ON THE THRESHOLD OF A GREAT FUTURE An Address by His Excellency, Dr. Ikedi Oahkim, on the occasion of the; Public Presentation of Imo State; LEGACIES THAT SPEAK (A Scorecard of Ohakim’s Administration 2007 – 2011) PROTOCOLS I must start by thanking the entire citizens of Imo state, without exception, for your tremendous and overwhelming support throughout that politically eventful period both in Imo State and in the entire nation. 2007 - 2011 was a period in which the global economic meltdown and militancy in Niger Delta tasked our resilience as a nation. It was also a period that marked a turnaround for our nation as the militants began their rehabilitation programme to usher in peace in the Niger Delta region. For us in Imo State, that period was mainly a period to thank God for all His mercies as the State was able to withstand all the political distractions, including two assassination attempts at my life and 29 court cases. Notwithstanding, we recorded many successes on the political front in spite of all odds. On 7 August 2011, we conducted what has remained the most credible Local Government election. This feat must be appreciated against the background that for 10 years before then no LGA election had taken place in Imo state. Surprisingly, since then, no other Local Government election has taken place inspite of promises by Governor Okorocha. On 15 October, 2010, we hosted President Jonathan to a 2-day working visit to Imo State. This was the fourth Presidential visit our administration hosted. On 1st November, 2010, we conducted, the most peaceful state PDP congress. It is worthy also to note that our great party had not conducted any Congress in 10 years due to political wrangling between ‘onongono’ and ‘Abuja’. This congress was one of those ordered by INEC. The representative of INEC who monitored the congress described it was a model congress. As you will recall, between 2008/2010, the global economic meltdown had an adverse effect on our economy. The demand of our crude oil, our main source of foreign exchange receipts, fell. The price of crude in the international market also fell as low as US$38 per barrel. To make our matter worse, Nigeria was not even meeting its OPEC production quota of 1.4 million barrels per day due to violent militancy in the Niger Delta. Nigeria’s production fell to as low as 700,000 barrels a day. This meant that states were receiving less money from the Federal allocation. This fact is very imperative. Upon assumption of office in 2007, we met on ground the following: 1) A state capital with serious environmental challenges. 2) Absence of key urban physical infrastructures, many roads requiring maintenance, coupled with dysfunctional water schemes. 3) A demoralized and aging civil service with average age of 50 years. 4) Over 70% of unemployment of our employable graduates. 5) A chaotic transport system in our capital territory dominated by ‘inaga’. 6) Over 127 Autonomous Communities at war with themselves. This scared away the youth from coming home, stalled community development, made elders to lose control over the young ones and therefore gave room to criminality and un-development, etc. 7) Battle of political class divided into ‘onongono’ and ‘Abuja’. 8) Very low revenue base. AGENDA SETTING Sequel to this scenario, a 164-member committee from all walks of life and different parts of Imo State and beyond were assembled under the Chairmanship of the Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa JSC to critically evaluate the situation with a view to proffering solutions to chat the way forward. The “164 Wise Men” came up with solutions document called “Imo Strategic Pathway” from which the 14-point agenda of my administration emerged. At a plenary of Imo stakeholders, the 14-Point Agenda were adopted by the Imo state citizens for a ten-year development plan and consequently, my administration adopted it as our barometer. If and where my administration is benchmarked, it must be on this demand-driven and bottom-up agenda set by the Imo people themselves. This document is in the public domain. Our idea of Imo state and development was also embedded in this same document called the Strategic Pathway. Every Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of Government was assigned with one thematic area or the other where the vision, the mission, the policy thrusts, the targets, the strategies and the resources required for the implementation were handed over to them. Thus, in every office in the state, one would see boldly written, the policy thrust of each ministry, department and agency and the assignments required of them. Further, the Imo State Elders Forum was constituted in the wake of the administration. The essence was to harness from our elders from all the LGAs and communities in Imo state ideas and contributions towards sustainable development. Invariably, we pursued the programme of the people. By the first 100 days in office, the implementation was already on a test-run, where model school blocks were constructed in every Local Government Area; transformers hitherto lying fallow were energized and broken down water schemes were rehabilitated. At the end of my 4 years in office, this coffee table pictorial book titled the ‘The Legacies that Speak’ is a scorecard compiled by Team Ohakim to put