Since Executive Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha made the State of Imo Address where he showcased to the public, the monumental successes he has recorded so far, I have been bemused and deeply thoughtful about the verbal claims of the politician that fondly called Imolites “My People, My People”
As at the time he was about to commence the state of Imo Address at the new magnificent Imo International Conference Centre located in the heart of the state capital, Owerri, which his administration was hurriedly fixing for the event, I found myself at Concorde Hotel, Owerri for an appointment. In contrast to the claims that the privatization of the state-owned hospitality firm has not only been revitalized but that the five star hotel is among the internal revenue generating outfits of the Okorocha government, the once glamorous five-star pearl of the East is within spitting distance to collapse. To my greatest chagrin, I observed that there was total blackout. Those who follow my “regular breaking news” reports in the social media can testify that I made my discovery public after earlier unconfirmed reports that darkness reigns at the magnificent complex whenever public power supply is interrupted. My unscheduled visit further revealed that unlike in the past when there were no available car park spaces, one can now count number of vehicles stationed at the car park within seconds.
To monitor the governor’s state of Imo Address, I hurriedly dashed out of the Hotel and went back to office. However, the rot in Concorde Hotel which the governor claimed was his great transformation to enrich the purse of the state reminds me of his perfidious position on the state of affairs at another state owned establishment and prominent down stream sector of Imo economy, called Adapalm.
While I am yet to overcome what I experienced at Concorde Hotel, which I learnt has been temporarily shut down for undisclosed reasons another shocking claim came Roche, an international conglomerate. As a critical stakeholder in Adapalm located in Ohaji/Egbema, multi-billion naira palm plantation and associated agro-related establishment, I listened with astonishment when Okorocha said that his poor allocation from the federal government was boosted by the partial sale of Adapalm. For record purposes, the Adapalm located in Ohaji/Egbema LGA, one of the two oil rich LGAs was sold for not less than 25 years at an amount said to be about N3.5bn. even as the full details of the transaction between the state government and the said Roche which renamed the establishment Roche Imo Palm, was shrouded in secrecy, unconfirmed reports have it that Roche may have taken the down stream sector for the said amount for the number of years.
The amount of N3.5bn according to reports will be converted to building of pre-cast Roche type of school buildings in the 305 electoral wards in the state. I don’t intend to delve into the processes that brought in Roche into the deal since there was no public advertisement for interested bidders and a named privatization committee that handled the arrangement for the interest of the state, but suffice it to say that what came out from the mouth of the governor was absolutely in contrast to the real situation in Roche palm.
As a seasoned journalist, my principal one of my duties is to employ highest ethical standards to educate and inform readers about the true state of things in any concerned public sector. I was seriously taken aback on reasons why the Imo state governor would embark on what could best be referred as “executive deceit” by claiming that Adapalm or rather his Roche Imo Palm now produces a vegetable oil and branded soap.
Yes, His Excellency may be enjoying the right of talk because he has the microphone and executive trappings to make claims, but I expected Imo state governor to have verified his claims before unsuspecting people unfamiliar with Adapalm trends are misled. The issue of Adapalm or rather Roche Imo palm soap and vegetable oil would have been a great boost to the economic lifeline of the state but the claim is mere fallacy and unfounded. I am very familiar with Adapalm developments and understand that the soap and vegetable oil products exit only in the mouth of the governor and the medium he used to announce to the whole world because a trip to the popular Ekeonunwa or Relief Market, in the state capital will expose the half baked truth and lies. A trip to the nucleus estate of the establishment will further expose the preposterous posture of the governor to the Adapalm issue.
Instead of getting the soap and vegetable products a visitor will be greeted by a gloomy reception and atmosphere. It is suspected that the firm said to have taken over the establishment may have said bye to the premises following the appointment of one Ohia from Ideato to manage the affairs of Adapalm now. Another disturbing assertion from the governor was the claim that 2000 persons have been employed so far.
This is another far departure from truth. Residents of Imo may not forget in a hurry sporadic protests from the estranged Adapalm workers who invaded Government House, Owerri, regularly, to protest unpaid allowances owed them. Moments after Roche took over, the workforce was down sized and both skilled and unskilled pushed out with an arrangement that outstanding monthly allowances and arrears of salaries would be paid to them subsequently. When government and the firm, Roche failed to pay, aggrieved workers consisting mainly the land owners owed not less than N20m took to the streets to attract attention and seek their pay. I am reliably informed that when the new management cannot contain the menacing excesses of the hungry and restless workers, it had no option than to agree paying through sales of waste oil termed “sludge” through gradual process. Common sense would have informed any sane mind that there would be no fresh employment when the new management is reducing work force and the acclaimed 2000 new employers was only heard during the speech.
