₦airaland Forum

Chai. my Imo state has gone down the drain. Vote Ihedioha for good governance and development.

barcanista: Who is the "they"? Person buy beer for you with him own money, you de criticize am say him for use the money buy you shoe, instead of show appreciation. Please don't be an ingrate. The Donors weren't elected by Imolites nor was Imo public money spent. It was pure donations.

You have the right to tell your governor what to do, quality education is non negotiable, but criticising him based on this project done by a donor is uncalled for

it is my school so i know what we need more.

barcanista: It is not everything you criticise. Take note of the emboldened

they can at least use that money to invest on the decaying school facilities than building a park. which is better?

we cannot help but push this man out next year so that ihedioha can take over and give us a purposeful leadership.

Governor Okorocha announced this during the commissioning ceremony of N150m Ultra Modern Owunna Recreation Park at the University campus Owerri.

now this is what i call a gov without vision. he went ahead to build recreation park whereas the university itself is a common glorified primary school.

how will our gov pull this off? this is what i call cluelessness, bearing in my that our imo state university is operating from what looks like a makeshift building. the worst state university i have come to know in nigeria.

Okorocha Extends Free Education To Non Indigenes In Imo State University: Announces Absolute Free Education To Students


Determined to give every child in Nigeria access to free and qualitative education, the Imo state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has today, September23, 2014 declared absolute free education to indigenes and non indigenes studying in Imo State University.

Governor Okorocha announced this during the commissioning ceremony of N150m Ultra Modern Owunna Recreation Park at the University campus Owerri.

Owelle Okorocha stressed the need to encourage the present generation to do better than the past generation and urged the students to reciprocate the gesture by imbibing a progressive spirit.

He further called on the school authorities to stop forthwith the collection of N50,000 acceptance fee and warned lecturers against the sale of handouts, while insisting that all books must be sold through the bookshops.

The Governor however pointed out that government will not be involved in certain charges like students’ Identity Cards, medicals, text books and other departmental charges. He therefore appealed to the academic staff to be modest and adhere strictly to the directives.

While promising to elevate the image of the University, Governor Okoroccha urged the students to develop passion for education and advised them to refrain from cultism and indecent dressing especially as the nation is yearning for leaders with good conduct in both learning and character.

He commended the Pro-Chancellor, Mazi Clement Owunna and the University Governing Council for their personal sacrifices made towards the development of the institution.

The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof Uba Nnabue, noted the Imo State University has witnessed remarkable level of infrastructural development within the past three years of the Rescue Mission administration.

He called on the staff and students of the University to support the government in its efforts to promote education in the State.

Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof Ukach Awuzie, stated that the recreation park was constructed and funded by the Pro-Chancellor, Mazi Clement Owunna through his Chief Peter Sunday Owunna Memorial Foundation (CPSOMF) and donated to the institution.

He described the park as the first of its kind in the country tailored to suit the needs of the staff and students alike and commended him for attracting numerous projects to the institution as the chairman of the Governing Council of Imo State University.

Handing over the project, donor and Pro-Chancellor of the Universty, Mazi Clement Owunna said the Board of Trustees of his Foundation conceptualized and developed the Recreation Park which stood to tune of N150m to create an environment that would impact positively on the students staff as well as add dynamism to the University ambience and environment.

He thanked Governor Okorocha for the support given to the University which has translated into the development of physical infrastructural at both the Owerri and Orlu campuses.



Unadike William C

For: SSA Media

Government House Owerri

23rd September, 2014

http://www.channelstv.com/2014/09/24/free-tuition-for-imo-state-university-students/

http://247ureports.com/?p=56416

our gov hijacked nta and ait just to waste our money. we shall boot him out next year.

As an indigene of Imo state, i came into town today to notice that rochas shut down Imo state for his birthday party. My parents told me how he mapped out millions belonging to the state for his needless celebration of his birthday. Now I tuned to NTA, he is already there life.

My question is, why will this man use our money for his birthday celebration? Did we elect him in 2011 for him to be celebrating his birthday every year? Look around the whole state there is little or no government presence. the roads are horrible, the ones he started has been abandoned. Just like Ohakim said last week, Imo state has been taken 50years backward.

VOTE IHEDIOHA FOR A BETTER IMO STATE.

Chief Ikedi Ohakim

Says economy in complete shambles, admits making mistakes

Olawale Olaleye

Former Imo State Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has said that the over three years of his successor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, in office has set the state and her people several years back in terms of development and vision, specifically alluding to an economy he claimed is now in shambles.

Ohakim, who is aspiring to return to office in next year’s governorship election, however admitted to having made mistakes while in office, saying that he has learnt from his mistakes.

While noting that some of the critics of his administration did not exercise sufficient patience and allow his vision to crystalise, Ohakim said: “Now, they have seen the difference. The economy of the state is in complete shambles. In my four years, Imo became a tourist destination. Nearly every seminar or conference facilitator chose Imo as venue.

