Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Tuesday, stood for three hours, at Ahaijoku centre, Owerri, to narrate his achievements in the last two years since he assumed office as governor of the State.
Okorocha who addressed a world press conference witnessed by stakeholders in his Rescue Mission Adminstration, described himself as a radical governor who has introduced a new style in the art of governance geared towrds making him a unique governor.
Highlights of his rendition include his resolve to sack some of his Commissioners who have served him in the last two years, saying that the coming two years will see a leap in his quest to take Imo State to enviable heights. He explained that the move was aimed at ensuring more dividends of democracy to Imolites.
GROUSE AGAINST PDP
Decked in a flowing white agbada and his trademark cap to match, Okorocha identified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as his greatest obstacle to his quest to actualize his vision and mission for the people of Imo State. He said the PDP failed the people of the State since it managed power in the State from 1999- 2011, boasting that the party can never get close to the corridors of power in Imo anymore.
“ I have taken power from them and they can never get it back” Okorocha boasted
He went on to allege that the PDP are responsible for 80 petitions against his adminstration, stressing that the party in the past quenched his political desire to be the party’s national chairman, denied him the opportunity of going to the senate and robbed him of the presidency.
He revealed that the PDP has not relented in their machination to remove him from office through various means, maintaining that the newly formed All Progressive Congress (APC) remains the best alternative for the people of Imo State and Igbos. He added that the party has come to right the wrongs perpetrated by the PDP as the Igboman stands to benefit from the APC.
MANAGING IMO FINANCES
The Governor noted that Imo State has undergone transformation since he came on board as governor, stating that his administration has judiciously made use of over N100 billion naria that accrued to the State from the Federation Account and N13 billion naria from Internal Generated Revenue (IGR), an average of N45O million naria per month in the past two years .
He gave the Local Government administration in the State a clean bill of financial health , declaring that the Lgs in the State are not indebted to anyone as it has a credit balance of N420 million naria. He said on assumption of office, he discovered that the local Governments operated over 200 accounts but he intervened and mopped it up into one account which yielded close to N17 billion naria. He explained that for the first time in the history of Imo State, Local Governments were able to embark on capital projects.
The Governor explained that his adminstration embarked on cost saving mechanism in the State and this measure paid off as the State saved N7 billion naria after paying N34 billion naria as salaries and pensions.
He noted that in the past, N12O million naria were used to construct one kilometer of road, a trend he changed since he assumed office as between N60 to N70 million naria has been expended on similar kilometer of road projects.
He enumerated that funds has been expended on various projects such asVigilante/Traditional Rulers,(N700 million) Imo Youths Engineering Course, (N95 Million), security (N318million), N100 million for the construction of each General Hospitals in each of the LGAs in the State, construction of 305 schools (N8.4 billion naria). He added that 256 schools are undergoing construction, while 100 schools are ready for use.
Gov Okorocha further stated that provision of school uniforms, desks and other education materials freely given to pupils and studens by his adminstration totaled N4.8 billion naria, while primary school teachers were given N200,000 as imprest which totaled N2 billion. The Community Government Council, (CGC), according to him, received N650 million naria for its take off. The also GLOs got N32 million naria.
Other expenditures include: Judiciary headquaters, Flood disaster, Imo Polytechnic, medical equipments and construction of Diagnostic centre- N504 million naria. The largest chunk of expenditure on capital projects went to roads as it cost N13.5 billion naria . Ministries, according to him receive N2 million naria as imp-rest , while Imo House of Assembly got N175 million naria in the last two years.
He revealed that his administration uncovered a hidden account where state funds were fritted away in a bank in Aba to the tune of N500 million naria and the monies were plugged into meaningful ventures to boost economic development of the State. He also denied reports that his administration borrowed N100 billion naria, stating that the only loan taken by his administration was N15 billion naria borrowed from Zenith Bank which is being repaid gradually.
He justified the four year rolling budget approved by the Imo State House of Assembly, adding that his administration has placed emphasis on capital projects to recurrent expenditure, stressing that construction of rural roads cost his administration over N20 billion naria. According to him, N14 .6 billion naria was paid as salaries and pensions in the Local Governments, compared to N22 billion naria paid in the past.
OHAKIM'S BOND
Governor Okorocha spoke on the N18.5 billion naria bond secured by the Ikedi Ohakim administration. He said the former governor used N5 billion from the bond for some projects such as the oak refinery, Imo wonderlake, etc. He however stated that he met a Bond of N13 billion naria when he came into office. He accused the former governor of cornering N6 billion naria from UBA for the 2011 election, claiming that Ohakim was unable to pay April- May salaries, and owed Judges to the tune of N60 million naria and N1.1 billion naria as pension arrears . He said the state repaid N359 million naria on the bond.
JROS
Okorocha revealed that JPROS, the contractor that accused former deputy governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso, of collecting N458 million naria bribe, is been hunted by the Nigeria Police. He said jpros has been reported to the law enforcement agency, including the Economic And Finanacial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He said his equipments have been confiscated by the State government.
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