Party differences fueled by mutual suspicion among top politicians inImoStateare trying to mitigate efforts by the Federal Government to rehabilitate victims of flood that ravaged communities in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta LGAs of the state.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan in his nationwide broadcast approved a reasonable sum of money to victims where N400m was mapped out for people devastated by the flood inImoState.
The APGA-controlled state government propelled by the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and elected National Assembly members of PDP extraction are said to be involved in a “Mickey-mouse” game over who should be the chief custodian of the money. Apart from who is entitled to get the money from the Federal Government, the struggle over who directs how to share the N400m is another bone of contention between the two power blocs.
While the state Governor feels that as number one citizen of the state and the Chief Executive of the Imo state, anything due to people of the state like the monthly allocation from the federation coffers should be sent to the state direct, the federal lawmakers in Abuja suspicious of the present administration in the state want to have it and supervise disbursement. Sensing that the Abuja-based politicians may hijack the flood victims money inAbujausing their contacts at the federal capital territory, Governor Okorocha was reported to have gone after the money inAbuja.
Indications that Okorocha may have succeeded in getting the money allocated to the state flood victims emerged last weekend when unconfirmed reports filtered in that the Governor reportedly alleged that the money would be used to complete some projects like the new judiciary office blocks going on in New Owerri.
The report has been witnessing negative reactions especially from top Imo politicians and lawmakers in the State Assembly who have vowed to resist any attempt to divert the money for any purpose other than to rehabilitate the flood victims who have been rendered homeless and without food.
Some federal lawmakers and members of the state assembly are threatening for a showdown should the money be diverted to other projects while the victims that attracted the N400m wallow in abject poverty and neglect from state authorities. One of the lawmakers who do not want his name in print recalled that while some families slept in canoes without food as a result of the flood, the state governor spent millions to organize his 50th birthday and 10 year ceremony of his private school.
Meanwhile, the immediate past Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim has visited victims of flood in Egbema and Oguta LGAs of the state. Ohakim who was heralded into Egbema with a rousing welcome witnessed by a tumultuous crowd said he has come to sympathize with the people affected by the flood.
Addressing Abacheke people at the country home of the Speaker Emeritus of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Goodluck Nanah Opiah during the solidarity, Ohakim said that the communities affected by the flood in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta LGAs are vital to the socio-political and economic growth of the state and Nigeria at large to be ignored at this critical moment. The former governor donated a cash amount of N2m with other relief items sourced from friends and associates. Chief Ohakim later took a tour of the affected areas and the concentrated camps where the displaced persons were quartered.
In his response, Rt. Hon Opiah thanked the former Governor for the visit adding that it speaks volume of Chief Ohakim’s fervent love for humanity and mankind. He said that the people of Egbema and indeed the entire people of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta appreciate his kind gestures promising that the gifts would be judiciously used.
