₦airaland Forum

millionaireman: Ahoy! Imo-one-city state of Owerri taken to unnerving extra lenghts by Gov. Okorocha. Una just de deceive Okorocha; on election day, the true FACE of Owerri shall vote even a cow from Owerri zone as next governor; on election day, too many people not from Owerri go home to cast votes. At home, they vote according to progress they observe in their domain.
Lest we forget, Okorocha said last year that the so-called Imo-European University in Ideato South shall open this academic year. My word, my bond: enlarging a few existing roads in my domain is not seen by the electorate in it as enticing development. The number of new jobs, population increase, health and education facilities, business and tourism potentials created in an area is primary among the yardsticks for measuring development which govt brought to a place.

Why are you this silly? Where did you see Okorocha in the post you quoted? Why create a storm in a teacup? Were you born a knob head or did you become one by choice?

Young men like you are busy investing and building up town with little or no government support and you are here trolling and picking internet fights.

Please keep to your lane as I ignore you going forward.

Just to show how rapidly Owerri has expanded in the last 5-7 years. The areas in red are now firmly part of the metropolis, where as they were detached towns within the capital territory less than 7 years ago.

eaglechild: Is this some sort of a joke?
Pls tell Roaches to complete the roundabout he started over a year ago at Amaraku junction and save travellers from the present ordeal they are passing through.

You mean this round about? How exactly is the round about causing you pains? I travelled that road more than 6 times in July/August and it was good.

The inner streets look the pictures below. Owerri, Umuahia, Aba and Enugu have one thing in common; The streets are very well planned and houses on the same street are never out of line and facing different directions in a disorganised fashion.

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FuTO

Mbaise road. I was on my way to Umuahia when I saw a fire brigade truck dashing towards Egbu and I thought they were just taking their new ride for a spin but they were actually on a mission to fight fire ! The Mountain on Fire Church in Egbu was on fire!

New market in Obowo by Imo river Abia state boundary. The market is quite busy and that area is beginning to assume its own life as a town. Umuahia is just next door and the market is actually nearer to some people in Umuahia than the new main market in Umuahia.

Leading to New otamiri Crossing

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FMC, New crossing, Emmanuel college junction, Keke na pepe like soldier ants everywhere. There are more than 21000 KNPs in Owerri; deduced from the registration numbers at the back of the vehicles. These guys pay about N500 daily (according to one of them) to operate. If the information about the daily fee is correct, it means that these guys generate nearly N4 billion P/A for who ever is collecting all the money.

On another note, Owerri has expanded very rapidly. Places like Awaka, Nekede and other places are no longer on the outskirts of town. If you knew Ikenegbu as a residential area; just forget it because is now heavily commercialised like several other areas like world bank etc. There are several new roads but a lot of traffic and I would not be shocked if the population has risen to between 1.5 and 2 million

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IGBOSON1: Nice job Face!

Thanks.

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I was in Enugu in July. The ofe onugbu at Emily was baaad. Spyder, who cooks it best in Enugu?

Obiagu1: This part got me thinking.
Please those in the UK, help me out here.
This guy here claimed he has his own personal secretary in the UK.
Here in Canada, we only have company secretaries unless you are running your own company/business so you could do whatever you want.
So Sir, do you own your own company or do you work as a janitor or a security because it seems your last experience/knowledge about one having a 'personal' secretary ended while you were in Nigeria?
Do you have your own personal driver too?

You are correct. The job title " personal secretary" does not exist in the UK and the Job title "Secretary" were extinct long before type writers were sent to the recycling centres. Admin roles go by titles like office assistant, admin officer/assistant, receptionist, customer service advisers. Then you have the PAs who work directly with Directors or ADs.

