By hector obinna
To clear the air and clarify Imo citizens on the various allegations and accusations bordering on Billions of Naira as loans borrowed by the Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State, Chief Jerry Chukwueke has challenged the Governor to make public the Financial Statement of Imo State since he assumed office in 2011.
Speaking to Newsmen in his home at Awaka in Owerri North LGA, Imo State, Chukwueke expressed fear that in Imo State is in a serious financial quagmire that portends danger if nothing is done to recover the state from its present economic woes.
Chukwueke said that it was a common thing for other states to publish their financial state every month in the Newspapers, and wondered why Imo State does not emulate other states in this direction.
He said Okorocha has plunged Imo State into a difficult situation that whoever takes over from him as Governor of Imo State will be in trouble, as nothing would be left for the state when Okorocha leaves office, including huge unpaid bills and loans.
He accused the Governor of mortgaging the life of Imo citizens with the stupendous loans his administration had obtained from Banks to the extent that the Central Bank of Nigeria had to cry out and urge Financial Institutions to desist from giving loans to Imo State as it cannot be able to pay back such loans.
Chukwueke alleged that Okorocha borrowed N22B in the year 2011, another N61B in 2012, and budgeted a proposed N82B loan in the 2013 Budget, and is worried how much of that fund the Governor had already accessed yet.
The Chairman of the Imo PDP Contact and Mobilization Committee is saying that Okorocha went for these humongous loans despite the N130B that comes into the State Coffers yearly from the Federation account, pointing out that this does not include such funds as Econological, internally generated, and other sundry funds.
Chukwueke lamented that under this financial bazaar, the Okorocha administration has not yet attracted any investment or business to the state, instead the unemployment percentage of the state is on the rise.
He said Okorocha prides its administration as having built twenty seven hospitals, when in real fact except for two that have been roofed, others are still at block level.
“For three years now, no health care in Imo State as the people are waiting for the completion of Okorocha’s 27 General Hospitals after he sold the old ones he met” Chukwueke said.
The Awaka born Business Mogul hinted that the Okorocha’s administration lacks vision and focus, which he maintained was the reason the regime embarked on construction of three Five Star Hotels at the same time and asked where such frivolous hotels will get patrons. “How many five star hotels are there in the entire Southeast zone?” Chukwueke asked.
He described the Okorocha Free-education policy as a sham and full of ambiguities, pointing out that before Okorocha became Governor, Nigeria was operating a Universal Basic Education policy, “so he is not giving anybody any basic education” the PDP chieftain disclosed.
Chukwueke accused Okorocha of converting the monthly subvention that goes to the Imo State University IMSU from the Government to free education fund which he now shares to the students after reducing the 100% admission quota of Imo State to 30%.
“Is it true that Imo State University is ranked 110 among 114 Universities in Nigeria? Is it true that IMSU has lost 12 programes including Medicine and Law, since Okorocha began his free education? These are questions I want Okorocha to answer” Chukwueke said.
