By: Ambrose Nwaogwugwu
Exactly 30 days ago, history was made in Imo state when His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, CON, KSC was sworn-in as the 6th democratically elected governor of Imo state.
For a man who campaigned on the backdrops of rebuilding a destroyed and looted state, Gov. Ihedioha wasted no time in setting the balls rolling as he immediately swung into action with his RebuildImo agenda.
I have listed some of the achievements in deliberate state government policies that will greatly be of immense benefits to our people.
They are as follows:
1. He ordered for 100% Salary for Imo civil servants.
In fufiling his campaign promises where he assured Imo workers of good working conditions and full remuneration against the half salary regime of the immediate past administration of Gov. Rochas Okorocha, Gov. Emeka Ihedioha ordered for the payment of 100% salary scheme for all Imo workers which the past governor paid only 70% for 8yrs.
2. Striking Doctors called off strike action after the governor reached a truce with them. One of the first things that the new governor of Imo State did was meeting with striking doctors and health workers in the state to resume work.
Gov. Emeka Ihedioha ordered for the resumption of work by striking doctors that downed their tools since over 4months of the last administration - thereby saving many casualties that could have been recorded as a result of continued strikes of doctors and other health workers. Because the well-being of Imo people were of very high priority, he saw the returning of the striking doctors to attend to sick Imolites as a first grade matter requiring of urgent attention.
3. He opened Striking IMO Poly for full academic activities.
Again, as a compassionate governor who places high premium for the needs of his subjects, Gov. Emeka Ihedioha ordered for the resumption of full Academic activities for Imo poly that has been on strike for over 4months there by bringing back our children back to school.
4. Gov. Emeka Ihedioha ordered for the opening of Douglas road to allow the free flow of traffic for ease of movement for Owerri residents. For those conversant with Owerri would know the full potentials of that road as it is one of the major economic roads in Owerri.
The economic activities of Owerri was stagnant for over two years as a result of the closure of that very important road in Owerri which the immediate past governor closed down in order to cripple the economic activities of Owerri people whom the then governor was having a running battle with because they refused the governor from illegally acquiring their ancestral lands for personal family use of the Okorocha's.
But the new governor saw the need for the indenginous people of Owerri and reopened the road which was recieved with high commendation from the locales.
5. Gov. Emeka Ihedioha ordered for a stop to the dredging of sands by illegal miners which posed a great environmental harm for residents of Owerri. The activities of these illegal sand miners constituted by the past administration posed not just environmental damages, it also posed great economic sabotage to the state as revenues were siphoned to purses of Ex governor Okorocha's family members instead of that of the state government.
6. Gov. Emeka Ihedioha restored the sanctity of due process and rule of law in place in government as he can be seen following normal procedures at public places.....and as he seemed to have been nickened by Imo people as "Mr. Due Process".
7. He commenced work on abandoned 132/33KVA power Sub stations.
In order to uplift the industrial revolution in the state, Gov. Ihedioha has ordered for immediate commencement on the 132/33KVA power Sub station in Ibeku Okwuato and in Ideato Nation.
They will also kick-off work simultaneously on both sites to ensure that they are activated to serve the people of Imo State.
These were some of the projects His Excellency attracted while at House of Representatives as the Deputy Speaker during the regime of President Good luck Jonathan but were sadly abandoned when he left office in 2015 as the immediate past governor could not constinue on the said projects.
9. ISOPEDEC was returned to Ohaji and Oguta people.
In line with his campaign promises of returning the ISOPADEC to the real owners which are the people of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta, H. E Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has handed the oil producing LGA's agency to the right owners are of where the 13% derivative funds will solely be used for the betterment of the oil producing areas that have known devastation due to the activities of oil exploration on their lands.
10. He has started recovering the stolen properties of Imo state government.
Another feat that our governor has achieved is the setting up of the Recovery team which has so far made some mouth watering recoveries of government properties looted by ex governor Rochas Okorocha and his thieving family members.
First, the School of Nursing and midwifery in Opkoro in Orlu LGA that was moved to ex governor Okorocha's home town on Ogboko and converted to his private school has so far being recovered and returned to Imo people.
Many government properties especially vehicles have been recovered as the recovery exercise are still on course and many more properties like immovable ones will be the next focus.
11. State of emergency declared on public infrastructure.
To show it's seriousness, the governor has approved N49million specifically for the Otamiri water.
The Otamiri water project is a public infrastructure that has been allowed to ruin in comatose. The public water infrastructure services the entire town in water supply as it was the reason that no public tap ran during the 8yrs that Okorocha held sway as the governor.
Not a single borehole was sunk in any of the community in Imo for these 8 wasted years of ex governor Okorocha and no drop of tap water ran in the whole state.
Due to the urgency it required, he promptly declared a state of emergency on the scheme and released the sum of 49 million Naira for the immediate take off of the rehabilitation project.
In the state of emergency on public infrastructure regime - these other public infrastructure are to receive immediate attention and they include: the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede-Ihiagwa-Obinze Road, Assumpta-Control Post axis, Mgbidi-Oguta Road, MCC-Toronto Junction, Aba Branch-Mbaise Road, among others.
12. Avuto Poultry coming back to life.
The governor has also constituted a team that are now currently working in the Avutu poultry as both foreign and local investors are assessing the best ways to revitalise the state owned agric firm to start earning money for Imo people again.
13. N20m debt from judgements revisited.
As Mr. Due process who respects the rule of law and constituted authorities - Governor Ihedioha through the state Attorney General has asked all the people who won court cases against the state government in the last 8yrs reign of Okorocha to come forward with their claims for a possible repayment plan.
Recall that the ex governor Rochas Okorocha never hornored any court judgement against the state government for 8yrs as judgement debts were in excess of over 20 Billion Naira layed ambush for the new government.
Now, the governor as a law abiding citizen is reviewing the records with the view of settling them.
14. Imo pensioners to smile again.
In fulfilment of his campaign promises of paying Imo pensioners who are being owed over 30months salary arrears, the governor has constituted a team that will review the pension matters with the views of clearing the pension of our senior citizens.
Recall also that for 8yrs, the immediate past governor Rochas Okorocha deducted pension cuts from worker's monthly pays but never remitted same to the Nigeria pension fund as all the worker's monthly salary deduction for pensions ended up in individual accounts instead of the pension funds, hence the inability of pension payment running to the tune of over 50billion Naira.
15. He ordered Dan Anyiam Stadium To receive a comprehensive facelift.
Words has been backed with commensurate actions as works for the commencement of the comprehensive facelift of Dan Ayiam stadium and the Grasshoppers stadium was not left in the plan.
16. He refused and rejected the offer of Ruga settlements for Fulani herdsmen in Imo, in line with personal the south east governor's forum position. This is a further step in securing the lives and properties of the state as many other security matters are discreetly being carried out which of course, I can not reel out here.
These were the key things that His Excellency has achieved within 30 days in office as Imo state governor.
Note the words: "Key points" as there are many others strives already achieved which if I continue listing them, the space will not be able to contain them.
As we await for other mouth watering policies of the RebuildImo government which will soon unfold, let us commend the governor for keeping to his words as being a responsible and proactive governor responsive to the demands of Imo people.
Indeed, we can now beat our chests and make bold to proclaim that we now have a governor in the person of His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, CON, KSC. Omenkeahuruanya n'ezie.
The era of impunity, iberiberism system of governance, disobedience to rule of law and lack of due process are forever gone in Imo.
Indeed, a new Imo in which we all can be proud of is born.
To God be the glory!
No comments:
Post a Comment