“The tourism industry in the state began to experience a boom. Hotel occupancy rate rose from less than twenty per cent to over 90 per cent. Total hotel rooms rose from 2,000 in 2007 to 10,000 by the time we left. Real estate value rose to over 300 per cent by 2011. But all that has now crashed.
“We ran a programme that was designed to create jobs. But the administration that took over from us refused to continue from there, thereby denying Imo people the benefits of that collective vision. By so doing, the administration set both the people and the economy several years back. And you will agree with me that nobody can complete a project better than the initiator,” he said.

Regardless of the mistakes of his administration, Ohakim insisted he did very well as governor, given his vision and policy for the development of the state.
“In the four years that we were in office, the economy of the state became very attractive to players in the private sector. At least two airlines were doing two flights each to Imo; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Today, they reluctantly do one late afternoon flight to Abuja and Lagos. That is not good enough for a state that has vibrant social and political elite.”

He therefore contended that “Since I already had in place a framework for building the economy of the state, I think it would be wrong for me to shy away from coming out since the constitution permits me to do that. And like I said, several well-meaning Imolites believe that we should return to take that vision to the next level.

“I know people will abuse Ikedi Ohakim for coming out again but I am prepared to take every abuse because I know I am doing the proper thing by offering my service to my people once again. No doubt, we made mistakes but we have learnt from them.”

He reiterated that “I want to return to put Imo back to work; to put Imo back to the path of economic prosperity. There have been calls by well-meaning citizens of Imo State, who have been worried about the economic loss of abandoning the key projects we started that would have laid a solid foundation for a take-off into sustainable economic growth.

“If you recall, the thrust of my administration was to establish an economy for the state. That was why we went ahead to start some mega projects. But because such things take time to mature, some people did not have the necessary patience. Some of my colleagues who got their second term after 2011 are just completing some of their key projects. Some will not even complete theirs before they leave in May next year.”

On what transpired during his re-election in 2011, Ohakim noted for the records that: “We did not lose the 2011 governorship election. We won that election on April 26, but because there was a conspiracy to stop me by all means, one thing led to the other and there was a supplementary election on May 6, 2011.

“I am sure you have read several accounts of what happened on April 26, when the State Returning Officer refused to admit the results from Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area, which had already been declared at the local government area level and we got over 28,000 votes as against that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which got a little above 3,000 votes.

“You know what happened at the supplementary election. Our party members and supporters were chased away by soldiers using armoured vehicles. I do not want to go into details but all I can say is that I am running to prove that if anybody thought that Ikedi Ohakim had been sent to political oblivion because of what happened in 2011, I am sorry they will be disappointed.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ohakim-okoracha-has-set-imo-many-years-back/189141/

For good and durable insfrastructures vote Ihedioha for governor.

Imo2015: Now, we have no good roads, no electricity, no market and nothing is going on in our place. To make things worse, we are now suffering from insecurity.”

For security of lives and properties vote Ihedioha for governor come 2015. SAY NO to Ojorocha.

Owerri—Christ mothers from Mgbishii, a sleepy rural community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area in Imo State, have cried out to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony Obinna, over alleged attrocities being committed by their sons and daughers in the area.

The women visited Archbishop Obinna at the Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri, where they complained that they were being raped by their own sons on daily basis.

“We are raped and molested by our own children. You cannot come to Mgbuishii and return home safely because of the crime,” the women told Archbishop Obinna.

They further said that they had complained to both the state government and other law enforcement agents but regretted that they were yet to find solutions to the atrocities committed by their children.

They said: “We are angry because government is not looking at our direction at all. We have been completely abandoned for years.

Now, we have no good roads, no electricity, no market and nothing is going on in our place. To make things worse, we are now suffering from insecurity.”

Continuing, the aggrieved women also revealed that their sons take over the roads leading to their community on each of their market days and rob people, adding that this explained why people had stopped coming to buy farm produce from their market.

No Police presence

While lamenting that there is no police presence in the community, the spokes-woman, however, expressed shock that when they report anything to the police, they ultimately found themselves in more trouble as they ended up being molested the more.

“Also, each time we report cases to the police and they manage to send their men at all, the criminals beat them (policemen) up because they (criminals) parade more sophisticated weapons than what the policemen have. We needed police escort to get here (Maria Assumpta Cathedral) and we will also need them to go back home,” the women said.

On lack of social amenities in the area, the spokeswoman said the community had no roads, primary or secondary schools as well as health facilities, adding that they had been completely abandoned by the various tiers of government, even as they pointed out to the Archbishop that most of them were already planning to relocate to safer communities in Rivers State.

“Even the Reverend Father in our place is complaining and threatening to go away. About two weeks ago, some reverend sisters visited our place and were waylaid on the road and robbed. We have a lot of problems and that is why the women have come to complain to the Archbishop, who is our father in the Lord”, the women added.

