onuman:


How did you come with that?

Federal allocations to the 27 LGAs of Imo state have been funneled to building boulevards, flyovers, tunnels, underground park, etc in Owerri since 2011, while you ignorantly chase shadows. Left with poverty in your LGAs outside Owerri area, you are left with migrating to live in Owerri.

It’s like natives of Owerri whose area with landed properties appreciating tremendously and becoming stupendously rich, have taken out the grey matters from the skulls of many of you people.

Keep ranting from Junction to Junction.

pinkgoodies:


Keep ranting from Junction to Junction.

Loads of people from your state need to be freed from bondage of “state capital must be developed to international standard first.”
Except one Prof Obiareri from Okigwe who bitterly lamented last year that if the federal allocations to Okigwe LGA since 8 years were used for development of Okigwe, the town must have seen tremendous development, many of you in Imo have been duped by the smarter ones into believing that state was created for development of only state capital.

onuman:


The same foolish idea you have against development of other urban areas in Imo state outside Owerri is what keeps your Oguta you grade as rural area unattended to by IMSG.
Develop more sense.

Oga go and rest small na, we don hear u o, even music way them put on repeat mode no go sound as stupid and foolish as u de sound.

onuman:


How did you come with that?

Federal allocations to the 27 LGAs of Imo state have been funneled to building boulevards, flyovers, tunnels, underground park, etc in Owerri since 2011, while you ignorantly chase shadows. Left with poverty in your LGAs outside Owerri area, you are left with migrating to live in Owerri.

It’s like natives of Owerri whose area with landed properties appreciating tremendously and becoming stupendously rich, have taken out the grey matters from the skulls of many of you people.

U must be such a shameless human being, ur useless cry here will not change anything. Seriously u are the one without grey matter.

rtdCivilservant:

U must be such a shameless human being, ur useless cry here will not change anything. Seriously u are the one without grey matter.

Imo will change, perhaps , adversely affect your brothel business in the state capital.
Opinion leaders and informed minds in Imo are already kicking against the dubious practice of “build Owerri state capital first..”
Opponents are people like you with brothel businesses in Owerri. You have been abusing here with many monikers against talk about modern development institutions and amenities getting extended beyond Owerri side.

onuman:


Imo will change, perhaps , adversely affect your brothel business in the state capital.
Opinion leaders and informed minds in Imo are already kicking against the dubious practice of “build Owerri state capital first..”
Opponents are people like you with brothel businesses in Owerri. You have been abusing here with many monikers against talk about modern development institutions and amenities getting extended beyond Owerri side.

are you from imo state at all ?

huncho22:
are you from imo state at all ?

I have business in all parts of Imo state since the late 1980s. In the last 10 years, the businesses in Okigwe and Orlu have gone too down due to population exit from Okigwe and Orlu to Owerri.

What choice have I other than closing the businesses in Okigwe and Orlu, and move them to Owerri, even to the once remote villages near Owerri but now thickly populated, as politicians struggle for acquisition of lands and landed properties in Owerri area for which they extend roads and other urban infrastructures to these once remote villages near Owerri city, but callously ignore the rest of the state?

Drains been constructed at Imo international investment center road to ease flooding along the road.

I love the structures in the background

onuman:


I have business in all parts of Imo state since the late 1980s. In the last 10 years, the businesses in Okigwe and Orlu have gone too down due to population exit from Okigwe and Orlu to Owerri.

What choice have I other than closing the businesses in Okigwe and Orlu, and move them to Owerri, even to the once remote villages near Owerri but now thickly populated, as politicians struggle for acquisition of lands and landed properties in Owerri area for which they extend roads and other urban infrastructures to these once remote villages near Owerri city, but callously ignore the rest of the state?

That means u are an old man, and u come hear to rant like a baby. It is obvious that u have been crying all just for ur selfish interest.

I wish I'm governor of IMO state, I will.turn that stream that is behind mbari kitchen near warehouse roundabout to tourist site ,but our leaders are so myopic after travelling to Europe yet they don't learn anything. what they are after is allocation nothing more it pain me anytime I passed that bridge

sanctity454:
Drains been constructed at Imo international investment center road to ease flooding along the road.

