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Tag: Imo

  • Imo APC gets Working Committee

    Imo APC gets Working Committee

    It was a gathering of political heavyweights in Imo State and beyond at the International Conference Centre in Owerri, the Imo State capital, when the elected members of the State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were inaugurated.

    The 10,000 capacity hall was filled to capacity with party faithful who thronged the venue as early as 7:00 am.

    Cultural dances and acrobatic displays by youths added colour to the occasion described by political observers as the largest political rally in the state in recent time.

    Addressing the crowd shortly after inauguration, Governor Rochas Okorocha said if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government at the federal and state levels had done well, APC would not have come on board, adding that the APC came up because of the failure of the PDP to move the country and the states in particular forward.

    He said in Imo State, the PDP leaders had fed largely on the common treasury of the state at the expense of the masses, insisting that there is no basis of comparison between his three-year-old administration and the 12 years spent in the state by the PDP.

    He further noted that the 2015 elections will be like a contest between light which APC represents, and darkness which the PDP represents, he said.

    His words:: “The PDP leaders in the state had fed on the economy or common purse of the state. The APC is a new party for a new Nigeria. If you believe that Imo State has been transformed in three years, then APC is the party good for the people of the state. PDP should also allow the APC to govern the state for 12 years so that Imo people can give their verdict.

    “They said PDP is an Igbo party. How is it an Igbo party?  Is the National Chairman or National Secretary or the President or the Vice-President or the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives an Igbo? The answer is no.

    “Don’t forget that Boko Haram began several years before the formation of the APC. The PDP has only succeeded in lining their pockets with money from the public treasury and nothing more.”

    Okorocha also stated that “the Imo PDP had left nothing behind in the Government House, Owerri for the 12 years they occupied it as to come back in 2015 to take it.  When the time comes, the chaff will be separated from the wheat.”

    He, however, urged the APC leaders and members to be united, stressing that the victory of the party depended largely on how united the members are and the ability of the new state executive committee to carry everybody along.

    Some of the party leaders who spoke earlier, including the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, Chief P. C. Onuoha, Dr. E. J. K. Onyewuchi, among others, stressed the need for unity of purpose among the party leaders and members.

    The deputy governor charged the party officials to put the overall interest of the party above personal or selfish interest and ensure internal democracy at all levels.

    He said with the unprecedented achievements recorded by the APC-led administration in the state, the duty of expanding the membership base or acceptability of the party had been made easy, noting that the APC has become a household name.

    He said: “Today, we are proud to be associated with the performing party because of the achievements of the Rescue Mission Agenda. Your duty, therefore, is to take the message of free education, youth-must-work programme, free maternal care and massive road infrastructure, among many others, to the people.  You should avoid any attitude that will cast doubt on the integrity of the party.”

    Those inaugurated included the state Chairman, Dr. Hilary Ekeh, the Secretary, Barr. Emma Ibediro, Hon. Ugochukwu Nzekwe (Deputy-Chairman), Ifeanyi Onwueyiagba (Vice Chairman), Chief Christian Ogoma, (Vice-Chairman), G. N. Asika (Vice Chairman), Akubueze Batholomew (youth leader), Mrs. Theresa Ohanugba (women leader), among others.  They were urged to unite and strengthen the party.

    In his acceptance speech, Ekeh assured that the team will work hard to win more people into the party and win all the elective offices in the 2015 general elections. He added. “We are, indeed, proud to be members of the State Executive Committee of our great party and we will do everything possible to ensure that we do not, at any time, betray the confidence reposed in us by the party leaders.”

    Highlight of the event was the distribution of over 40 APC branded vehicles to the executives, including local government chairmen of the party across the state.

     

  • Imo disburses N270m to boost food production

    Imo disburses N270m to boost food production

    Imo State government has begun the disbursement of N270 million grant to the departments of agriculture across the 27 local governments, to boost food production.

    The Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Mathew Nworgu, a lawyer, who spoke with reporters in Owerri, said the initiative called the Integrated Agric Farm Programme was conceived to revive the agric departments and attain food security, especially in the rural communities.

    He said under the programme, each of the 27 councils would receive N10 million, which would be managed by the heads of the agric departments for livestock and crop production, adding that the project recorded over 90 per cent success after the first evaluation.

    Nworgu said: “We’ve just concluded a monitoring tour of the local governments to evaluate the success of the programme. It has recorded over 98.9 per cent success. The agric departments are alive with activities. The poultry and piggery departments are thriving. We are satisfied with their output.

