Is Rochas a Contractor or Governor?

By Dr George Nkwoji.

When the people of Imo state filed out and elected Owelle Rochas Okorocha in 2011 in their frenzy to remove Ohakim at all costs, it was obvious that what they wanted was a positive change in the art of governance. The people wanted a government that would improve their conditions of life by provision of infrastructural facilities which hamper economic activities. Contrary to their expectations, what Imolites have noticed is a governor who prefers doing business to governance, thereby raising a consistent question every now and then as to what he was elected to do. Was Rochas elected as a contractor to Imo government or as the governor to rule the state?
To answer this question, it will be necessary to first define what work Rochas is identified with since he assumed duty in Douglas house, Owerri. This is because everyone is identified by his handwork. For example, cases abound where a person is employed as a Manager but in practice runs around delivering letters and invoices to the employer's clients, in which case, the Manager performs the function of a messenger. In the same manner, which work can Governor Okorocha be identified with in Imo state? Is it as a contractor or a governor?
In fairness to him, Rochas did well in the area of opening up roads in Owerri especially those dangerous places that served as abodes for criminals. Examples include Akachi road from Wetheral Road /Mulumba junction to Aba road and all those inland roads across the canal near Imo Concorde Hotel. This is the only area Rochas worked as a governor.
With the benefit of hindsight on the other hand, it will be observed that Rochas has not been honest with Imo people. But he is such a sophisticat that he easily gets away with deception and our gullible people think that Rochas is a governor. When for example, he catalogued his achievements before journalists on Saturday, May 21, 2016 in Government House , Owerri and reeled out how he built roads, model schools, hospitals, Marine University, etc; he neither revealed the identities of the contractors nor the costs involved. According to him, "We've improved Imo in the last five years in areas of security, free education, health and infrastructure. We built 305 model primary schools across the Wards, renovated others and a Marine University in Oguta and 27 general hospitals in all the LGAs". He went on saying that Imo is being repackaged with improved infrastructures and facilities, citing Government House, new government lodge, roads network, and traffic management. It is with this type of mesmerism that Rochas deceives a majority of Imolites into believing that he is working. It's a case of all that glitters is not gold, America wonder, abracadabra, the more you look, the less you see!
Ordinarily, when governments present their report cards, they also reveal how much every project cost with the name of the contractor. But our own governor would not do such a thing. Why does he hide the identities of government contractors and the costs of projects? Does it mean that Rochas is ignorant that Imolites have the right to know how much a project costs them and the contractor involved? This brings us to the crux of the matter, the issue in contention. The answer is straightforward. Rochas is the only contractor doing businesses with Imo state. He is also the designer and consultant. In fact, he transacts Imo government businesses on the basis of Design and Build.
I personally began to understand the abracadabra which Rochas plays on Imo people in order to plunder the state. In one of our regular meetings with him, I had raised the contentious issue of following due process in the award of contracts and whether he documents government transactions. To our surprise, Rochas told us that he has no need for consultants because of his concern to save costs. Betraying his naivety, he told us of how he personally designed the reconstruction of Oguta Resort. He then brought a diary and showed us a page where he sketched the project. When we burst out laughing at his ignorance, he told us that it was not a laughing matter, explaining that once he sketches something, "olu ebidokwa", which means that work commences immediately after he finishes whatever that he sketches.
There is also this popular story of an incident that happened at the site of one of the tunnels in Owerri. The story has it that an NDDC Engineer who was disturbed by the shoddy work going on at the site decided to verify what was going on. He therefore parked his car and spoke to the workers. He told the one who claimed to be the site engineer that the tunnel would collapse since it had no columns to carry and share the load on it. He then took measurements and marked out locations for installation of reinforced concrete columns, giving him their size and strength. Unknown to the NDDC staff, Rochas who was at the site to supervise the construction work, was watching the Engineer from his vehicle where he was sitting. According to one of the site workers, Rochas emerged from his car and enquired from them of what the NDDC Engineer did and he was briefed. Instantly, he instructed the site Engineer to comply with the recommendations and invoice him accordingly. This is quintessential Rochas!
Going by our discussions so far on how Rochas conducts awards of government contracts, it is glaringly clear to us that he is the only person that conceives a project and decides how and how much he executes it. In a situation where the governor circumvents the state Tenders Board where Imo citizens could have competed for contracts, what then obtains is that the governor has field day over government contracts. How do we describe a governor who performs the roles of the Tenders Board, Consultants and Contractors? Is this governor not a contractor? Is this not a quiet way of killing the state? Are we still surprised why Imo is dead? Is this not the highest level of greed, corruption and the plundering of Imo? No Imo governor was ever this greedy. Therefore, judged by his roles as a contract owner, designer, consultant and contractor, Rochas can only be described appropriately as a contractor Governor.

The man is a crook, he's just awarding contracts to himself and his family members.
Just negodu how he is destroying owerri capital and its environs in the name of road expansion, yet he has not gone quarter let alone completing any.
Now the rains are coming which will cause heavy flooding in owerri, thereby resulting to hold up, accidents, flood sacking people from their houses and hardship everywhere.

Engineer Rocha's, has closed the underground tunnel in front of Pdp office, Okigwe road, which was constructed by Sam mbakwe, almost forty years ago.

He is a mechanic

DonKachiERA:
Is Rochas a Contractor or Governor?

By Dr George Nkwoji.


In fairness to him, Rochas did well in the area of opening up roads in Owerri especially those dangerous places that served as abodes for criminals. Examples include Akachi road from Wetheral Road /Mulumba junction to Aba road and all those inland roads across the canal near Imo Concorde Hotel. This is the only area Rochas worked as a governor.



There is also this popular story of an incident that happened at the site of one of the tunnels in Owerri.

As usual, Imo State reduced to Rochas' Owerri.


As Imo people assess Gov. Okorocha based on his accomplishments in Owerri;

but ignore the fact that Imo State extends beyond Owerri;

pretend that they don't understand that the federal allocations to the 27 lgas of Imo State are for the development of these lgas, not for development of only Owerri, as Rochas now do;

how then do Imo people bring Okorocha to account for his stewardship?

It's obvious that as only Owerri gets most of Okorocha's development infrastructures, while the other 24 lgas remain rural, it's not possible that the allocations of the 27 lgas are totally utilized on Owerri. So where are the rest of the allocations?




The foul drive to build a Mega City in Owerri while rest of Imo State, especially Orlu and Okigwe, remain glorified villages, 31 years after Imo state was created, has made Imo the least developed among the southeast states.

As most of Imo State migrate to Owerri, the only city with modern development infrastructures in Imo State, at one point, Owerri shall be overwhelmed with overpopulation and attendant social vices.

Imo people need to condemn the practice of relegating other towns in Imo State to endless rural status, in pursuit of mindless project of Owerri Mega City.