I love the structures in the background

. Hotels ohhh

rtdCivilservant:

That means u are an old man, and u come hear to rant like a baby. It is obvious that u have been crying all just for ur selfish interest.

. Leave that man he's a big liar

rtdCivilservant:

That means u are an old man, and u come hear to rant like a baby. It is obvious that u have been crying all just for ur selfish interest.

In other words, my desire for your governors to open up other cities in Imo state to attract investors is because of my selfishness?
Verily, those from Owerri area solely profiting from that Imo state have taken out the grey matter in the skulls of many of you in Imo state who are not from Owerri area.

Come to neighborhood Anambra or Abia or Enugu or Delta state to see multiple cities developing alongside the state capital.

Drone views of chukwuma Nwoha road

sanctity454:
Drone views of chukwuma Nwoha road

trees have to be planted on the right side of the last 2 pics and left side of the first pic

asha80:
trees have to be planted on the right side of the last 2 pics and right side of the first pic

I agree totally

IMSG visit world bank road by yaradua drive with reconstruction

onuman:


In other words, my desire for your governors to open up other cities in Imo state to attract investors is because of my selfishness?
Verily, those from Owerri area solely profiting from that Imo state have taken out the grey matter in the skulls of many of you in Imo state who are not from Owerri area.

Come to neighborhood Anambra or Abia or Enugu or Delta state to see multiple cities developing alongside the state capital.

Stop ranting oga, u talk as if all those places u mentioned are not in Nigeria, are they not all same places we all know? My dear, no where in Nigeria is even befitting to brag about, we only just talk about this things in relation to our own little Nigerian standard, so stop calling those places, as though there are any special thing going on there. I am done replying u, carry ur frustration to somewhere else.

It is bad that this beautiful road does not have side walks. This has made pedestrians to unsafely share the road with motorist.

Imo State government should do well to provide side walks on all roads to ensure road safety and beauty.

sanctity454:
Drone views of chukwuma Nwoha road

RareDiamonds:
It is bad that this beautiful road does not have side walks. This has made pedestrians to unsafely share the road with motorist.

Imo State government should do well to provide side walks on all roads to ensure road safety and beauty.

I have been hammering on it on official IMSG pages, I pray the second phase of urban renewal project incorporate it.

anselem87:
I wish I'm governor of IMO state, I will.turn that stream that is behind mbari kitchen near warehouse roundabout to tourist site ,but our leaders are so myopic after travelling to Europe yet they don't learn anything. what they are after is allocation nothing more it pain me anytime I passed that bridge

I have same sentiments about that river! I saw it in a pic flowing through Owerri and it reminded me of the Thames in London or the Seine in Paris.

anselem87:
I wish I'm governor of IMO state, I will.turn that stream that is behind mbari kitchen near warehouse roundabout to tourist site ,but our leaders are so myopic after travelling to Europe yet they don't learn anything. what they are after is allocation nothing more it pain me anytime I passed that bridge

Very sad indeed
If we are to study a course on BLACK LEADERSHIP, we may not graduate in 15years

Jman24:



Very sad indeed
If we are to study a course on BLACK LEADERSHIP, we may not graduate in 15years

Until our politics becomes unlucrative, only grab it all politicians will be elected.
That's the sad reality

sanctity454:

Until our politics becomes unlucrative, only grab it all politicians will be elected.
That's the sad reality

well it seems that owerri okigwe Rd isn't going to be dualized

asha80:
well it seems that owerri okigwe Rd isn't going to be dualized

The governor himself said it was going to be dualized when the contractor is fully mobilized in this new month. It was initially planned to be a single carriage way.
So let's give him a benefit of doubt.

sanctity454:

The governor himself said it was going to be dualized when the contractor is fully mobilized in this new month. It was initially planned to be a single carriage way.
So let's give him a benefit of doubt.

that statement from governor if I remember well was 'dual lanes' not 'dualized or double carriage'..not necessarily the same thing

asha80:
that statement from governor if I remember well was 'dual lanes' not 'dualized or double carriage'..not necessarily the same thing

Like I said earlier let's give him a benefit of doubt

Hope is doing well.....