The few existing Secretary roles or job titles include the Home secretary, Foreign Secretary, company secretary, medical secretary and other similar important jobs and they are nobody's "Personal Secretary"

Langa Langa is in Plateau (or Nasarawa) on the stretch between Kafanchan and Mada. That stretch is very rocky with endlessly rolling mountains and very lovely view. That stretch upto Lafia was the slowest stretch between Kano and PH in those days and trains actually slowed to a crawl on the approach to LANGA Langa, meandering through rocks and turning half circles.

I used to see the wreckage anytime we passed the area, when we rocked the trains from school holidays on reserved coaches with our travel allowance from FG, flanked by FGGC BAKORI, Gusau, Kazaure partying and rocking for 24 hours. The trains were always on time, 1Pm for Lagos Line and 4Pm for eastern line from KDJ. By 1989, we were spending 48 hours travel time and by 1992, NRC was as good as gone.

"PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENICS"

"My mind is playing tricks on "

[img]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=KutXyPEEbQs[/img]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=KutXyPEEbQs

I have keen interest in property development and my observation is that big dreams and audacious moves attract very big investments and very big bucks. There are a lot of keen developers waiting to copy, out do and scramble for a piece of the cake once a precedence has been set.

I think this is a bold move and to achieve it; they need to take their time to study and implement their blue print. This will require robust planning and building control laws and enforcement. All they need to do is to create the layout, provide functional water system (sewer inclusive) and electricity, put up one or two bold structures to make a statement of intent and "investors panic" (no one wants to be left behind) will set in and the private sector will do the rest.

He who dares; wins !

I was in Owerri in November and saw with my own eyes some of the alternative routes created by Rochas and I also had a glimpse of Owerri Road in Okigwe. Anyone that says that Rochas has done nothing in Imo is a blatant liar.

When Abia decided to relocate the timber shed in Umuahia ( very good decision by Orji), Imo decided to build an industrial market at OnuImo. That market is very active today and is in effect closer to some people in umuahia than the new timber market and new market. The only problem with the market is that I think it should have been sited at least 50 meters away from the main road and restricted to the southern side of the road, but that market has created employment for many people and will increase the state's revenue.

The traffic problem in Owerri is quite a nuisance but avoidable. The by passes were created to ease traffic, but vehicles seem to grow from the ground and cause even more traffic. Driving through junctions seems be on a first to chook head rule and is very chaotic. It is very obvious that Alvan junction with Sam Mbakwe Boulevard needs a flyover or at least a functional traffic light to control traffic at that point. Same goes for the by pass in front of Holy Ghost.

I saw the covered drains at Whetheral Road and I was alarmed. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. The contractor should have removed the old random culverts and de-sludged the drains before covering the drains. I saw through the gaps that the drains have lost their function as a drain. Anyone that grew up in Owerri knows that the drains along the roads within town are all linked through very deep underground sewer system, so I think that the shoddy job will create a flooding problem in future. I am sure that the same thing has also happened in other areas with covered drains. I don't know what's up with Owerri and Aba people with throwing stuff in the drains and canals. Umuahia also has open drains but they seem to understand the function of the drains and you literally can drink from their drains and central canal.

I think Rochas should also restore and expand the water works. Government can actually make some money from water supply and people will be happier and those ugly bore hole tanks will disappear. That reminds me of the ugly gates, which will become breeding grounds for vermin.

ChinenyeN: What's central Igbo's word/expression for mortgage?

I don't know if this is C.I but we use it around Umuahia including some parts of Ngwa and Mbaise.

Mortgage = Ibe ( accent high -high //) not to be confused with Ibe (Fellow \ /)

To Mortgage = Igba Ibe

To redeem = Isa Ibe (isara ibe, isahu ibe, isata ibe)

obinalihe: The Abia Govt have acquired land at Ikwuano LGA and Olokoro in Umuahia South for the proposed Abia Airport #AbiaStateExco

Tell your governor that we don't need an airport in Umuahia. Owerri airport is nearer to Aba than Olokoro and easily accessible from other parts of Abia. He should use that money and revive/expand our water system in Umuahia, Aba,Aro and other towns and villages. He should give Ariaria a facelift and use our money in the order of importance.

