A PEEP INTO EMEKA IHEDIOHA’S CERTIFICATE OF PERFORMANCE IN ORLU ZONE.

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike writes from Orlu.

By principles of role theory in a presidential system of democracy, with distinct three arms of government, the executive is saddled with the role of providing physical and human capital development etc that require the expenditure of public money as mat be approved by the legislature. The legislature is burdened with the role of meticulously making laws that guide the conduct of executive, judiciary and the citizenry. On its part, the judiciary, which is regarded as the third arm of the government, is assigned the role of interpreting the laws made by the legislature. The sequence captures the democratic ideals of separation of powers and checks and balances.

I have decided, as a patriotic indigene of Amaigbo in Nwangele LGA and indeed a critical stakeholder in Orlu Zone, to make the above clarification so that the less informed and the misinformed may arrive at the same page with those of us that are in the know about how things work in government of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. I will also attempt to enlighten us on Ihedioha’s feat. “What did Ihedioha achieve in his 12 years in Abuja?” This piece is aimed at setting the records straight with a view to rightly informing and educating the public on the unfortunate misinformation and propaganda that have misled some people.

As a lawmaker, the only thing constitutionally mandated for you to do is make laws. And making laws and seeing to the good governance of Nigeria was the preoccupation of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha all through his stay in the House of Representatives. And the monumental Bills he facilitated, sponsored and co-sponsored as well as the motions he moved are verifiably there in history for any serious enquirer to see. Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha could not have won elections into the House three consecutive times and be reasonably and responsibly tasked on non-performance and non-accomplishment of his legislative role of lawmaking. That is callous and irresponsible to suggest. Rt. Hon. Ihedioha is a world class legislator in his various high profile capacities as Chairman Committee on Marine Transport, Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker and ultimately Speaker; albeit for few weeks.

Be that as it may, my purpose here is to establish the truth that in addition to his spectacular performance as a lawmaker, he also extended his penchant for high performance into the executive role of providing physical infrastructural facilities and human capital development and empowerment across the 27 local government areas of Imo State. Some of the projects he attracted from the federal government through lobbying or as benefits as a Presiding Officer of the National Assembly, some were from his official constituency fund and some were funded from out of his pocket of salary and allowances.

For instance, in Orlu Zone, which is outside his Federal Constituency, Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala , he extended realistic dividends of democracy to virtually all the 12 local governments areas (LGA) namely Orlu, Ideato North, Ideato South, Nkwerre, Isu, Nwangele, Njaba, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, and Ohaji/Egbema. He attracted projects from the federal government and ensured they were delivered. Our people say, seeingis believing. I will try and summarize the projects he attracted so that anybody who knows they are lies can expose Emeka Ihedioha as a liar. But he has never been associated with false claims.

The distribution of the projects were to Orlu LGA 5, Ideato North LGA 4, Ideato South LGa 3, Nkwerre LGA 4, Isu LGA 2, Nwangele LGA 3, Njaba LGA 3, Orsu LGA 2, Oru East LGA 3, Oru West LGA 4, and Ohaji/Egbema 3. There is a total of 46 projects all completed. The projects were the essential supply/donation of complete set of high quality, durable science laboratory equipment to schools across the 27 LGAs in Imo State, including in Orlu Zone. Also, there is an ultra modern waste recycling facility in Ilile in Ohaji Egbema LGA and a cassava processing mill at Okwuabala in Ihioma community of Orlu LGA, Jetty at Oguta Lake and the desilting/dredging of Okporosha, Oguta Lake in Oguta LGA. And as Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha did to Orlu Zone, so also he did to Okigwe and his Owerri zones. Let the opposition be properly guided by facts.

To be more specific, for the avoidance of argument, in Orlu LGA, complete set of science /laboratory equipment were supplied to Holy Rosary Secondary School Ihioma,; Bishop Shanahan College (BSC), Orlu; Urban Secondary School, Umuna, Orlu; Comprehensive Secondary School, Amaifeke, Orlu; and Bishop Samuel Eboh Secondary School, Orlu. These equipment will benefit generations of students and indeed enhance the teaching and learning of science in schools. Let us remember that politics apart, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a scientist that majored in Food Science Technology from the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG).

In Ideato North LGA, you will exactly the same sets in Akokwa High School, Akokwa; Comprehensive Secondary School, Urualla; St. Theresa’s Comprehensive Secondary School, Arondizogu and CorMariae High School, Urualla. In Ideato South LGA, these sets were donated to Loyola Academy, Ogboko; Isiekenesi High School, Isiekenesi; Community Secondary School, Umuma Isiaku.

In Nkwerre LGA the science equipment were donated to Boys Secondary School (Boysco), Nkwerre; Living Word Academy, Nkwerre; St. Augustine’s Grammar School (SAGS), Nkwerre; and St. Catherine’s Girls’ Secondary School, Nkwerre. In Isu LGA: Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Amauju Isunjaba and Secondary Technical School, Amandugba. In Nwangele LGA: King Jaja High School, Amaigbo; Comprehensive High School, Amaokpara; and St. Gregory’s Comprehensive Secondary School, Amaigbo. In Njaba: St. Saviours Secondary School, Umuaka; Springfield International Secondary School, Nkume; Girls’ Secondary School, Umuaka; and Secondary Technical School, Amucha.

In Orsu LGA; Community Secondary School, Awo Idemili and Sacred Heart International Secondary School, Orsu Iheitte Ukwa. In Oru East: St. Linus Secondary School, Awo Omamma; Secondary Technical School, Isieke, Awo Omamma; and Omuma Secondary Technical School, Omuma. In Oru West: Nnempi Secondary School, Nnempi; Mgbidi Boys Secondary School, Mgbidi; Chosen Comprehensive Secondary School, Mgbidi; and Ray Jacobs Boarding Secondary School, Mgbidi.

Going up to the oil rich kindom of Oguta, you will see Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha’s projects at Winners High School, Agwa; Priscilla Memorial High School, Oguta; and Izombe Technical Secondary School, Izombe. In Ohaji/Egbema LGA: Ohaji High School, Mgbiirichi; Nmahu Secondary School Egbema; Divine Achievers High School, Ohoba; and Comprehensive Secondary School, Umuokanne.

In fairness to Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, if all of the forgoing evidence of his humble effort outside of his legislative achievements which count among the best in Nigeria are verifiable in the 42 recipient schools listed above, then his footprints will remain conspicuous in the sands of time. The schools and projects sites of the cassava processing mills and the ultra modern waste recycling facility and the desilting/dredging of Oguta Lake all stand to answer all detractors in Orlu Zone that are vainly striving to undermine the monumental achievements of the highly experienced public servant .

I have no doubt that when he becomes governor, Orlu Zone will wear different new look in terms of infrastructural and other development projects. I want to charge our people, not to fritter this very opportunity to open up Orlu Zone to the entire country for economic activities. We can trust Ihedioha for better things.

Orlu Zone Kwenu, Kwenu, Kwezuonu o!