an end to the lie that destroyed a state that was being carefully and methodically piloted to growth and development. In June 2009, we crossed the hurdle for the N40b Bond issuance from which the state has drew down N18.5b in 2010 to tackle deficiency in critically needed road and water infrastructure and to invest in the Imo Wonderlake Resort and Conference Centre project. It is worthy to note that as at April 2011, Imo state has serviced her obligation to investors for the first tranche of the bond to the tune of N10.1b (Principal + Interest). In collaboration with Imo State Investment Promotion Agency (ISIPA), the Ministry of Finance developed a financing strategy for the N187.3b required to fund the 2010 – 2015 Development Plan that cuts across various sectors such as roads, education, tourism and hospitality, water supply, housing, agriculture, commerce and industry and aviation. INTEGRATED PALM PRODUCE The state established a 9-hectare oil palm multiplication and nursery centre at Nekede, which raised over 1,000,000 transplantable oil palm seedlings. FISHERY INDUSTRY My government created enabling environment to encourage the private sector investment. • Over 500 fish ponds and 20m hatcheries operate in the state. • Local production of fish grew rapidly . N2 BILLION IMO FARMERS LOAN SCHEME In the efforts of the Imo State Government to make Micro-credit available to Imo farmers for increased food production in the state and ensure food security, we secured N2b Agric Loan for disbursement to farmers and farmer-groups at a single digit interest rate of 7% and maximum tenure of four (4) years as against bank interest rate of between 20% to 26% and about just one year. The farmers in Imo state has never received such loan from any administration in the state for the past twenty (20) years. AGRONOVA Committed to developing large-scale commercial farming in Imo State, the Imo State Government partnered with commercial farmers from South Africa under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to launch Agro Nova, Imo State. The project established over 500 fish ponds in various places in the 27 LGAs amongst which include a fish farm at Umuna Okigwe, a fish pond at Obowo, Ngor-Okpala and Oguta amongst others. The project has hit the market with its produce within just one year of operation. COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY Other major projects, which were at different stages of completion that was sure to transform the industrial landscape of Imo include: • The facilitation of establishment of one new industry in each of the 27 LGAs of the state under ‘Project 27’ – a project jointly developed by Imo State Investment Promotion Agency, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. The project was on track to deliver up to N4b in private sector led small and medium scale investments across our 27 LGAs. • The development and construction of the Central Market/Motor Park, New Owerri • The development of the Trade Fair Complex in New Owerri. • The re-negotiation of the Imo Trade Zone, Ngor-Okpala. • The development of the Imo International Market, Orlu (Phases 1 & 2) • The development of the International Market, Okigwe. • The establishment of 3 Enterprise Zones in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe. • The development and construction of the Timber Market/Enterprise Centre, Naze. • The development of the Technology Incubation Centre, Naze. • The development of the Onitsha Road Industrial Layout. IMO STATE INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY (ISIPA) Attracting, retaining and growing investments in the state economy are key developmental objectives of the administration. For this reason, the Imo State Investment Promotion Agency (ISIPA) was constituted and empowered by law to perform a number of important functions, including serving the needs of investors, advocating business-friendly policies, and cultivating and projecting a favourable image of the state as a destination of choice for investment. Since inception in 2010, ISIPA worked on attracting investments worth over N7b (from investors in agriculture and allied, oil and gas, construction, hospitality and diversified manufacturing) and rendered advice that saved the IMSG over N1.6b in certain projects and programmes. In addition, the Agency had executed several projects and programmes including: 1) Coordinating the first ever Imo Investment Summit in 2010. 2) Establishing a World-class office with the best IT infrastructure and robust online presence. 3) Conducting five (5) investment forums with SMEs, Cooperatives, NACCIMA and Industrialists. 4) Facilitating three (3) SME development workshops zonally for all 27 LGA Chairmen. 5) Identifying partner banks for our investment facilitation projects (Project 27 and Project Enterprise). 6) Registering over 100 small-scale industries and providing them with free investment and business incubation advice. 7) Providing Incubation support to Imo Wonderlake Development Company. 