Furthermore, the Adapalm issue evokes grief for the host landlords, the Ohaji/Egbema people, because the said Roche-type of school building scattered in all the LGAs of the state is non-existent in the area. Of the 12 wards of Ohaji/Egbema, the only place one can spot the skeletal form of Roche-type school project is at the Adapalm complex. Unfortunately, the project is an eye sore to behold as it is still at an infant stage and has been at that stage for over two years, whereas some pupil have been enjoying the building in other areas. For the remaining wards in Ohaji/Egbema, only prayers may see the realization of the buildings government claimed has been constructed all over the LGAs in the state.
I have always expressed that Okorocha scored high points in some areas, more especially in road construction. Undoutably, his regime has opened more road networks than any other administration in the state irrespective of the quality and standard, Okorocha has shown enough desire to create more access roads than previous regimes. Though I enumerated this fact in last edition, but a cursory overview indicates that quality would have been the watchword than quantity. Even as a section is arguing that Imo has not seen this type of road revolution in the past, the Chief missionary of the Rescue Mission still claims he is not building “China Roads” I think time shall tell who is right because some of the roads are already in terrible conditions and showing signs of poor quality.
However, the Okorocha government needs to reflect on the importance of the new road network to meet the traffic necessities of Imo people especially those in the state capital. I am elated that the “Fly-over” project initiated by the Ohakim government is receiving attention now after three years of neglect. After abandoning the project that would likely decongest vehicle inflow into the state capital from Onitsha road to Orlu and Okigwe roads, the Rescue Mission may have lately realized the importance of revisiting the project that was mercilessly converted to a “Fly about” another invented word in Imo state to describe a fly-over converted to roundabout by the Okorocha government. The state government deserves kudos to have realized lately that government is a continua and the generality of the masses and not his perceived political opponents would be the direct beneficiaries of noble projects introduced by predecessors.
Imolites are still waiting to be informed on the amount for the new contract to complete the fly-over project, who is handling it and how the state government saved money arising from the initial claim that the project was stopped because of a rather fictitious or high cost claim of the fly over project that stretches from Akwakuma/Amakohia to Ugwu Orji within the capital territory?
Aside from the re-visitation of the fly over project, the Rescue Mission is expected to take another look at some critical road network projects commenced by the past government with a view to revitalizing it. While acknowledging the restoration of the Naze-Nekede-Ihiagwa road which deteriorated last year, the rehabilitation of the ring road that continues from Egbu-Orji to Onitsha road should also be considered. Another crucial road network that deserves mention is the Afor Ogbe-Afor Oru-Obohia- all in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA to Ugirike-Amaimo-Inyishi-Atta (Ikeduru LGA) Mbieri-Ifakala-Umunoha-Onitsha road (Mbaitolu LGA) road. The past administration did a section of the road, it is expected that Rescue Mission would have focused more on this strategic road to decongest vehicular inflow into the state capital.
Another area of interest is the education sector where the Rescue Mission deserves a degree of accolades though with restriction to demonstrate that he has love for education, Okorocha from the outset declared intention to impress Imolites that he is an apostle of free education by declaring it at all levels from primary to tertiary institutions even as the whole exercise get one kind K-Leg. It is a known fact that free education exits in the country before far before Okorocha became governor of Imo state and the state fondly called Eastern Heartland is not restricted from the services. It is not an incontrovertible fact that the Universal Basic Education introduce years ago provided for free education from the primary to junior secondary in all government owned schools in the country. In his usual manner of dramatizing his successes recorded so far, the governor included primary school and junior secondary schools as part of the Rescue Mission free education programe, however, the governor deserves thumb up for going beyond junior secondary to provide free education in the state. In furtherance of the free education policy, the Okorocha government provided some schools and pupils school uniforms, sandal, foot wears and reading tables which no doubt is another breakthrough in the history of the education sector in the state. Even the exercise was staggered and disorganized to attract criticisms, funny tales were enshrined with the payment of valueless stipend between N100 to N300 paid to the pupils to possibly shore up the image of the present administration whenever it is facing public scrutiny.
In attempt to surpass the records of other Chief Executive of the various state in the country, Okorocha invented another module to receive applause as the undisputed commander of Free Education with the so called Free Education in higher institutions in the state. Unlike what is practiced in other parts of the country where bursary is given to undergraduates of the state of origin, the state government came up with another style. Meanwhile in the build up to the 2011 general election, part of the propaganda and destructive campaign tools fashioned against the ousted Ikedi Ohakim government was the half baked truth and absolute falsehood that the state owned university paid about N150,000 contrary to the N58,000 paid by her students. Ironically when the anti Ohakim campaign of calumny succeeded, IMSU school fees was subtly jacked up to pool the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting Imolites Okorocha’s Free Education. IMSU students of Imo origin were given free education cheque of N100,000 each for which they paid or will pay N20,000 to the bank the cheque will be deposited
The implication the free Education is that IMSU school fees has jacked up from N30 to N120 only for the indigenes to pay N20,000 leaving non indigenes at high price. The resultant