Each time I go to Umuahia, I don't go about wishing that I had used an airport in Umuahia instead of the one in Owerri. Enugu- Umuahia road is smooth except for a 5km stretch just before Okigwe, therefore Abians that live towards IsuIkwuato and Aro may choose to use Enugu or Owerri airport in exchange for good roads and water supply. No part of Abia is up to 80 KM from an airport.

How about using that money to revive Golden Guinea Breweries or complete the metallurgical complex in Aba or do some other stuff that need doing ? Does he drink kai kai for breakfast or what?

Well, I will blame Olokoro people if they don't resist the blatant misuse of their land. The reason I like Imo people, especially Owerri people is that their governors have limits, which they cannot cross and we need to wake up in Abia.

As for Imo state, Okorocha must have realised that you don't go to the market with 10 Naira hoping to return with 40 naira suya.

I do not have the breakdown of the 2014 budget, but a look at the 2013 budget shows why it was unachievable. According to 2013 proposal, he was going fund the budget with 94 Billion actual income (FG and IGR) and 102 Billion from capital receipts (na waa oo).

The same observation as with Anambra applies.

The 2014 proposal is much closer to reality than 2013 budget. If the total revenue for the states is around 100Billion, the state budget should be between 100B and 120B.

Rochas actually shot himself on the foot with some of his policies, which increased the recurrent burden on the state government and also created avenues for wastage.
1. City gates were monumental wastes not adding any value to Owerri.
2. Free education to University: Education should be free to secondary school level and a reasonable cost at tertiary level, but to make them free at university level was a waste and also an avenue for corruption.
3. N100 allowance: Huge waste and an avenue for fraud.
4. Free school uniform : Guy man, that's all I can say. If there was sincerity of purpose, local tailors and shoe makers should have been empowered by giving them the contracts. Well, Guy man has his ways.

Rochas probably realised that there is no use proposing a huge budget with no funds to execute it and now intends to be more realistic with his figures. However, anyone one that says that Rochas has done nothing in Imo state is full of BS. I was in Imo state in October-November and saw with my eyes.

nedufantasy: A comparison of Imo state and Anambra state budget.
Imo state
2012 - N174.3b
2013 - N197.7b
2014 - N137b has already been proposed.
Anambra State
2012 - N82.2b
2013 - N110.94b
2014 - N140b proposed

Sometimes, people really get what they deserve. This is Peter Obi's final year as the governor and he suddenly proposes a 20% increase in budget and people are clapping without looking at his proposal. I have looked at several state budgets and nearly all of them are unrealistic or achievable based on resources available to them.

When someone proposes a budget, people should take a looked at the proposed income and expenditure before validating the proposals. Now, to analyse the proposal as per the information available:

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra, yesterday, presented N140 billion budget proposal for 2014 to the state House of Assembly.

The budget was an increase of 26.18 per cent over the N110.96 billion budget for last year. He said that N100.29 billion was earmarked for capital expenditure, while N39.71 billion was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

Obi said that an estimated N100.29 billion was expected from capital receipts in 2014, showing an increase of 41.35 per cent over the budgeted sum of N70.96 billion in 2013.

He said that the focus of the state government would be on poverty reduction measures with the economic sector having an allocation of 42.82 per cent of the total capital budget.

The other sectors are social 14.33 per cent, environment 17.21 per cent and general administration 25.64 per cent. The governor said that government was mindful of the need to make the capital budget more realistic and predicable in 2014 to get optimal results.

Obi said the projected revenue earning for 2014 was N58.120 billion, including Internally Generated Revenue of N15.920 billion and state share of Federation Account, N42.200 billion.

He said that the recurrent expenditure was expected to decrease from the 2013 projection of N39.995 billion to N39.705 billion of 2012, representing a marginal decrease of N0.290 or 0.73 per cent.

