In this report, Imo Trumpeta special correspondent, Kingsley Amaechi, was at the Government House Owerri to witness Governor Rochas Okorocha’s one year in office celebration.
May 29, 2012, will remain indelible in the heart of Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. It was a day that marked his one year in office as Executive Governor of Imo State.
The Governors first duty of the day was the audience he granted members of the National working Committee of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) led by its National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh at the Governors lounge, Owerri.
Okorocha, who was flanked by top Government functionaries, includes the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso and Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumuogu, Commissioners Advisers and members of the Imo State House of Assembly.
Governor Okorocha pledged that the Imo State Government is indeed APGA Government, stressing that he was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having paid for the first secretariat of PDP, but because of attendant foul play in the Party which denied him of Justice on several occasions, he joined the Party APGA.
He informed the party National Chairmen, that all the achievements and infrastructural development in Imo State was a desire for the people to vote for APGA a party so dear to their hearts.
He expressed appreciation to market men and women, keke riders, the civil servants, the teachers, Okada riders, and the Students.
In his response, the National Party Chairman Chief Victor Umeh commended the Governor for his resounding victory both at the Appeal and the Supreme Courts he stated that the National working committee of the Party was in Owerri to honor the Governor of Imo State, as well as to witness the massive infrastructural developments in the three zones of Imo State, namely; Orlu, Owerri and Okigwe zones, he also expressed the party satisfaction with his administration.
During an interactive session, between the Governor and the pressmen, Governor Okorocha stated that Imo State is on a Rescue Mission of laying down the basic foundation for industrialization to take effect by next year 2013, a move aimed at increasing the rate of employment opportunities in the State, he noted that this would boost the Imo State economy through agriculture, which brought about the introduction of the Fourth Tier Government, with the view of unlocking dormant resources in the communities of Imo State for the purpose of wealth creation of its citizens.
The Governor explained that the ADA Palm Plantation which is now known as Imo Palm Plantation is now presently functional and has garnered for the State about #3.2billion, and it’s hoping to employ about 2000 people this year and another 2000 next year. He added that the issue of power will soon be a thing of the past as it is being restored, “for Imo State to be industrialized in the by 2013, there is need for constant power”
Governor Okorocha later in the day, unveiled a documentary of his achievements, showcasing his one year reign in office as the Governor of Imo State at the hall of the Expanded Executive Chamber Government House Owerri.
Addressing Imo State, the Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha during his documentary, kick started his Governmental projects by renovating and constructing new buildings in the Government house and the new offices for the Deputy Governor and the First lady of Imo State and new Commissioners Quarters, including building of guest houses for all the past Governors of Imo State “including Ohakim” and other projects such as the Hero Square, the Heroes park, the Freedom hall where the keke riders, okader riders, market men and women, Teachers and civil Servants, will have offices, the 305 primary school blocks in every wards of the Imo State which is still in progress, construction of the new permanent site for Imo State University at Ugboko in Ideato North LGA which is also in progress, the renovated roads (zero pot hole) in Owerri metropolis and construction of new roads in every local government of the State which is still ongoing, according to the Governor, “most of the roads being constructed in Imo State would have be completed if not for the rains, the renovation of Concord Hotel, Oguta lake resort, and he announced his intention of creating a Beach and a Golf course, there also bringing Nuo Tiles to lamplight, which has being awarded to foreign firm, the upgrade of ADA Palm plantation which is now known as Imo Palm Plantation, the award of two new Hotels to foreign based firms in Italy and France to be built at Orlu and Okigwe respectively, with a magnificent Hotels to be built in Imo State which he said may be in the Guinness book of Record, the building of new Hospitals, many more.
The Governor also informed us of re-weakening the contract of the liaison office in Abuja which was abandoned by past administrations for 26years, which he said work is in progress, to a standard above any other liaison offices in Abuja, Nigeria. The approval of a four year working budget passed by the House, he said, will enable his administration know how far and how well of his at the end administration. He promised that his administration will make sure that poverty is been reduced to its barest minimum, in his statement “if there is any”
He however spoke on matter concerning the 10,000 jobs of the previous administration stating that “you cannot have a 10,000 job when there is no job” in which he said brought about the idea of creating ICAPS situated at the old Imo news paper along Egbu road Owerri North LGA, where an individual can be entrepreneurially trained in the field of their choice.
In his speech, Hon. Osita Izunazo stated that every Imo indigene now is aware of the cost of a 100km to be #60million in which ordinarily wasn’t in the past administration.
In addition the Governor said that the total sums realized from the Imo Palm Plantation (#3.2Billion) have been used to settle the first payment for the construction of the 305 primary school blocks in the State.
On the Community Government Council, the Governor Rochas Okorocha described it as a “bottom-top approach” which he Tagged as “Ofusharizim and Ohasharizim” where Ofusharizim is seen as the Government where the power is only centered on the Governor, Ohasharizim is that Government which is effective and efficient in the communities, rural areas and the entire Imo State through the Fourth Tier System of Government, which will also aid the unlocking of dormant resources in our communities and rural areas, aimed at developing the agricultural sector in the Imo State, create wealth, which will in turn make the State non-dependant on oil. However, the Fourth Tier Government gave birth to the traditional cabinet for all the traditional rulers in the Imo State so as to promote the Igbo language for the younger ones and to encourage the culture and traditions of the Igbo land.
Stressing on the matter concerning security, the Governor challenged the traditional rulers and community leaders to ensure in preventing crimes and crime related cases rather than fighting the crime.
Finally, Governor pleaded with the people of Imo State to be patient with him as his administration can be best described as that of “the pilot and his passengers during take-off and after take-off”
