On assumption of office, in 2011, Owelle Rochas Ethelbert Anayo Okorocha, rolled out a number of programmes, including the Rescue Mission agenda, which, he said, would be accompolished in a manner reminiscent of how the Israeli army rescued the Israelites whose plane was forced to land by terrorists at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda. CHIDIEBERE IWUOHA looks at the rescue mission mantra, six years after
In 2011, Owelle Rochas Ethelbert Anayo Okorocha defeated incumbent Governor, Sir Ikedi Godson Ohakim and others to occupy the Douglas House, Owerri, Imo state.
On assumption of office, he rolled out a number of programmes which he said would be completed in a manner reminiscent to how the Israeli army rescued the Israelis whose plane was forced to land by terrorists at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda some years back, figuratively under 90 minutes.
Okorocha’s 90 Minutes at Entebbe Administration in Imo:
When Governor Okorocha launched his Rescue Mission Programme on assumption of office, he made it clear that many projects would grace the landscape of the state. And that his administration was in a hurry to develop the state to make it the best in the country. He told those who cared to listen that the money with which to use to realize the dream was available as the state was endowed with richness.
He immediately declared Free Education up to tertiary institution level. Later, he constructed the Heroes’ Square, Heroes’Luxury Apartments, Ojukwu Centre; embarked on the building of 27 General Hospitals in the 27 Local Government Areas of the state, constructed the 5,000 capacity International Conference Centre(IICC),completed the Ahiajoku Centre now the Imo State Trade and Investment Centre, Freedom Square ; changed the landscape of Government House by reconstructing the Sam Mbakwe Expanded Exco Chamber, constructed Nick’s Banquet Hall and new Governor’s Lodge; completed the Orji Road flyover, and tunnels, renovated Concorde Hotel and embarked on the construction of Prince and Princess hotels in Okigwe and Orlu towns, built classroom blocks in primary schools of 305 INEC wards and renovated many secondary schools in the state etc.
Armed with these achievements, the governor is often heard boosting that he has outmatched the governors who ruled the state before him, except perhaps, Chief Sam Mbakwe. But, hoped that Mbakwe would be overtaken before 2019. All these have also been collaborated by his commissioners and aides, both serving and past.
Recently, the Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Public utilities, Engr. Obinna Nshirim, while reeling out the achievements of his boss, found himself mentioning for the umpteenth time, the programmes and projects successfully carried out by the Rescue Mission Government of Imo State. The former local government boss who also stated that the Governor had done several road projects and expanded some, said all was in a bid to transform the state.
The Opposition Disagree:
It appears that what the governor and members of his government regard as achievements and boast and beat their chests about are mere child’s play in the face of some Imolites, especially the opposition as they have roundly criticized the governor and described his projects as misplaced priorities.
In a recent interview granted this publication by a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA)and Governorship aspirant in the 2015 general elections in Imo State, Hon Okey Ezeh, he described Governor Okorocha’s government as one “that concentrates on brick and mortar” meaning that his utmost concern was on erecting structures alone, thereby relegating issues as youth empowerment, job creation and revamping of the economy to the background.
It would be recalled that immediately after the governor mounted the leadership rostrum in 2011, he sent packing the 10,000 job beneficiaries he inherited from his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim. He later set up his “Youth Must Work” programme which he said was to empower Imo youths. They were being given N20,000 per month as take home. Most of the youths who were engaged in Agricultural projects rejected the offer. Later the programme was dissolved because some of the youths were allegedly working in other places and were collecting the Youth Must Work salaries while others were not working at all.
The immediate past governor of the state, Sir Ikedi Ohakim, had in a recent memo to Governor Okorocha released what many have come to regard as a bombshell. He had criticized the Governor’s penchant for disobedience of the Rule of Law as seen in so many cases where he did not carry out the court verdicts but chose to carry along in his own way.
He had earlier faulted the dissolution of his 10,000 Jobs by Okorocha and lately criticized him for constructing drainages close to the foundations of houses on roads that are being expanded. Ohakim had also criticized Okorocha’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and pension arrears and instead resolved to pay them 80% of their salaries and asked pensioners to forfeit 60% of their pensions. He had also faulted some of his projects which he said were misplaced priorities and sub standard ones.
Another personality that has always faulted Okorocha’s activities is the Governorship Flagbearer of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the 2015 election, Chief Emeka Ihedioha. When his party’s flag bearer in the Re-run Okigwe Senatorial election, Chief Athan Achuonu, lost in the election, Ihedioha claimed that the results of the election were doctored by Okorocha with the help of INEC. He lamented that if that method adopted by Okorocha subsisted, it meant that a wrong signal would be bequeathed to the people of Imo State. It would further mean that people no longer needed to canvass for votes but ought to stay in the comfort of their homes and declare their results.
Ihedioha who felt he suffered the same fate in his own election in 2015, had claimed that the result sheets of the election was imported from one of the northern states as against the one meant for Imo. Ihedioha’s claim was however, not looked into as his case was technically dismissed for not first of all bothering to pay petition fee while filing his case. Ihedioha had also criticized Okorocha for non-compliance to the Rule of Law, for erecting sub standard structures in the state, for instituting “fake” Free education etc.
For him, what the governor said was Free Education was not Free Education after all, because students were made to pay more than what they were given as cheque.
Other Imo State indigenes have also criticized the Governor for not obeying the Equity Charter in his appointments and award of contracts as most of the people seen around him doing one thing or the other are allegedly his in-laws, brothers, friends, praise singers etc which made many tag his government “Familiocracy” that is “Government of My Family, by My Family and for My Family”.
Currently, there is a move allegedly made by the Governor to ensure that his son- in-law, Hon Uche Nwosu, current Chief of Staff succeeds him in 2019. If this move sees the light of the day, it would mean that Orlu zone would have the opportunity of going for another eight years consecutively after Okorocha’s eight years. Then, Owerri and Okigwe zones would have to wait again. And not only that, while his in-law becomes Governor, his first daughter will succeed his wife as Imo First Lady. That is history in the making.