    “When the governor announced the plan to disburse the money, we  moved in to ensure it was not diverted or wasted. We made sure that it was managed by the heads of the agric departments. Today it is a success, it will boost food production.”

  • Okorocha to Nzeribe: you can’t determine who governs Imo

    Okorocha to Nzeribe: you can’t determine who governs Imo

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha told Senator Arthur Nzeribe yesterday that no individual can determine who governs the state .

    Nzeribe reportedly vowed to resist the re-election of Okorocha, saying a new governor would be sworn in next year.

    But the governor, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said it was unexpected of an experienced politician like Nzeribe to vow that he would resist his re-election, knowing that in democracy, the electorate decide who governs them.

    The statement said: “When we read the report, we delayed responding to it to see whether Senator Nzeribe would deny it, because we never expected it from him, being an experienced politician.

    “The truth is that Nzeribe has never supported a winning governorship candidate in Imo.

    “In 1999, he was in the All Peoples Party (APP). His candidate, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu, failed. Chief Achike Udenwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won. Before Udenwa, he supported the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP’s) candidate, Dr. Alex Obi, and he also failed. Chief Evan Enwerem of the National Republican Convention (NRC) won and he became the governor.

  • We don’t study under trees, say Imo pupils

    Some secondary school pupils in Imo State have debunked reports that they study under the tree because their schools lack furniture.

    The pupils, who attend Comprehensive Secondary School in Atta Njaba in Njaba Local Government Area of the state, said in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to deputy governor, Mr Uche Onwuchekwa, that the report, published by an online blog 247ureports blog, was false.

    Speaking when the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, visited the school, its senior prefect, Master Samuel Okoro traced the report to the visit of an unnamed politician last year, who gathered the pupils for a group photograph under a tree.

    In his remark, Madumere, who described the news as disheartening said the state government, under Owelle Rochas Okorocha, had constructed a new building for the school to replace the dilapidated one he met at the start of his tenure.  “It may interest one to know that before the inception of this administration, one of these school buildings got dilapidated and on assumption of office of this government an eight-classroom block was erected to replace the dilapidated one.  As such the students were all well accommodated in the new blocks.  It is most disheartening and beats one’s imagination how some disgruntled Imo citizens could concoct lies aimed at deceiving innocent students and citizens of Imo state,” he said.

    The deputy governor reiterated the government’s resolve to give Imo people the best in education. He further said no amount of blackmail or falsehood can make the governor lose focus.

    Madumere was accompanied by the Commissioner for Education (Secondary) Dr Uche Ejiogu and the Njaba Local Government Chairman.

     

  • Why I want to govern Imo, by Araraume

    Why I want to govern Imo, by Araraume

    Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has said that he joined the governorship race in Imo State to serve the people with his wealth of experience. He called for unity in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that it is critical to victory at the poll.

    The politician recalled that he left the party in 2007 because of the injustice, adding that the party has learned from the past.

    Araraume addreessed party supporters at Afor-Oru, Ahiazu Mbaise, during his tour of the constituencies across the 27 local governments. He said that, despite his victory  at the primaries and the ruling of the Supreme Court that he was the candidate in 2007, the PDP sabotaged frustrated his bid for the seat.

    The aspirant said that President Goodluck Jonathan has the stakeholders that there would be a level playing field at the primaries.

    He said:“President Jonathan is a democrat who will never allow anybody to be denied a ticket, if the person wins primaries”.

    He lamented that he was humiliated out of the party after expending time, energy and resources to build its structures.

    Araraume said that he had forgiven those who wronged him, assuring that he has now joined hands with other leaders to rebuild the party and position it for great exploits.

    He appealed to the people to support President Jonathan in his efforts to transform the country. He also appealed to his supporters across the 305 wards to work for the success of the party in 2015.

    Speaking at the event, a former Federal Commissioner, Chief Joseph Ndu described Araraume as the major pillar of the PDP, who cannot be  be ignored by stakeholders. He said the senator will add value to the chapter during the elections.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the PDP in Ahiazu Mbaise, Chief Mike Uzodinma, described Araraume as a major gift to the PDP. He advised the party leaders to promote equity, justice and fairplay at all times.

  • Imo police crack down on ‘cultists’

    The Imo State Police Command have continued their clampdown on cultists and other criminal elements across the state with the recent arrest of 23 suspected cultists, who were rounded up during a nocturnal ceremony of various cult groups to initiate new members in a forest beside the dreaded “Okatangwu” River in Emii autonomous community, Owerri North Council Area of the state.

