The last
time I checked, we were already in the long awaited year, 2018. It suffices to assert that a different odyssey
has just begun among the human race.
At such a time, everyone – old or young
– is required to reexamine him/herself; at such moment, every living soul is
expected to go back to the drawing board toward making amends where need be; at
such a period, every individual is bound to make a resolution that would guide
him or her as long as the journey lasts. In other words, such a time is meant
for one to crosscheck all aspects of his/her life, business, leadership style,
trade, or what have you, in order to acquire the best.
Lest I digress; this is a New Year message to
my amiable governor in the person of Chief Rochas Okorocha. Even if I have
earlier sent his Excellency a personal SMS to wish him well throughout the
year, this very note remains inevitable because this is the only way I could
caption everything he deserves to know. Aside wishing him well, this epistle is
targeted towards letting him realize the nature of the resolution expected of
his person as the governor of Imo State, the Eastern Heartland.
First,
I need to commend your Excellency for the gesture displayed during the festive
period. I watched with keen interest over how you received various groups, LGAs
and unions at the aforementioned season. To say the least, you acted not unlike
a father with a large heart. To have thought it wise to welcome all your subjects
in your country home, Ogboko is enough indication that you comprehend the
rudiments of leadership and followership.
If no one saw the good side of such
gesture, I want you to know that I did. Dinning with a leader is a great avenue
to discuss various pertinent issues concerning the group in question. The one
that gladdened my heart most was your meeting with the retirees in which you
promised to clear all the pension arrears owed them before leaving office.
My pleasant governor, I want to candidly
remind you that this is a critical year, hence the need for you to treat it as
crucial. Critical in the sense that it is the year that would usher in the exit
point as the governor of the state; in the sense that it is a period when
virtually all primary elections would take place in all political parties; in
the sense that it is a year you are required to round off all the ongoing
projects in the state, though you have vowed to work till the eve of 29th
May 2019.
In this year, I would advise you stop
initiating further capital intensive projects or programmes with a view to
completing the already existing ones. This is the apt time for you to
concentrate on how to complete all the numerous projects initiated by the
Rescue Mission Administration. I want your reign to mark the end of
implementation of white elephant projects, which had been the order of the day
in our present days’ democracy. I would want your administration to be
celebrated after you left office, hence the need for you and your team to do
only the needful at such an injury time like this.
Yes government is a continuum but often
times we have observed that prospective political leaders do not believe in
continuity in governance. Your successor would like to implement new projects
that would be credited to his reign when completed. It’s needless to state that
if you failed to complete all the projects initiated by your administration,
they may in the future be referred to as waste of resources. And you know, your
‘enemies’ would capitalize on that to laugh at the Rescue Mission if such
eventually becomes the case.
Similarly, regarding the demolished
markets, one would like to know your next step. The daily market at Mgbidi in
Oru West LGA was brought down as at early last year, but till date no structure
has been erected to compensate the poor traders. Later on, among others, the ancient
and famous Ekeonunwa market in Owerri Municipal followed suit. After the
demolition of the latter, I pleaded with you to ensure that befitting
structures are erected thereafter but it’s unfortunate to realize that at the
moment, those affected lands are still lying fallow.
I
equally wish to inform you that the vehicles your government released to
replace the tricycles – otherwise known as Keke – are not enough. This is
causing more harm to the supposed beneficiaries than good. In view of this,
your Excellency is expected to do everything humanly possible to ensure that
sufficient cabs or buses are made available on the concerned roads. Right now,
commuters have to wait for several minutes, if not hours, on the roads before
they could see an available transit to convey them to their destinations. Such
a scenario has also resulted to hike in transport fare.
As
regards politics; last year, I predicted that by this year being 2018 the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the state shall be split into three or more
factions if you failed to make the right choice regarding who takes over from
your leadership come 2019. It’s noteworthy that that prediction still holds
water presently. Thus, it is with candour I write to let you take into
cognizance that you must make a choice acceptable by the majority. Failure to
do so, I’m afraid, unforeseen internal crisis might arise. And, you know what
that means. This is the right moment for you to make that choice. The ball is
in your court.
I candidly wish this government well;
that’s the reason I keep repeating myself so that even the deaf could hear me.
The administration started well by declaring free education in the entire
state, thus it’s my utmost desire that it ends very well. Even if it has erred
along the line, it would be celebrated by the good things it did towards the
expiration of the tenure.
Lastly, we are yet to hear from you that
your government has received the third tranche of the Paris Club refunds and
the amount involved, just as you did in the past. I’m just being curious
because some states across the federation have confirmed the receipt of such
allocation. Does it imply that you are yet to receive it or time isn’t ripe for
such press release?
Whatever the case may be, my prime
concern remains that the fund ought to be utilized judiciously especially at
this time the senior citizens are crying foul. We were promised that the second
tranche would be used to clear all the 2017 pension arrears but that pledge
wasn’t fulfilled. Hope such won’t repeat itself this time? Think about it!
Comrade FDN Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri
____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Twitter: @mediambassador
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