Responding, Obinna commi-serated with the women over their plight and pleaded with them not to take laws into their hands.

While stressing the need for proper upbringing of children by parents in the fear of the Lord, the cleric, however, recalled some bizarre things that are now happening in the society. He prayed and blessed the women for being courageous enough to bring the sordid happenings to limelight.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/children-rape-us-imo-christian-mothers-cry/

We cannot wait for Ihedioha or any other person to take over from this clueless aboki that is ruling us in this state.

Even in his own State he gets snubbed by his guest. Yet he wants Igbos to join APC. Initially I thought this was a photoshop!

Our new gov in making. PDP must win Imo state.

Says his action shows courage
Amby Uneze

Former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, yesterday declared his interest to vie for the governorship seat of the state in 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying his action is of courage and not of shame to him.

Ohakim, who addressed members of the party and journalists at the state PDP secretariat, affirmed that he was not ashamed to re-contest the position after loosing out to the incumbent, Rochas Okorocha, in 2011.

According to him, “I was tired of responding to the questions posed at me by the people of the state on why I remained silent over re-contesting,” pointing out that he would contest to complete the gigantic projects he started in the state which have been abandoned by the incumbent governor.

"There is no need hiding my joy, this is the month of August, the month of my birth, another good news I have for you is that after completing my consultation, I have offered myself to complete my tenure as the governor of Imo State.

"Some people have made publications that Ohakim forgot something in government house, Ohakim has no shame, yes I am the only person that has no shame and seeking the mandate to go back to the government house to defend the mandate giving to me before with my last blood," he said.

He went on: "The man serving now has one term but I have one more tenure to complete, the next fight would be to fight governor to governor, project to project and mandate to mandate."

He alleged that he left N28. 6 billion for the present administration in a hidden account which he noted has been used on frivolities, building roundabouts and other things not important to the masses.

While acknowledging the support of the present executive members of PDP in the state, he expressed optimism that the party would work in harmony to make his dreams a reality.

"I expressed confidence in the leadership of the party in the state, this executive would complete its tenure under the person they have voted for and the one they have relied on, people have accused of having meetings at aspirants houses, but I assure you that we would have our victory in 2015." Ohakim said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/2015-ohakim-declares-for-imo-governorship/187645/

siraj1402: And someone will open a useless thread saying APC governors is more debited than PDP.mucheeee.

we will support rochas and not because he is in apc

Our new governor in the making. welcome back sir.

Immediate past governor of Imo state, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has declared to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state, stating that his ambition is to complete the laudable projects, programmes initiated by his administration between 2007 and 2011.

Ohakim, who lamented what he described as maladministration of Imo state by the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha, said the level of unemployment his administration curtailed by massive employment scheme has risen beyond proportionate level due to the politically-motivated sack of over 4,000 civil servants by the current administration.

Ohakim, who said he has put behind him issues and circumstances that led to his defeat in the 2011 governorship election, stressed that life is not about falling, but be able to rise again. According to him, “the character of a man is judged by his ability to rebound from adversity and turn it into advancement. If certain things in life work out for us effortlessly, it does not mean that life is without difficulties. All heroes are those who surmount difficulties’.

With this in mind, he said he has decided to contest the 2015 governorship election in Imo state on the platform of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), explaining that one of the basic reasons for him to contest is to implement his programmes and projects that have been ‘bastardised’ by the current administration in the state.

One of the programmes which he initiated but was allegedly bastardised by the Okorocha’s administration, he said, is the drive to provide employment for the vast army of unemployed youths in the state.

The former governor explained that as a policy, Imo past administrations had placed embargo in the state for over 18 years and that to address this, he contacted a consulting firm, KPMG to help in the recruitment of the unemployed youths.

Before this, he said in the schools, especially in the primary and secondary schools, there is a ratio of 189 pupils to a teacher and that the average retiring age of civil servants in the state was 58 years coupled with the fact that most of the civil servants kept changing their age to enable them remain in the job. But on assumption of office in 2007, he employed KPMG to address the growing question of unemployment in the state.

According to Ohakim, “the consultant, the KPMG came up with its report that there are over 700,000 applicants in the state civil service to compete for only ten thousand vacancies”, explaining that the objective of getting a consulting firm like KPMG was to enthrone transparency in the recruitment exercise.

He explained that, due to the transparent recruitment exercise by the KPMG, only 8,000 applicants were successful, but the criteria had to be lowered to enable additional 2000 applicants to qualify. In this, he said 5,000 teachers (75 per cent of these were science-based teachers) were employed with over 250 judiciary officers.

In Imo state, THISDAY gathered that the following aspirants are jostling to contest for the 2015 governorship election in the state. They include the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Chris Anyanwu, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN).

All of them would be contesting on the platform of the PDP. The former Minister of Internal Affairs, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, would be contesting on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha, would be contesting on the platform of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ohakim-joins-imo-guber-race/187163/