    The state in recent times has become the hotbed of cultist activities in the Southeast and South-South zone. This may not be unconnected to the number of Tertiary institutions within the state. For instance, Owerri, the state capital has about five higher institutions namely; the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Imo State University (IMSU), Federal Polytechnic Nekede and Imo State Polytechnic among others.

    Few weeks before the raid, over 18 people were hacked to death in broad daylight during a cult war. The rampaging cultists, who were heavily armed according to eye witness account, trailed the victims to different parts of the city where they were gunned down and decapitated with battle axe.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, thereafter declared a full scale war against cultism and all related criminal activities, with a clear order to shoot on sight against suspected cultists.

    Barely one month after the declaration, had the Police recorded a major breakthrough in with the successful raid of an initiation ceremony where large numbers of suspected cultists were arrested and various items recovered from them.

    The suspects aged between 19 to 32, were arrested after the Police stormed their hideout in the middle of the night following a tipoff.

    Parading the suspects who also confessed to be responsible for series of violent crimes, including armed robbery and kidnapping across the state, the Commissioner of Police, said they were arrested while carrying out initiation into the “Aye” fraternity.

    He said that the suspected cultists were arrested by the Operation of the Command’s Department of Criminal Investigation, who ambushed them in the middle of the initiation ceremony.

    The Commissioner of Police stated further that, items recovered from the cultists include three masquerade heads, one musical drum, 2 iron gongs, 2 local belts, charms, packets of candle and other initiation materials, adding that most of the suspects are students of institutions of higher learning from different states of the federation.

    He appealed to members of the public to always provide his men with useful information to fight criminals in the state, assuring that his Command would not relent in its efforts to rid the state of all criminal elements.

    The names of the suspects were given as Eto Uche, 26, Chinedu Azu, 26, Felix Ikenna 30, Uchenna Dike, 26, Chimaobi Uzoanya, 25, Udoyibo Innocent, 24, Omesurum Innocent, 24 and Nwadigo Henry 24.

    Others are Umunne Daniel, 26, Nwabuko Chigozie 22 and Igweoku Frank among others.

  • Succour for the needy in Imo

    Succour for the needy in Imo

    Reprieve came the way of indigent widows of police officers who lost their lives in active service and other less-privileged people in Imo State when the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), gave out items worth millions of naira to them.

    The gifts were household items like electricity generating sets, clothes and other materials, a gesture which aimed at improving the well-being of the widows.

    The widows, 14 of them, received one generator and bundles of wrapper each.

    Speaking at the event which held at the Police Officers’ Mess,  the Chairperson of the Imo State chapter of POWA, Hajia Idiat Ali, who was represented by Dr. Fatima Kura, said POWA is committed to improving the welfare of indigent women and other vulnerable people in the society through its various welfare strategies and packages.

    She said: “But for paucity of fund, POWA has the passion to touch more lives through its empowerment programme.”

    According to her, the beneficiaries were randomly selected from all the zones across the state with emphasis on the families of dead police officers.

    Responding, the Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, represented by Rotimi  Adelesi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), commended the association for remembering the indigent widows and other vulnerable members of the society.

    He said such gesture will go a long way in reducing their suffering and give them a sense of belonging.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Bridget Mgbemena, expressed their gratitude to the association for alleviating the plight of the widows and other indigent people, adding that the singular act of care has consoled them that they were still part of the police family.

    She said: “Since I lost my husband five years ago, I felt I have been forgotten but today, I feel once more like the wife of a police officer. The gesture will certainly go a long way in keeping us together as one happy family.”

    She, however, appealed to the Federal Government and the Police Service Commission to assist POWA in its responsibility of caring for the less-privileged people, adding that if properly funded, the association, which she said she was proud to belong, will adequately address the challenges of poverty and illiteracy confronting the people, especially within the Nigeria Police Force.

    Another beneficiary, Mrs. Vero Okorie, who broke down in tears as she recounted how her husband was shot down by armed robbers two years ago, thanked POWA for the intervention, stating that she is convinced that her husband’s death was not in vain.

    “I am glad to know that we are still remembered two years after my husband was killed. I thank the leadership of POWA for what they have done. It is not all about the items but the care they have shown us. We are all grateful.”

    The beneficiaries were Mrs. Ngozi  Omenazu, Deborah Emmanuel, Comfort Ojobe, Uzoma Bridget, Mary Otu, Ngozi Malaky, Eze Blessing, La Kemi and Ngozi Onurah.

