This topic might not be in line with the expectations of regular readers of Harvest, especially those who have read with keen interest the Agbaso/Jpros /contract scam saga that has rocked the State in the last one month.
My deviation from such burning issue has to do with the opinion of majority of Imolites who seems to be fed up with the ding- dong dimension the scandal has taken and wants attention given to other burning issues in the State
Many readers of this page had put across a phone call to yours sincerely pleading that the Agbaso matter is not the major problem bedeviling Imo State as they yearn for improved living conditions in a State the wheels of governance is propelled by a rescuer.
The general feeling among the Imo populace is that if some monies were frittered away from the coffers of the State, it is nothing new. They contend that it is the stock in trade of appointed or elected public office holders to frit away our commonwealth. Therefore in the present circumstance, Jude Agbaso, the impeached deputy governor of Imo State was only a victim of political ewete okwe e ti okwe.(political gambling) and therefore his ordeal is not worth the hullabaloo that should subdue other serious issues that are of immense concern to the people of Imo State.
In otherwords, all the shout and noise about the N458 Million naira contract scam was all about politics. If the Agbasos had been in the good books of the political manor of the State, all this hullabaloo about who stole money or who transferred Imo peoples money to Lebanon, Dubai, or Guatemala would not have arisen in the first place.
If the political romance had not gone sour, or if the sweet party had not ended abruptly monies will still develop wings and fly away from the coffers of Imo State! In their parlance, if the pie had gone round and was tasted by those that matter, we would have been spared all this noise and ramblings from both from the accused and the accuser. In layman’s parlance, Na dem, dem!
To an extent, I agreed with a former top official of the past administration in the State who called to say that the Agbaso issue has blindfolded the media in the State from seeing the depth of suffering that is ravaging the people of Imo State. He lamented that there is hunger in the land, as our youths remain jobless, pensioners are seldom paid their pensions and biting cash squeeze continues to ravage the disillusioned Imo populace.
His view, to be candid, drew my attention to what is been done by the present administration to boost human development in the State. And when one looks at the take of these aggrieved Imolites, one is compelled to nod in acquiescence to their submissions.
While we see massive road constructions in the State coupled with provision of other basic infrastructures one can easily give a pat on the back on the Okorocha administration for a job well done so far. A school of thought even contend that half bread is better than none considering the fact that this is the only administration that has taken aggressive steps to provide public infrastructure for the benefit of the people. In otherwords, Okorocha’s administration is rated high in giving the people brand new infrastructure that will stand the test of time and further compliment the ones massively provided by late Dee Sam Mbakwe.
However, there is one area that has given cause for concern by Imolites since the inception of the present administration. And that is little or no attention to boost human capital development and enhancement. This has had a spiral effect on the informal sector of the economy of the State. The informal sector is hugely populated by the middle and low income class.
This sector of the Imo economy remains redundant and this has given rise to the murmuring of the populace who jokingly lament that roads and free education alone cannot guarantee three square meals on the table of Imolites. This is largely responsible for the complains and murmurings of majority of the Imo populace who appreciate Okorocha’s fire brand approach to provide physical infrastructure but lament in strong tones the neglect on Human development and enhancement.
Let me expatiate further. Human development and enhancement of a populace in a democracy is carried out through provision of monetary entitlements legitimately accruable to those who deserve it. It eliminates cash crunch and gives a significant boost to the informal sector of a growing economy like the one obtained in Imo State. Where this is absent, coupled with lack of industries and factories that can provide jobs, it creates room for discomfiture and discontent among the citizenry.
The rescue mission, so far might have succeeded to provide new ways and introduced business unusual in governance, but it has not done enough to enhance human development that will lift the populace out of penury and despondency.
In Imo State where a public service sector economy thrives and the private sector is redundant, the only alternative to guarantee the happiness of vast majority of the people is due attention to human capacity development plans and initiatives. This is eliminated when pensioners are seldom paid their entitlements. This is also defeated when local contractors are not paid for jobs done. This is also not feasible when local entrepreneurs are neglected in preference for foreigners.
A situation where pensioners in Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) are owed 29 months arrears are detrimental enhance human enhancement in the State. How does it intend to boost Human capacity development and reduce cash squeeze in the State when there are no jobs for youths and if it insists on sacking 10,000 Imolites from the State Civil Service without providing an alternative means of livelihood for them .
We have also heard tales of former commissioners and aides who served the previous government and denied their severance allowances. We also saw some members of local Government transition committees that served in the present administration and went home without pay? Can anyone leave out the sacked Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) that were disengaged from office without salaries?
Is it SUBEB contractors that are raising alarm lamenting they have been denied contracts since Okorocha came on board? Is it local entrepreneurs who were denied the opportunity to supply school uniforms and other educational items in preference to Government’s resort to import such items from abroad?
Are the proponents of the rescue mission aware that capital flight is an anathema to Human development? The implications of this anomaly has given rise to despondency among the citizenry. And it is important we note that despondency is the manure that nourishes discontent.
This is why many Imolites complain that there is biting cash squeeze in the system and tend to tag the Okorocha administration as one that is averse to empowering the people of Imo State. This is a dangerous trend that has far reaching economic and political implications in the State and for the rescue administration. No economy thrives if the informal sector is redundant and Human Development is not given due attention. When Government ignores this critical sector through denial of monetary payments to those who deserve it, it creates the present cash squeeze that keeps majority of the populace on the uneasy, unhappy, disenchanted and angry. An angry populace affected by cash squeeze is a time bomb ticking to explode.
The political implications of this anomaly also varies. It gradually builds loss of confidence of the populace on the government and compels the citizenry not to see the benefits of other progarmmes and initiatives of the government. With almost two years on the saddle of governance, Governor Okorocha has to change tact and strategy and give due attention to human capacity development to a people whose endurance capacity cannot be overstretched. With elections barely two years from now, it is not only a matter of utmost priority but of great importance the welfare of the people are rescued.
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