As the newly appointed commissioners warm up to be screened by the members of the Imo State House of Assembly, there are revelations that the Ministries to be assigned to them have been already mapped out before they were appointed.
It would be recalled that Governor Rochas Okorocha last Thursday made public a 13- man list which he said has been sent to the House of Assembly for confirmation. The action put to rest speculation in high quarters that each LGA would get a Commissioner in the new arrangements. The State Governor dissolved his state cabinet five months ago.
Indications are rife that Okorocha carefully chose his first eleven who will help him steer the ship of the state in the last quarter of his second tenure in office.
Trumpeta learnt that part of the conditions that saw the names was the portfolio they would be assigned after confirmation from the House. A dependable source in Govt. House disclosed that the Governor based the choice of Commissioners on the Ministries.
For instance, the position of Health Commissioner will be in the hands of former Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Dr Mrs Angela Uwakwem while that of Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice rests in the hands of the Professor Nnamdi Obiareri.
Trumpeta was informed that based on vituperative attacks Okorocha received for appointing a woman lawyer as Commissioner for Heath, in the dissolved Exco, the governor, this time went for a core professional in the person of Uwakwem who had before now acted as the SA on Medical to the governor. Uwakwem now doubt is the only medical doctor and based on his background will easily be handed the health ministry.
The ministry of Women and Social Development will be that of Lady Joy Mbawuike as the next woman on the list; Prof Florence Emenalo no doubt will be handed the Education ministry since she is coming from the academic environment. Mbawike’s Women Ministry portfolio cannot be divorced from her relationship with the wife of the governor and deep rooted grassroots politics with women as the foundation. Emenalo is a professor qualified enough for the Education ministry.
Considering his youthful age, Nguru Mbaise in Aboh Mbaise LGA upcoming politician, Chidi Nwaturuocha may be drafted to handle the Youth and Sports ministry. A strong ally of Uche Nwosu and former Student Union activist, the Sports and Youth ministry will see Nwaturuocha take charge.
Apart from Prof Obiareri who can come to manage information and public affairs of the government, the next person if the pedigree of the nominated Commissioners are anything to go by is Tony Umezuruike. Umuzurike has knowledge of the media and has been informed in information management. He is likely going to oversee the ministry of information and strategy.
If what Okorocha told people of the oil producing communities are anything to go by about creation of Ministry of Niger Delta, then no person is better qualified to be in charge of the proposed new ministry than a son of the soil, Jones Uzoka. The former Majority Leader of the House during Enwerem era may be allowed to combine the Niger Delta ministry with that of Petroleum and Environment.
Meanwhile, Uzoka has debunked claims that his appointment was a compensation after the board of ISOPADEC was dissolved. Uzoka in a phone interview disagreed with this newspaper that his new appointment has to do with the dissolved board of ISOPADEC Okorocha swept away few months ago.
According to him “I was not part of that board. I was only brought in after another appointment for the former board chairman. It wasn’t my board that was dissolved” On his leaving PDP for APC, the former lawmaker disclosed that the umbrella party failed to realise his potentials and were unable to justify his importance in the fold hence he was denied opportunities to merit political appointments. According to him, his travails started when his was denied NDDC commissioner position for Imo during Achike Udenwa era, removed as ISOPADEC chairman during the Ohakim era and even denied another chance again for the NDDC job few years ago.