8) Coordinating the Induction Training for 10,000 job New Recruits as its contribution to boosting labour and productivity, which are key enablers of favourable investment climate. WORKS AND TRANSPORT The integrative development programme of my administration informed the Ministry of Works to commence massive construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges in Imo state to boost infrastructure development. To quicken rapid development, the Imo Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA) was established to ensure that rural roads in all the 27 LGAs are maintained. Over 300 kilometres of asphalt roads were completed while 232 kilometres more were under construction. In addition, hundreds of kilometers of rural roads have been paved by the Ministry and IROMA. The aim is to make Imo State a one-city state. Some of the roads that have been completed include: 1) Afor Umuaka – Amazano – Nkulu road 2) Anara – Eziama – Abba road 3) Dikenafai – Isiekenesi – Umuogo – Umuobom – Osina road 4) Nkume – Amucha – Eziama – Obire road 5) Umuneke – Umueme – Umundoche – Obile Ndashi road 6) Mbieri T-Junction/Orji/Uratta/Naze Ring road 7) Shoes Industry – Umuodu – Mbieri – Egbeada road, etc. We met Imo State with a total of 2,389 public schools, out of which 805 are Early Child Care, 1,271 are primary schools and 313 secondary schools. We constructed additional 35 model classroom blocks and rehabilitated over 1,500 primary and secondary schools in the 304 political wards in the state. Of the 313 secondary schools, my administration returned 44 secondary schools to the Mission to promote discipline, high morals and greater commitment to excellence. In addition to these, we have offered 2,600 scholarships to deserving citizens of the state and offered bursary to each student of Imo in Law schools. We also recruited 5,000 new teachers under the 10,000 Job Scheme and designed capacity building programmes for teachers and other staff. HEALTH As a pivotal component of the 14-point agenda, the health sector received a major boost during the Ikedi Ohakim administration. Under the Imo Health System Development Programme, over 133 health projects were implemented as follows: • 45 Primary Health Care Centres across all the 27 LGAs were rehabilitated/constructed. These facilities included new maternity buildings, nurses’ quarters, fencing and other renovation works. • 15 boreholes and overhead tanks • 17 Emergency Obstetrics Care Centre (EOCs) • 22 different programmes for provision of 27 Generators, 27 Ambulances and 27 Hiace Buses for each LGA, provision of 4 Hospital Emergency ambulance for the Emergency Obstetrics Centres and provision of basic medical equipment for maternal care for the 45 primary health centres; and • 34 different workshop and training programmes to build capacity in the sector. For the tremendous results of the anti-malaria, general immunization and excellent child-care services, the state received award as best in Nigeria for malaria intervention and best in Immunization and Child-care in 2009 and 2010. Also the administration implemented 6 foreign free medical missions that covered 32,000 patients, of which 2,800 involved surgical operations. In addition, free eye treatments were given to over 2,700 patients and 810 pairs of glasses were distributed in 2010 alone. The partnership with the Tulsi-Chanrai Foundation which was initiated in the past administration was sustained and 8,500 free eye surgeries were conducted. The administration developed a pilot free medical maternity and child health programme in Imo State which catered for over 8,000 mothers before the expiration of our administration. Another remarkable achievement of the administration was the accreditation of medical school of Imo State University Teaching Hospital by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. The administration oversaw the graduation and employment of the first batch of doctors from Imo State University Medical School. To ensure the continual growth of the health sector and improvement in service delivery, the administration articulated a 6-year (2010 – 2015) Strategic Health Development Plan as a roadmap for the delivery of state’s health MDG. The plan suggests that over N26.4b will need to be invested in the sector over the next five years in the key priority areas of: Health Service Delivery; National Health Information System; Human Resources for Health; Community Participation and Ownership; Partnership for Health; Research for Health; Human Resources for Health; and Leadership and Governance for Health. It is instructive to note that all 36 state governments together with the Presidency endorsed the implementation of Strategic Health Development Plan as they serve as reference documents for all development partners assisting state governments in health care delivery. PETROLEUM AND ENVIRONMENT In pursuit of the objectives of my administration’s Clean and Green Initiative, the Imo State Environmental Transformation Committee (ENTRACO) was launched. The Clean and Green Initiative is one of the key programmes of my administration. ENTRACO was launched on strong belief that a clean environment is fundamental to human development. We have purchased disposal trucks, disposal bins and bags to aid a clean and green environment. We also have cultivated grasses, trees and shrubs along major streets in the state capital to enhance the aesthetic nature of the state. The people of Imo have now re-imbibed the culture of hygiene and cleanliness for which they were hitherto known. The result led to Owerri been awarded as the Cleanest City in Nigeria in 2008, 2009 and 2010. To further achieve full vertical integration of the Clean and Green Initiative, IMSG, through the Ministry of Environment entered a binding MOU with ENVIROSERV WASTE MANAGEMENT LTD to deliver the following areas of waste services: 1) Management of solid waste including design and implementation of solid waste collection system. 