NEW FACE OF IMO: AN OVERVIEW. Prior to the emergence of the govt of Ikedi Ohakim, Imo suffered the worst political implosión since creation, owing to the almost fratricidal political war the gladiators engaged in. The level of fight for power was unprecedented and the political turf was turned into a theatre of the absurd sentencing the entire State to hang on a keg of gun powder waiting to explode. It was under this charged atmosphere that Ikedi Ohakim emerged as Governor of the State. A Governor elected under the political platform of PPA in a State where House of Assembly members were 99% PDP hue, was more than hanging on the precipice. By sheer political wizardry, relationship management skills, will of God, and the support of the good peeple of the State, the govt walked around the mines and still had and eye on the ball, which is delivering services to the people in line with the new face of Imo agenda. Against all odds, the govt within a short period recorded unprecedented buy-in from the people who could read beyond political gimmicks, that the journey of re-creating the economy of the State in order to make the teeming masses self reliant requires immediate sacrifices, understanding and endurance. The Ohakim govt had vision which was transformational but demanded radical approach to put into effect which for better terminology, was described as business unusual. Lofty as these ideas were, the realization of the intended would be like the proverbial Omelet and Egg. Change attracts price, it involves pulling people away from their comfort zone & making them to see sacrifice as necessary and the condition to be fulfilled for a better future (the removal of fuel subsidy is a striking example). Those people that would leave their percieved comfort zone of today, are considered casualties and major cost bearers of change and they naturally formed the first line of resistance. Futhermore, the New Face of Imo was also primed to correct the distortion and imbalances and set the State on the path of growth driven by strong prívate sector participation. Realizing this objective meant putting in place the needed superstructures that would not only support the businesses of Imo investors but also attract investments from outside the state. Govt had no option than to embark on infrastructure update, urban renewal and communicating its vision in order to enlist the support of the people many of who were enslaved by the mentality of old ways of doing things. The govt carefully avoided cosmetic projects that proximate to sheer populism and settled for ones with re-creative value and capacity to achieve the short term development projections within the resource available. The vision of Ohakims govt encapsulated in the new face of Imo agenda without sounding immodest, remains a timeless, conscious and informed development paradigm founded on the best growth assurance tenets with inbuilt capacity to recreate Imo State. Every kobo budgeted for capital projects under the visions of the new face of Imo agenda, were treated as investable funds that must créate economic value and not mere visual appeal that amounts to the inter play of the hood and monk. It amounts to deception of grandiose dimension for anyone to believe that the kind of visión that would take the state to the next level would be guaranteed through handout and cosmétic projects as we see today, that are at best, politically tinted with populist intent. We are only postponing the dooms day if we think so. Investing in public buildings that do not have economic value and lack the capacity to creat jobs for the teeming youths roaming the streets, amount to a visionless patronage of waste. The whole essence of drawing scale of preference in public expenditure is to ensure that the benefits in real terms, justify the cost and vice versa and this become even more compelling in the midst of scarce resources.. The agenda that shaped the New Face of Imo are, Clean and Green Initiative, Tourism promotion, Agro Nova, Transportation, Imo job centre, Education, Roads, Water supply, IROMA, Health, Security, Imo State Investment Promotion Agency (ISIPA), Judiciary, Civil service reforms. (I shall take two days intervals respectively, to discuss each of them). In the minds eyes, one could imagine the big picture that has been put in obeisance, a projection on suspension and yet has the capacity transform Imo State. -Picture Owerri if the flyovers and bridge projects that were ongoing and now abandoned were completed. -Imagine the multiplier effect if the waste to wealth(waste management) component of the initiative were to be in place today. - Picture Owerri if the Imo free way project with the complementary aerial roads is in place today. - Picture Imo State if the Imo Refinery and Oguta wonder lake are in place today. The economic impact, increased IGR, job opportunities, and unimaginable value chain to the life of the people and economic fortunes of Imo State. -Imagine the vibrancy in the public service of Imo state if the 10,000 youths Ohakim gave employment were allowed to stay. -Imagine Imo State with a sustainable water scheme project that eased access to portable water to rural communities. - IMAGINE IMO STATE IF IKEDI OHAKIM RETURNS AS OUR EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR. With all these in place, Imo wouldnt have been made to bleed under the antics of actors postering as the peoples messiah. The state has been driven through the path of perfidy where due process in running govt has been jetisoned, budgeting and budgeting process reduced to mere theatrics and shrouded in secrecy. Its never too late. We can definitely redirect our steps, thoughts, and believe. CHIEF DR. IKEDI OHAKIM IS THE ANSWER. LETS DO ONE MORE TENURE. LETS DO MORE.
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 22:04:46 +0000
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