    Others were Mgbemena Bridget, Blessing Augustine, Vero Okorie and Ngozi Ejimofor.

  • NDLEA arrests 187 drug trafficking suspects in Imo

    NDLEA arrests 187 drug trafficking suspects in Imo

    The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said its officers arrested 187 suspected drug traffickers in Imo State between June 2013 and June 2014.

    The Imo State Acting Commander of the Agency, Assiana Nimbang, who disclosed this to Newsmen in Owerri, the state capital, during a press briefing to mark this year’s United Nation’s Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, said that 170 males and 17 females were arrested within the time under review.

    She also revealed that the Command made a seizure of 54gms of cocaine, 226gms of heroin and 868.4kg of Indian Hemp, while 17 convictions were secured at the Federal High Court and another 112 Drug dependent persons were rehabilitated to handed over to their families.

    The NDLEA boss further expressed worry over the involvement of pregnant women and nursing mothers in the illicit, adding that, “it is really worrisome that the men now use pregnant women and nursing mothers to sell hard drugs in Owerri and it is difficult to arrest and detain a nursing mother or pregnant woman”.

    She also lamented the poor level of cooperation from the public, stressing that the war against drug trafficking should not be left for the Agency alone but should be a collective responsibility of everyone.

    In her words, “we are worried that people don’t come forward with credible information that can help us fight drug abuse. It is everybody’s responsibility and we should all be involved. The people should come up with information to help the NDLEA because the attitude presently is not encouraging”.

  • Imo monarchs battle over council chair

    Imo monarchs battle over council chair

    Scramble for political appointments is no longer restricted to politicians. Traditional rulers have joined the fight for juicy appointments. The case in Imo State amply proves this.

    Two royal fathers are locked in a fierce legal battle over the Chairmanship of the Imo State Traditional Rulers’ Council, a situation that has polarized and demystified the revered traditional institution in the state.

    The Contenders, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, the Obi of Obinugu and Eze Agunwa Ohiri the Obi of Orodo have continued to lay claim to the exalted office.

    Trouble started between the two powerful traditional rulers when the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha sacked Eze Ilomuanya, as  the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers’ Council and appointed Eze Ohiri as the Chairman of the Council in 2011.

    It was gathered that the Governor truncated the tenure of Eze Ilomuanaya because he was a staunch supporter of his predecessor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and was alleged to have done everything possible to frustrate the Governor’s ambition.

    Although several courts, including the State High Court and the Court of Appeal, had reinstated the sacked monarch, the state government refused to obey the Court judgments.

    The crisis however took a more serious dimension when the embattled Eze Ilomuanya secured the approval of the Court to execute the Appeal Court judgment that had reinstated him as the legitimate Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers until the expiration of his tenure.

    Based on the order, armed policemen ejected the incumbent Chairman of the Council, also known as ‘Eze Imo’, Eze Agunwa Ohiri from the Council’s secretariat and reinstated Ilomuanya in line with the Court judgment.

    The reinstated monarch immediately resumed office amidst tight security, while Ohiri and members of his staff relocated to another government facility from where he continued to run a parallel Council.

    Addressing Newsmen shortly after he resumed office with the few traditional rulers who were loyal to him,  Ilomuanya, said that his removal from office in the first place by the Governor was illegal and contravened the constitution of the Traditional Rulers’ Council, adding that his victory in the Court will restore the dignity of the traditional institution in the state.

    he said that, “in June 2011 shortly after the governor  assumed office, he asked me to convene a meeting of the traditional rulers as the chairman, which I did successfully but that same evening I was shocked to hear the Governor announce the dissolution of the Council.

    “The following morning I met him and appealed to him to rescind his action that if he didn’t want to walk with me, he should have asked me to resign but he did not heed my advice. It was then that I showed him our constitution, which clearly stipulates that the Chairman of the Council can only vacate office in the event of death or resignation”.

    He stated further that, “I am happy that justice has prevailed at last. What I did was to protect the traditional institution, we deserve some honour and respect as traditional rulers. But then I hold nothing against the Governor, I have forgiven him and I am willing to work with him”.

    However in a counter move that has drawn widespread criticism, the state government quickly withdrew Eze Ilomuanya’s Staff of Office and Certificate of recognition.

    In a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Anthony Anwuka, Ilomuanya who is also the Chairman of Southeast Traditional Rulers’ Council, ceases to be recognized as the traditional ruler of Obinugwu community.

