A successful Ideato born businessman in the construction industry and major stakeholder in Imo State John Paul Ochemba JP (Asi-na-obughi chineke) has advised Ndi Imo to exercise patience with understanding while awaiting the kick start of the rebuild Imo project of His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.
Ochemba, while addressing the press in Owerri, said that it is not yet time to judge the administration of Governor Ihedioha, which he said is doing well in planning how to come up with good governance in Imo State. “It is only during the dry season that meaningful construction work can be done. So Imolites should be patient because the dry season will set in from October to January. After January, 2020, then you can then begin to assess the performance of the new administration”, he said.
He also advised Imo people not to judge with sentiments, “You cannot because Ihedioha is of a particular party you do not belong to and you begin to say that he has done wrong, when in actual sense he has done the right thing. There are good things that the Governor is doing right now for which the people should be grateful”, he maintained.
According to him, Ihedioha has been filling pot holes with stones to make the roads passable so that proper construction work on the roads can commence during the dry season. “The Governor has promised 100% salary to workers, which he is working towards; he has rolled out plans to build 1000 housing units in Imo state. He has made public water to begin to run in the state. Let’s not begin to talk now till after January, 2020. Even if much is expected from the government by Imolites, it will not be miraculous,” he said, adding that the government has to plan well before executing unless the people want it to embark on kangaroo projects.
Comparing Imo State with Ebonyi and Rivers, Ochemba stated that Ebonyi state can afford to construct road with stones to lay the ground during rainy season because stone is very cheap in the state. He also said that Rivers State can use sharp sand to construct roads in the state during rainy season but that Imo state can only use latarite in road construction because both stone and sharp sand are too costly to be used for road construction in Imo state.
“No construction, even electrification can meaningfully be done during the rainy season. Even private constructions are suspended during the rains until dry season surfaces”, Ochemba hinted, even as he said that what Imolites need is progress no matter who is ruling and that the people should pray for their leaders to make progress in the state.
