₦airaland Forum

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.

Leadership is for well equipped people.

It is unproductive to criticise Nze Ebubeagu for taking this bold route to sanitize the political process and weed off charlatans and bucanners from participating in governance.


Leadership failure in Imo State could be attributed to dominance of people with questionable salient credentials in leadership positions.



This intervention at this point will be helpful in strengthening the leadership recruitment process particularly in Imo State as we build up to 2019 to save the future of our children.


Criticising Nze is typical of intellectual laziness and nauseating celebration of foolishness. We must support this "crusade" no matter how long it takes.

If Senator Uzodimma feels strongly about this expositions let him stop stalling the judicial process so that he can be vindicated or otherwise.


The Senator's antecedents is like a sore thumb, it is there for all to see. No cosmetics can hide a birth mark.

Eberechi Nnamdi Amadi Writes from IMO State.

Hope Uzodinma reduces Owerri and Orlu Zones as passengers in Imo State.


OKIGWE AND OWERRI ZONE MUST WAKE UP AND UNITE TO RELIANCE IDENTITIES.


I am yet to recover from the shock after reading this arrogance and insult on my ancestors by Hope Uzodinma.


Hope Uzodinma sounded like a warrior who has truly conquered Okigwe and Owerri Zone. Shame on all those from Owerri and Okigwe Zone who are sheepishly following and supporting Uzodinma while pity is what those who are negotiating his endorsement for their governorship ambition.


Excerpts of what Sen. Hope Uzodinma said in Orlu that makes me feel he's now playing god.


....the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator representing Orlu Zone of Imo State, in the National Assembly, Senator Hope Uzodinma while addressing party stakeholders, executives and leaders in the 12 LGA'S of Orlu senatorial district (Imo West) assured party faithfuls that come 2019 and nothing will stop us (Orlu) from being there again by 2019, and no amount of sentiment from any part of the State (Okigwe and Owerri Zone) can stop us from reaching there."


What shall we tell our children?

©Ifeanyicy.com

[size=8pt][/size]Copied: Revealed: How Okorocha, Chike Okafor, Uche Nwosu Raped Imo Finances

... Subjects Imo into Debt Burden that will take more than 70yrs to repay.

Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s political Associate, and former Special Adviser on Youth Matters, Hon Henry Nwabueze has carpeted Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas, Former Commissioner for Finance, Deacon Chike Okafor and Okorocha’s Son-in-law and Chief of Staff Government House, Hon Uche Nwosu over what he described as financial embellishment and shady deals.

The Oguta LGA born Hon Nwabueze who voluntarily resigned from Okorocha cabinet Stated in a press statement that :

"Even the loan that runs into hundreds of billions that Chike got on certain percentage and he also was paid certain percentage, which he used to settle Uche Nwosu and others after Rochas collected his own. we know all that but when the time comes we shall release more details. The amount of depth Rochas, Uche Nwosu, Chike Okafor and others has inflicted on Imo people, in 70years or more we will not come out from repaying such huge depth burden. "

He made the following statement in a post he shared in his Facebook wall thus :

"I strongly believe that the facts I talked about in my last press statement was not done in bad faith nor targeted at destroying any body's reputation as been circulated by Agents of the Government of Imo State. I just drew the attention of the good people of Imo State based on the facts available at my disposal and happenings at Imo Government house as at today and still counting. If Hon. Chike Okafor and Gov.Rochas contradicts the facts that I Hon. Henry Nwabueze brought forward to the knowledge of good people of Imo State, Then i demand that The current Administration under Rochas watch should as matter of urgent important come out publicly and defend themselves. I have all the Document from the inception of this Administration until date regarding the Award of contracts and release of funds by Imo State Government to back up my claim. Most of this informations were given to me because of gregariousness on the part of presumed die hard supporters of Rochas but he never knew that their is no secret in His Government contrary to his believe and understanding. Even the loan that runs into hundreds of billions that Chike got on certain percentage and he also was paid certain percentage, which he used to settle Uche Nwosu and others after Rochas collected his own. we know all that but when the time comes we shall release more details. The amount of depth Rochas, Uche Nwosu, Chike Okafor and others has inflicted on Imo people, in 70years or more we will not come out from repaying such huge depth burden. But I have a secret on how we can offset this huge depths and Imo people shall be free. Now we are talking about the direct Chinese roads and buildings they are constructing in Imo State, none of them is more that between the average of about 5.5Million and 6.5Million at most but Rochas and Uche Nwosu will use those Chinese direct Labour roads constructions that cannot even last up to 6months and claim 100 of million from the hard earned Federal Allocation and IGR of Imo State Government . Even all that happened and still happening in ministry of works we have all the documents both the ones that was back dated and the drama that happened when they mounted pressure on someone to back date certain vital documents and he refused, we know all that. We are still watching........" He noted.

Abia State Former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu appeared in Court this morning.

Orji Uzor Kalu in court this morning charged with stealing N3.2b of Abia money.

More details later.

SENATOR SAMDADDY: AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OWERRI ZONE.

Senator SamDaddy Should come out clean if he is sincere. He has done nothing for the people of Owerri Zone. He is only in Abuja running around Saraki, Sherif and Hope Uzodnmma. He wants to be a senator, a governor and a Vice President, all at the same time. This is not how to grow in politics. He has abandoned Owerri zone to worship Hope Uzodnma. The same Hope that took Emmnuel Orie to Abuja to rubbish him in the presence of Sherif. Let him ask Hon. Emmanuel Orie what he said to Sherif about him at the instance of Hope Uzodinma. Samdaddy thinks he is smart but he doesn't know that Sen. Hope sees him as a rival. Let him not fool himself by thinking that he will be a compromise candidate. Does Sen Samdaddy think that he is the only person from Owerri zone that have been promised governorship by these criminals? Imo people should understand that Senator Hope is hobnobbing with APC and Rotimi Amaechi simply to evade conviction for embezzling 8 million dollars belonging to Nigerian Ports Authority. This is hard fact!

SamDaddy is Sherif in the night Markafi in the Morning and Saraki in the afternoon, Okorocha in the evening. We must all say No to it. Samdaddy should come out clean and say where he is. The public is smarter and taking records.

Let it also be noted with great concern that Imo PDP is not property of Hope Uzodnma. Imo PDP belongs to everybody. Hope is in need of a platform to defraud people. Samdaddy will soon be his next victim. That was how Hope defrauded Gov. Ohakim, Chris Anyanwu, Bethel Amadi, etc during the last guber election and made a mess of all of them. OWERRI PEOPLE SHOULD REJECT THESE LEADERS WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO MAKE THEM LOOK WORTHLESS.

SamDaddy should unite Owerri zone first if he is worth his salt as a Senator rather than going to look for support from a fellow senator. That is belittling! What He did to Ali Ndume will be done to him one day. I trust Ndume. SamDaddy wont go free. When EFCC will come, we will see.

Eberechi Nnamdi Amadi writes from Owerri North LGA