    “In accordance with sections 11 and 14 of the Imo State Traditional Rulers Autonomous Communities Law No 6 of 2006, His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has approved the withdrawal of the Certificates of Recognition and Staff of Office of Eze Cletus Ikechukwu Ilomuanya, the Traditional Ruler of Obinugu autonomouys community in Orlu Local Government Area of the State”, the letter read in part.

    But the state government had since debunked the insinuation that the dethronement of the embattled traditional ruler was connected to his reinstatement by the Court.

    Governor Okorocha explained that the dethronement of Eze Cletus Ilomuanya  and Eze Cosmas Onyeneke was in line with the resolution of the State House of Assembly which recommended that they should be removed as traditional rulers.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the action was not personal matter but a discharge of his constitutional obligations under the Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities and Allied Matters in Imo State Law No. 6 of 2006.

    He stated further that, “following series of serious petitions to the state House of Assembly against the traditional rulers by the indigenes of the affected communities, the state Assembly constituted a-five man committee which investigated the petitions and indicted the traditional rulers.

    “As a responsible government, we appreciate the fact that the two people involved are indigenes of the state. So we won’t go the whole hog to discuss the findings of the committee. But at the end of the investigations, the committee passed  resolutions 376 and 377 that the governor should without delay, remove the duo as traditional rulers”.

    According to the governor’s aide, “ but the government kept the resolutions of the Assembly in abeyance and did not dethrone the monarchs as recommended but before then Ilomuanya had stopped attending state functions in breach of section 14 of the Imo State Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities Law and had since three years ago relocated to Abuja where he functioned more as a politician.

    “It is also important to state categorically too that by the virtue of the removal of Ilomuanya as both the traditional ruler and state Council of Traditional Rulers, he can no longer parade himself as such because to do so tantamount to impersonation”.

    Meanwhile the embattled traditional rulers had defied the order of the state government, insisting that they remain monarchs of their respective communities.

    In a press statement signed by Eze Ilomuanya, who is also the Chairman South East Council of Traditional Rulers, the announcement  by  the Imo state Government purporting to have withdrawn his certificate of recognition as the Monarch of Obinugwu as ridiculous and laughable.

    The statement read, “barely few hours after my resumption of duties,the Secretary to the Imo state Government, Mr Anthony Anwukah, issued a contemptuous press release purportedly conveying Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Withdrawal of my Certificate of Recognition as a traditional ruler without any reason at all. My offence was that I obeyed court judgements and orders in a state where disobedience to court orders is glorified.

  • ‘Why I want to govern Imo’

    ‘Why I want to govern Imo’

    Like former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, he is simply Mr Okey Ezeh. And like Obi, he is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the vehicle with which he wants to drive into the Government House, Owerri, Imo State. Ezeh, the Chief Executive of a Lagos-based firm and Okechukwu Theodore Ezeh Foundation, speaks on his quest to govern Imo, philanthropy, among other issues, in this interview with OLUKOREDE YISHAU. Excerpts: 

    Why are you in politics?

    It is something that came about because of the little experiment we had done, in what we call “tokenism”.  When I left University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1991, I happened to be a product of the graduate recruitment system, which was in place at that point in time and it used to be that if you can make 1st class or a 2.1, you can go to the Guidance and Counseling department and companies such as Citi Bank, Lever Brothers, UAC and the rest would employ you…  If you look at a state like Imo, for instance, it is just a typical state in Nigeria and it is like a microcosm of the whole country if you talk about unemployment trap  . Now you see tens of thousands of young people working the streets daily, with no future, no hope, no means of sustenance and at the end of the day, you are telling them that they are the leaders of tomorrow and they begin to wonder what kind of slogan that is and some of them have formal education, degrees, diplomas and they are all roaming all over the place.

    So, my mission is simple, we think things can be done differently, we think the time has come for a thorough breed professional who has  record of personal achievements, professional pedigree, who has antecedence you can quantify to lay claims to the reign of government. If you look around the world , young people are in charge. We don’t have to go far; if you look at all the states that have made progress in Nigeria under the current dispensation, they are led by young people with professional pedigree. These are people who are conversant with global best practices in governance.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha is known to be spending his first term in the office. He has not declared that he will seek second term but there are possibilities he would. What are the things he is doing now that you will do differently?