According to him, a capital expenditure of N100.295 billion was being earmarked out of which the economic sector would receive N42.947 billion, social N14.373 billion, environment N17.258 billion and general administration N25.718 billion.

The economic sector would receive the highest allocation on account of the capital intensive nature of its component sub-sectors such as land, transport (roads and bridges) to which N35.100 billion had been allocated.

Also, funds have been allocated to other key sub-sectors as education N7.172 billion, health N5.088 billion, agriculture N1.155 billion, water supply N9 billion and MDG projects across selected sub-sectors N10 billion.

Obi said that the budget would touch the lives of the people of the state and create meaningful development.

http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/128876/1/anambra-earmarks-n140bn-in-2014-budget.html

According to Obi, expected income for Anambra state = 58 Billion ( 42 B from FG and 16B IGR)

Capital Receipts= 100 Billion ( what does that mean ? Is he selling state assets, collecting loans or raising funds from dividends from state investments?)

Recurrent expenditure = 39 Billion

Capital Expenditure = 100Billion. However, 25 Billion of this actually goes to the administration of the capital expenditure. Hmm, in effect the proposed recurrent expenditure is actually 64 Billion and capital budget is 75 Billion.

Is it not curious that Obi suddenly raised the budget and allocated 25 Billion towards contracts administration, when he has the ministries to do that ? You decide.

There is a reason why many states achieve less than 20% of their budgets and it is simply because they like to talk a big game with the hope that they might be able to borrow some money some where along the line.

Based on Anambra's proposed income, a realistic budget should be between 70 and 75 Billion representing actual income and 15 - 25% extra sourced from the capital markets. However, I am sure that Anambra has the ability to raise at least 50Billion IGR if the government consolidated their revenue accounts and collections.

This observation does not apply to Anambra alone.

asha 80: hmm face that article you posted is an eye opener....i just hope abia gets a more competent government to manage its affairs.....are you telling me umuahia going industrial?....i only know of saclux paints....and when is that geometric plant going to start self??..

Geometric started their recruitment exercise last month and they are likely to start soon as I don't expect them to employ people and fold their hands.

Umuahia has always been a semi industrial and commercial area. Remember that Umuahia used to be a major hub for palm oil export and was indeed the main palm oil export hub in W.A and the world by default. That was when traders like John Holt, UAC, Lever brothers were all there. Towards the rear of the old market was the goods shed (Ogbo mmanu or Beach as they called it). The oil market was moved from there and is still in existence. The industries may not have been concentrated in one industrial estate, but Golden Guinea Breweries, STANPOL and Ceramics employed not less than 1000 between them. There was also the soy milk industry near Ubakala. These industries are moribund with the exception of the ceramics, although the governor is disrupting their operations with his quarrels with the Catholic Church.

However, other industries around Umuahia are still functional. Saclux paint is one of those companies operating from Amuzukwu and Ohokobe areas. On the opposite side of the ceramics, inside Ohokobe are two or three factories engaged in Vegetable oil production. Check my welcome to Umuahia pictures and you will see their outline. B-Lux Paints is in Umuahia as well and just off the express way, Okigwe direction is another paint industry. Remember empire carpets. Coming into Umuahia from Obowo, there is another vegetable oil industry on the right in Umuopara. 10 years ago, areas like Macaulay, School Road, Adelabu, Ohafia, Finbars, Bende Roads etc had little or no commercial activities in them but that is not the case today. No one knows what their governor is doing with Abia money.

achi4u: With that good access road,many ppl are shuttling btw Afikpo,ohazara,Uburu, Ivo,Onueke etc to Abakaliki on a daily bases to their place of work with cheap transport fare.

Today those things u are rushing to come and obtain at the state capital is already at ur village.
The three basic thing any town, community or state need most is Road, Water and electricity.
Elechi is dealing with only two: road and water.If the state government can finish that water project they embarked on,then Ebonyi can supply water to their neighboring state.

Very impressive