescent
Society currently battling a situation in Syria would have said so. We see them
every day on TV in makeshifts, administering and attending to patients. The
Government promised, among other things, HEALTH AT YOUR DOOR STEP. I heard of
it then, and like every other Imolite, applauded the initiative. But we were in
a hurry, over-optimistic and hopeful that we never realized it was all about
poli-tricks. The story ended where it began. 3 years on, no one can tell us
what happened to that. To me, it "would have been a great Policy", Yes,
it is in our blood as Nigerians, we know how to formulate policies but don't
know how to Implement or sustain them.
During the launch of the Program, the Governor said and I quote
"We will provide functional & sustainable health care centers within
the reach of rural communities through a Well-Equipped Container Clinic (WECC)
powered by solar energy and manned by well trained & certified medical
personnel. Children within the age of 1-10 years, pregnant women and elderly
people From 65 years & above will have free Medicare." As the 2015 electioneering
Campaign nears, we will be fed more lies, it's in their character. Where are
the 27 World class general Hospitals promised to be delivered within the first
One year? IMO general hospitals are in a pitiable condition, with staffs owed
months in salaries. Where are the member referral Hospitals which the
government promised To build in order to attract Foreigners?
3) TRANSPORTATION: JUST recently, we read in the news that ITC
workers embarked on a protest demanding their over 8 months salaries &
other allowance be paid. What Change has this government brought to bear in
that sector?
4) ROAD: The most important sector any government should focus
on apart From Education is the Transport Sector. This sector comprises of AIR,
LAND & SEA. But my main focus is on Land, never mind, the Governor promised
to "float" IMO AIRWAYS and have it delivered within the first 36
months of his administration. Three years down the lane, nothing has happened
so. I expect his handlers to refute this, but I have facts on my side. Back to
the Road sector, upon assumption of office, Governor Rochas Okorocha promised
to deliver 1500 kilometres of Road within 4 years. Yes, we have seen some signs
of seriousness in that regard but it should be noted that 3 years after, not up
to 500 kilometres of Roads have been constructed. Just a little above 200, 90%
of which are overtly substandard. Contractors who have been paid full in
advance have abandoned the projects and the roads, many have washed away. The
Roads constructed by Dee Sam Mbakwe and Achike Udenwa are still in good shape and
use while the ones constructed just 2 years ago are all, virtually gone. It is
a shame!
It is on this note that I ask Mr. Governor, what happened to the
promise of a Public Works Department (PWD) for the basic maintenance and
rebuilding of roads? And the promise of Enzyme organic soil stabilizer to
tackle the deplorable state of rural or Local Government roads state wide? This
technology we were told then would save the State Government over N320,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Twenty
Million Naira) annually on road maintenance. What about The road MAP which will
help direct travellers? The statewide ROAD SIGNS?
I believe Mr Governor should go back home, pick up his campaign
manifesto, peruse it and start implementing those promises if he is serious
about re-contesting.
Roland Akachukwu
Emmanuel can be contacted on akachukwuroland@gmail.com
Editor’s Note: The views and opinions of our guest columnists
do not in any way reflect or represent the views, standpoint or editorials
policy of Nigerian Hotline Newspaper.
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