    Let me start by saying that the issue should not even be whether Rochas Okorocha should be talking about a second term. And why do I say this? It is because it is high time we started taking people by their words in Nigeria. Politics shouldn’t just be about experience.  All over the world in countries that are serious, leaders should be accountable for what they say and do. When Rochas came into government or before he came into office, one of the first things he said was that he was stooping to become the governor of Imo State.  As a matter of fact, he said he ought to be the president of Nigeria, that he came second to the late Yar’Adua during the primaries and that he already thought he was above that level. He said he was on a rescue mission.  We all know what a rescue mission is, we know the most famous rescue mission in the world. We know where it was done and it wasn’t in Europe after the World War II. Rescue missions are supposed to be short-lived. In Uganda, it lasted 90 minutes. In Imo, it is three years and counting.  So, he shouldn’t be talking about a rescue mission and be talking about a second term. Moreover, we have not seen the Marshal Plan that he has. We just hear about the rescue mission like a slogan. So, the question shouldn’t be if Rochas should run for second term. He has a bond with the people, he wasn’t under any inducement to make that commitment but he looked the people in the face and said ‘I don’t want to be your governor but if things are in such a sorry situation I can just come in and rescue’. So, four years for a rescue is good enough; so, anything longer than that is no longer a rescue but an occupation mission.

    So, what is your Marshal Plan for Imo?

    If you look at the demography of Imo, you would find that it’s an agrarian state. Nigeria is an agrarian country. Anybody that says he has the magic wand for development and does not include agriculture is just dreaming. If we were to get power in Imo State by the grace of God come May 29, we would go back to our agrarian roots. We have lots of young people who are looking for jobs; we are going to bring back the farm settlements in Imo State like in the east during the Michael Okpara days. Agro-based industrialisation, that is our plan for Imo State. Imo has a young ,vibrant and educated workforce. All we need to do is to harness this workforce and polish it and channel them to that sector. We will provide opportunities for young people. The thing that most people neglect is that it is not rocket science to come about development. Even if you do have some revolutionary ideas, you can actually get you results by doing the basic things. I can tell that if you have accountable people, people who have conscience , such people if you give them governance, we can actually make progress. They may not be rocket scientists, because vast majority of our resources are not used to serve the people. They are used for white elephant projects.  Let’s cut out the politics, let’ go down to the art of business like empowering people and also having the resources work for the people using the best talents to re-engineer  things. If we start with those basics, we would have gotten to 50  per cent of our destination.

    Don’t you think you are talking like this because you are not there?

    As a matter of fact, you cannot plant an apple and harvest lemon. The problem with people not delivering on promises is that we have not gotten to the level where we hold our political actors to a very high standard. Remember I talked about credibility when we started; if somebody makes a pronouncement, that person should be held accountable. If people are electing leaders, or considering some people in sensitive offices, we must look at their pedigree, where they have been. How have they fared with their private life, for instance? That is why we are looking for self-made men, people who have succeeded in their private lives as well as other spheres, who have had some level of accomplishment. They are not political jobbers. They are not people who are propelled by political godfathers; they are men of conviction with principles. If imo people understand that there is a young man who fits into this field and he is coming to ask them to give him the opportunity to serve them, to reposition the state, I am sure they will be in a good position to say that scenario is not going to happen.

    Have you taken time to know what the state needs?

    It is a systematic thin. For instance, if you go to the Ministry of Finance in Owerri tomorrow and say to them that you would like see the allocation, I think there is a Public Information Act but I think that is more or less on the pages of newspapers. We run an opaque system. Most people who mean to do well, who are aspiring to be effective, will just tell themselves that they have to reinvent the state from an economic view point. This is the assumption that we are making, and we are assuming Imo is broke. And we need to build up the revenue base from the scratch, which is why we are saying if we come in, these are the areas we will look into. We are not just looking at allocations. We are looking at how can we bake the cake, not share it?

    What’s your view on the government taking funds from the capital market?

    Government taking funds from the capital market is not a bad thing because we know that all those capital market instruments are used for long-term development. But long term development, the implementation is always the problem. How viable are these projects?  For instance, in Imo, somebody has decided that we are going to have 27 general hospitals, one general hospital in each local government, but then you look around and say before this time how many general hospitals existed and what is the state of these hospitals? Are they centers of excellence? If you make them referral centers or there are certain centres of excellence,  then you decide that given the growth in population that we are projecting in another  10 years, the population will have grown to a certain figure and we will need to have feeder outlets to cater for more people; then you can say this is for Phase 2,  this can support this, but you have hospitals that are mere consulting clinics, nothing to speak of apart from the designation that they are hospitals and now you are beginning to expend scarce resources on constructing 27 hospitals.