I will do my best to ensure that my series on Okorocha’s new cabinet which began penultimate week would be concluded in this edition. I began three weeks ago on my stake over the new executive by dwelling more on public expectations.
In that regard, I discussed about the media and information sector where my bosom pals; Chief TOE Ekechi and Sam Onwuemedo are incharge as Commissioner for Information and Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Media to the Governor respectively. The following edition was the turn of a fellow publisher, Paddy Obinna who is incharge of culture as well as returnee commissioners like Dr Ifeanyi Nwachukwu and Kenneth Emelu, Commissioners for Public Utilities and Youth and Sports respectively. Others who had a mention were the education commissioners, Prof Uba Nnabue for Tertiary Education and his Post Primary and Primary education counterpart, Mrs Uche Ejiogu. Having discussed about favoured returnee commissioners who Opara Ndudi are core kitchen cabinet members like Governor’s inlaw and person in charge of lands, Hon Uche Nwosu, and his works counterpart Uche Mbanasor, I will enter into another great beneficiary of Okorocha’s benevolence in terms of appointment and influential office in the person of Deacon Chike Okafor, before touching the rest. Okafor is in charge of the finance ministry and can be the said to be state exchequer. Before I commence, let me apologize for last Thursday’s edition where I went on a break, no thanks to back page advertorial.
Since I am not conversant with figures, calculations and allocation indices, my candid advice to the Pentecostal Deacon is for him to avoid pitfalls that have continuously exposed him to anti-graft bodies’ invitation. I may not be found guilty of exaggeration if I submit that Deacon Okafor is the most regular public office holder in the state who has always found himself in EFCC dragnet.
The history of Okorocha’s Rescue Mission government cannot be written without mentioning that Deacon Okafor has so far slept in EFCC cell more than other commissioners. It is imperative that the Obowo-born banker, who could also be described as a super commissioner in Okorocha’s administration, uses this next chance to redeem the state finance and avoid unnecessary invitation and embarrassment from the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC and Economic and Finance Crimes Commission, EFCC. Deacon Okafor also faces an uphill task of shedding more light on the financial status of the state in relationship to allegations and counter allegations of official and unofficial borrowings committed by the present administration. It behooves on the finance commissioner to clear doubts about the enormousity of amount borrowed by the state government and level of Imo State indebtedness. Vis-a-vis the reported CBN ban on Imo concerning borrowing from the bank.
Deacon Okafor should also realize that accurate information on the financial status of the state may be helpful in settling knotty issues about the state treasury. Suffice it to note that it was when Deacon Okafor opened up after EFCC interrogation that people became aware that Okorocha’s immediate predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim left about N13bn being part of the N18bn bond which was used for building of classroom blocks and provision of infrastructure. That assertion contravened earlier claims by Okorocha that Ohakim left empty treasurer.
From Okafor I shift to one of the two returnee women commissioners, Lady Ugochi Nnana-Okoro who is incharge of Industry and Non formal Sector. Among the commissioners, I consider Lady Nnana-Okoro’s new designation as vital and sensitive to the economic revival of the state. I had expected that part of Rescue Mission thrust would be resuscitated by the establishment of industries to generate employment and revenue for the state. I expect Nnana-Okoro to revive the standard shoe industry, Imo Modern Poultry and other relevant micro business outlets in the state. The woman fondly called “Lady of the Masses” may wear the toga of “lady of the Industry” if she re-engineers the non formal sector. I will advise Lady Nnana-Okoro to suggest the Osun State formula of industrial development to Governor Okorocha. Instead of importing uniforms, school desks and sandals, Imo State government should encourage the private sectors to establish cloth making factories. In Osun State, the Rauf Aregbesola led-government empowered private investors to set-up fabric making companies where waivers were approved as incentives. The companies that have not less than three thousand skilled and unskilled workforce were awarded the contracts for the production of the free school uniforms and other items used for free education in the state.
Apart from employment opportunities, the local business outfits responded adequately to the immediate needs of the free education school uniforms. Unlike in Imo where the new school children may not likely get the free uniforms or replacement of their old ones to students incase of damage, the local factories would have responded adequately to the needs of the state government in running the free education.
I will also encourage Lady Nnana-Okoro to visit Onitsha Road Industrial Layout, Owerri, with a view to rediscovering the moribund layout meant for non-formal sectors as well as provision of conducive environment and less taxation for industrial growth.
This commentary will not end without discussing the new functions of Nick Opara-Ndudi, who is now incharge of Internal Generation and Revenue Ministry. The new ministry carved out from Ministry of Finance is another tactical government agency meant to shore up the economic fortunes of the state. Opara-Ndudi is expected to harness all avenues for revenue generation and block all loopholes and conduit pipes for financial leakages in the system. Though, it may be clashing with the functions of Finance Ministry, it seems that the Governor knows the importance of IGR in running a state and the capabilities of Opara-Ndudi in pioneering this arduous task.
The IGR commissioner is expected to propel a result-oriented ministry capable of raising internal funds for the smooth operation of government. In undertaking these functions, I don’t expect the gentleman Opara-Ndudi to adopt unethical means of souring internal revenue. I expect the commissioner to eschew unorthodox method or agbero-like approach on the populace in a bid to accomplish his tasks. Again, outrageous and multiple taxations which seems to be the watchword of the present administration in meeting its target should be jettisoned. Opara-Ndudi should not forget in a hurry, lamentations from the hospitality industry especially hotel owners over multiple taxations and a recent strike embarked upon by Filling station owners in the state. The one-day warning strike was necessitated by hike in amount paid by the petroleum dealers in the state. Another critical factor Opara-Ndudi’s IGR ministry should be mindful of is clash of interest among government establishments on jurisdiction and operation. With the compulsory charge to all strata of government, parasatals and agencies by Governor Okorocha on internal revenue under the privatization and commercialization, there should be adequate operational procedures and identities to avoid conflict.
A major area of interest is the health sector where relatively unknown Dr Ihejirika from Ikeduru holds sway. Irrespective of the claim that Governor Okorocha is not familiar with the commissioner’s pedigree before handing him over the health ministry, the medical doctor needs to prove his mettle that he ably qualified to handle the position based on merit. Dr Ihejirika undoubtedly will experience difficulties redirecting the theatre of absurdities bedeviling that vital sector. The new commissioner needs to take pragmatic steps towards making the Rescue Mission “Health-at-your doorstep” a reality than mere theories aimed at deceiving the masses. He should take a holistic approach in solving the problems of workers of so called Imo Specialist Hospital at Umuguma who are facing hunger and abject poverty over months of neglect and abandonment. The misery faced by the Specialist Hospital workers has become a recurring decimal since Okorocha came into power. The status of the General Hospitals scattered across the state and the state government romance with Lantech solutions, a suspected investor in the health sector in the state should also be made public. More so, Dr Ihejirika needs to devise a means of equipping the few General Hospitals nearing completion across the state by noting that “block and cement” do not make a hospital, rather facilities and medical personnel.
For Petroleum and Environment Ministry problems facing Prof Okey Okoro, the new commissioner is bare faced. The dirty environment and indifference approach of the state government to refuse dumps in the state capital constitute his major task in office.
On this note, I wish the commissioners best of luck by informing them, that what drives leadership is integrity and accountability.