2) Management of hazardous and chemical waste with particular emphasis on petrol industry. 3) Medical waste incineration. 4) Unblocking of storm drain system. 5) Implementation of landfill sites management, rehabilitation of existing landfill sites and planning of the installation of future landfill facilities. 6) Recycling of waste and manufacturing by products such as compost, etc. IMO REFINERY AND PETROCHEMICAL PROJECT The Imo Refinery and Petrochemical project was initiated in June 2009 by my administration to replace the earlier Imo Royal Oak Refinery which could no longer proceed due to the withdrawal of the foreign technical partners resulting from the global economic meltdown of 2008 and the lingering security problems of the Niger Delta. The project aims at creating a regional oil and gas hub in Nigeria’s Heartland State. The state, with its huge oil and gas potentials has, over the years failed to exploit this potentially huge revenue stream. The government through this project and working in partnership with the NNPC, towards making the state take responsibility of its energy needs to fuel the state industrial economy. IMO WONDERLAKE RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTRE PROJECT Tourism development, one of the 14-point agenda of the administration, quietly but surely received great boost. Imo Wonderlake Resort and Conference Centre Project was top on the priority of the administration for realizing the state’s full tourism potentials, realizing that Owerri, the state capital had become the choice of destination for leisure and conferencing in the region. The completion of the Imo Wonderlake Resort and Conference Centre, a N40b venture that would readily confer on Imo the title of preferred destination for tourism and conferencing in Africa. The project was being executed in two phases for ease of implementation and funding. It is instructive to note that my administration in keeping with the global best practice is developing the project in a structured manner, investing considerable effort in the needed planning and conducting the required studies and surveys, as well as obtaining appropriate approvals prior to actual construction. N12.5b out of N18.5b already raised in the debt capital market was earmarked for the project. This fund cover all aspects of Phase 1, while the N27.5b needed to fund Phase 2 was planned to be raised from investors as equity. Key accomplishments include: • Renovation and upgrade of the Oguta Lake Motel. • Imo Wonderlake Development Company (IWDC), the holding company of the project fully incorporated, set up and fully functional. • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) concluded and report submitted. • Topography and Perimeter Survey completed and report submitted. • Final Master Plan and Project Model developed and submitted. • Engineering Design and BOQ 100% on track. • Civil works contracts awarded. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION: SECURITY The state took giant stride to stem the insecurity of lives and properties in the state. Operation Festival, the administration’s special task force on security which was established in 2008 by my administration designed and equipped to tackle the problem of violent crime and insecurity in the state. Operation Festival recorded remarkable success in the security of lives and properties in the state. It is on record that Imo has consistently recorded the lowest crime rate amongst its contemporaries during festival seasons. My administration acquired 205 security vehicles, motorcycles, four armoured personnel carriers and other security equipments and distributed to the Army, Police, and Civil Defence to checkmate crime in the state. Also, 27 new buses were donated by the state government to the LGA’s vigilante to halt incessant kidnapping in the state. Blind spots were identified and kept under surveillance and security in these areas beefed up. CIVIL SERVICE As part of my administration’s resolve to re-energize the civil service, we lifted the 16 year old embargo on employment. We embarked on the Jobs-4-Youth Scheme. This scheme hitherto recruited 10,000 unemployed young Imo graduates into the Imo State Civil Service to re-enforce the public service and re-inject young men and women with fresh ideas to fill the vacancies occasioned by retirement. In addition to the recruitment, we have also provided training for these new recruits through a 2-day induction programme. Civil servants were trained to become computer literate following our series of Information Technology Programmes designed for them. JUDICIARY My administration recognizes that a strong and independent judiciary is the only bastion of hope for all who seek justice. Under my administration, the Imo State Judiciary had witnessed improvements. Our courts were renovated and re-equipped; judges and other key judicial officers were facilitated with new cars, high-capacity generators, internet and other vital tools. This was also same with all the