Opinion
By Ogu Bundu Nwadike
WITH three major projects set in motion in the last three days of August 2019, the Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has taken the State to the parabolic flight mode of development.
I am talking about the flag off of the 380.1km rural roads contraction project of the World Bank collaborative project with Imo State Government, the Rural Access and Mobility Project 2 (RAMP-2) worth N13.5 billion. The flag off was done on Tuesday, August 27.
I am referring to the All Season Farming Project with focus on rice farming in Imo State on Thursday, August 29. I am talking about the commissioning of environmental sanitation equipment and firefighting equipment on Friday, August 30, 2019.
All of the above were accomplished by Governor Ihedioha in one week within his first 100 days in office. Within that week, there was also the tree planting project from the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri through the routes into the city of Owerri on Thursday, August 29.
The recent projects are vital addition to over 100 significant projects in the first 100 days of the RebuildImo administration. This short essay will not serve appropriately to repeat the catalogue of all the accomplishments galore that is now the identity of the Ihedioha administration.
However, mention must be made of the restoration of public water supply in Imo State and the payment of N500 million counterpart funding to get the World Bank/International Development Association/NEWMAP Erosion Control Project in Imo State reactivated, with Ezemazu Urualla community as the first beneficiary.
Mention must be made of the interventions on very critical spots on some important roads in parts of the State.
The massive successful enviromental sanitation by Imo ENTRACO by way of evacuating multiple thousands of tonnes of waste and refuse from gutters, drainages, tunnels and channels in and around Owerri capital needs to be mentioned.
It’s evident that the flooding in Owerri Municipal city has continually reduced with major work on Rivers Otamiri and Nworie as well as Lake Nwaebere around Imo State University Campus, Owerri.
The salary structure of Imo State Civil Service, which was reduced to 70% by the ex-governor Rochas Okorocha, has been regularized to 100% by Governor Ihedioha. Ditto, the pensions of pensioners have been regularized by the governor to 100% and will be activated soon after the ongoing biometric screening and registration of pensioners in the State.
The State is now Treasury Single Account (TSA) compliant, ending an obnoxious rogue regime of 250 bank accounts maintained by the Imo State Government. Eight new laws from the executive was legislated on by the legislature, passed and signed into law by Gov. Ihedioha.
As I have established in recent discussions on this issue of the accomplishments and achievements of Gov. Ihedioha, the greatest aspects are found in the process of laying the foundation for the genuine rebuiding of Imo State to the tastes of Imo people. And that decision, method and approach which I described as doing first things first has been receiving commendations.
Gov. Ihedioha did set up a very sound crop of the best intellectuals, technocrats and professionals as his aides. He set up very vital award-winning Committees and Commissions that have been helping in moving forward the State in various crucial areas.
They include: The Interim Management Committee for the 27 LGAs; the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) the Committee on Recovery of Moveable Property Belonging to the Government of Imo State, and the Committees on Finances of Imo State Government and the 27 LGAs from 2011 to 2019.
Others are the Committee on Recruitments Retirements etc; the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC); the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Lands and Related Matters; the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the Awards of Contracts.
Of course, some Government organizations now have Interim Management Committees too. They include the Imo Transport Company (ITC); the Imo Rubber Estate; the Adapalm; the Imo Concorde Hotel, Owerri; Heartland Football Club; and others.
Indeed, the truth is that Governor Ihedioha with his able team of aides have accomplished and achieved so much than many expected. Of course, the policy conforms with the philosophy of if you fail to plan, then you have planned to fail.
As the RebuildImo administration clocks 100 days in few days, the world is rightly commending and applauding Gov. Ihedioha and his team for a job well done. For me, the State is on a flight mode on the way to desired transformational development.
Nwadike is the Special Assistant on Research to the Imo Governor
– Sept. 6, 2019 @ 15:59 GMT |
Tags: Imo State on flight mode with projects galore
