The task of raising Imo State internal generated revenue for the state as directed by the governor is raising dust and causing commotion among political office holders in the state.
As at the time of this report, six appointees of Governor Okorocha are locked in battle over who is entitled to certain privileges in the state. While the Commissioner for Transport, Barr Alaribe is sizing his Internal Generated Revenue counterpart, Nick Opara Ndudu, Owerri and Orlu Zones Mayors, Chief Gibson Oyiga Achonwa and Dr Goddy Esom Obodo, respectively for who would sell emblem and control motor parks in the state, Commissioner for Works, Ichie Mbanasor is allegedly tackling the Orlu Zone Mayor over who allocates the shops in Orlu area.
Okorocha while swearing in the new commissioners and political appointees charged them to energize the revenue base of the state and gave a benchmark target for internal generated revenue.
Poised to respond to the task, the Transport and IGR Commissioners are experiencing unhealthy relationships over who is expected to collect money for emblems. The Ministry of Transport had raised and contracted collection of emblem fees to a contractor in the designated seven motor parks in the state before the IGR Commissioner, Opara Ndudu stepped in to challenge the action. Trumpeta learnt that Opara Ndudu claimed right for the collection of the emblem money since his Ministry is solely incharge of internal generated revenue. The trouble reached its feverish pitch when the Deputy Governor intervened and attempted to settle the matter. Before then, the two appointees engaged in shouting match and verbal warfare that almost led to a free for all.
In Orlu, the center cannot hold for the Commissioner for Works said to be supervising Commissioner for Commerce who went on air to denounce the activities of the Orlu Mayoral Affairs which it described as faceless persons. Mbanasor who was the first Mayor of Orlu and undertook the building of the Mayoral shops and stores at Orlu is kicking against any attempt by his predecessor to allocate the shops since it falls under the purview of the Commerce Ministry which he is supervising.
Trumpeta gathered that both Mbanasor and Obodo were going for each other’s jugular over who shares the market shops before higher powers requested them to keep their cool and wait for Okorocha’s directive since the governor is away to Abuja. The Orlu Zone Mayor was reported to be furious and did not take kindly the over bearing excesses of the Commissioner who used foul language while asking prospective shop seekers to shun the Mayoral Affairs exercise.
Same scenario is going on between the Mayors of the three zones and the Transport Commissioner over who sells emblems and controls the parks. The motor park supervisors from Ministry of Transport are another source of trouble in the state.
When contacted on the issue, Transport Commissioner denied knowledge of any altercation among appointees. According to him “I am not aware of any trouble. We are working together and eager to deliver for people of the state”.