magistrates. My government also attracted and built a Court of Appeal in Owerri. Overall, the outcome was a higher turnaround, improved efficiency and a pervading sense of renewed confidence in the judiciary. LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION Given the premium my administration placed on grass-root oriented development through effective collaboration with the Local Government Councils, traditional ruler-ship and town unions, the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was upgraded to Ministry status in February 2008. The over-arching policy thrust of the ministry is to transform our rural areas through efficient and sustainable service to all the Local Government Areas in the state. CONCLUSION From now, ladies and gentlemen, let the debate commence. Let us put our differences away and face the realities staring us in the face. I speak for posterity; I speak for ‘had-I-known’; I speak for the unemployed youths; I speak for our traders and artisans; I speak for our people dying of hunger. Our people are perishing, money is not circulating. Why must there be crushing hunger and unemployment of unprecedented dimension during this era of boom? Why must there be “sack and lock” when what we require is “deploy and produce”? Over 800,000 people today have been sentenced to unemployment and poverty. Poverty headcount in Nigeria which was 65.% in 2010 has risen to 72% in Imo state and decreased to 61% nationally. Why? Let me raise the alarm that child poverty, involving children below age 18, has also emerged as a major dimension of poverty in Imo state. It depicts a situation where children do not have access to enough resources to grow healthy and strong, to get education, to live in a good and safe environment and to fulfill their potential. The poverty of children is a derived outcome from the poverty of their parents. I hereby ring the bell for the debate to commence, not attack. No one should attack any person including the Governor. Let us debate issues and policies. Today we have come to speak. We have come to answer the question “What did Ohakim achieve”? On the other hand, what did Ohakim buy from the market we sent him? In fact what actually did we send him to buy? How much did we give him to go to the market? These things he bought, was it for himself or for the people? What we achieved both tangible and intangible is hereby presented. We fought hunger, we put food on the table of our people. We did not close any institution of governance to send people to unemployment so that we can build monements. We created clean and conducive environment that made independent entrepreneurs including Indians to move into Owerri. If they were not forced out, by now each would have developed an industry that can employ 200 people. We constructed quality infrastructures. The central theme of our governance-led development framework is that good governance, the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a state’s economic and social resources for development, provides the lead in the development process. Doesnt it amount to deception of grandiose dimension for anyone to believe that the kind of vision that would take the state to the next level would be guaranteed through handout and cosmetic projects that are at best, politically tinted with populist intent such as squares, roundabouts, while people are dying of hunger? We are only postponing the doomsday. Investing in public buildings that do not have economic value and lack the capacity to create jobs for the teeming youths roaming the streets, amount to a vision-less patronage of waste. Why then are we clapping when our people are dying? The whole essence of drawing scale of preference in public expenditure is it not to ensure that the benefits in real terms, justify the cost and vice versa and this becomes even more compelling in the midst of scarce resources? A writer had this to say about us in 2010: “In spending time and resources to build institutions that drive development, Ohakim administration showed understanding that when institutions of state are strengthened, governance would be seamless and made less of a cult arrangement where the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing”. Today, has Imo people not been taken for a ride? Today, Nigeria is once more in a golden era like 1970 – 1977. The price of oil has been hovering around US$104 per barrel. The country’s GDP has doubled. Notwithstanding, we have had more restrictions of movements disrupting more economic activities in Imo than in any other era. At the last count, Imo State has had about 180 days wasted to numerous public holidays, massive call-up of public servants to Owerri for meetings, rallies and unprecedented traffic jam. Governor Okorocha by demolishing most governance institutions and also sacking staff of Concorde Hotel, ITC, LGAs, etc indirectly withdraws over N1.8b from the economy every month. As we look forward to a better Imo, let us thank God for His mercies. Let us thank Him for the gift of health, life and success. We all had challenges like everyone else but God did not allow them to overwhelm us. Let us demystify a government of “edifice complex”. Thank you.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 14:36:08 +0000
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