But please Owerri does not deserve roads with OPEN GUTTERS!!!!

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

IMO STATE WATER & SEWERAGE CORPORATION

▪Excavation of 200m dia/ 100mm upvc Water pipeline extension at Ugochinyere Street ,off Onitsha Road and to Nigeria Bottling Company plant.

▪Ongoing replacement of pipe network along Onitsha road and adjoining streets to stop wastage of treated water within the area

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

Imo State Investment Promotion Agency ( ISIPA)

On February 18th, 2021, Imo State Investment promotion Agency in collaboration with WalterSmith and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Convened an International Workshop to sensitise IMO State stakeholders about a planned project Development in Ohaji Egbema at the Rockview Hotel, Owerri Imo State

The welcoming remark was delivered by Dr. Jude Nzeako of ISIPA who acted as the host and moderator. The workshop was very interactive. In attendance were selected members of top government appointees and heads of Agencies.

Dr. Jude Nzeako welcomed honored guests and participants on behalf of the State Government at the opening session of the workshop and thanked UNIDO and Waltersmith for their interest in IMO State for their investment.
He further remarked that “Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma Governor of Imo State has since assumption of Office encouraged the setting up of a One Stop Service Center (OSSC) in Imo State after realizing that nothing of such has been done in the last ten years of the establishment of Imo State Investment Promotion Agency”.

This the Director General said, is done with the desire to improve the ease of doing business in IMO State while affirming that His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodimma has been giving tremendous support to the Agency to make progress in the establishment of a one Stop Shop Service Center which has representatives from the Ministries and parastatals that have direct responsibility of issuing permits and licenses.

Distinguished speakers at the session includes Hon. Simon Egbebulem, Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Owerri; Dr. IK.V. Njoku, Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Environment, Owerri, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, Chairman WalterSmith Petroman Oil Limited, Mr. Jean Bakole’, Director and UNIDO Representative.

Mr. Ayokunle Okusaya, Chief Investment Officer, Mr Stefan Kratzsch the industrial development officer of UNIDO joined the workshop virtually. In his speech, he expressed joy with the information from DG ISIPA that Imo State is taking steps to improve ease of doing business.
Professor Arthur Essagrah the UNIDO local project coordinator co-managed the second session with Dr Jude Nzeako.

WalterSmith Petroman Oil Limited gave an Overview of the WalterSmith and Innovation Park Project which will stimulate and attract industries to co-locate, locate and relocate to the proposed park when developed.

The Director General has a strong conviction that the interaction in the workshop will provide helpful views towards the realization of the proposed Industrial and Innovation Park which will benefit the State with an Industrial Park and Export processing Zone with guaranteed uninterrupted power supply, quality Infrastructure and round the clock security.

In conclusion from the interactive session; all the stakeholders from IMO state expressed hope and joy for the project. Many industrialist in attendance such as Engineer Nwagwu Ifeanyi expressed his readiness to relocate one of his industries to the industrial park. He can’t wait he said.

Signed
Dr. Timothy Ihemadu
(Head of Media ISIPA)
08066124905

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT.

ISSUES SURROUNDING OIL AND GAS MATTERS IN IMO STATE

RT. HON. GOODLUCK NANA OPIAH, SPECIAL ADVISER AND COORDINATOR, OIL AND GAS MATTERS SPEAKS.

*WITH THE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT EXERCISE, IMO HAS RECOVERED LOST OIL WELLS FROM RIVERS – OPIAH*

*...WHY OIL COMPANIES MUST DEVELOP HOST COMMUNITIES IN IMO*

The Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nanah Opiah, former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly and former member of the House of Representatives for Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West Federal Constituency, and now SA/Coordinator Petroleum and Gas Matters to Governor Hope Uzodimma, has assured that with the concluded boundary adjustment exercise by the National Boundary Commission and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, Imo State has recovered lost oil wells from Rivers State. He disclosed this in a recent interview with some journalists in Owerri, assuring that the oil companies in the State now have a directive from the Governor to develop their host communities, even as he also assured that the State would do all it takes to combat the menace of illegal oil bunkering, among other issues. Excerpts:

*For the purpose of this interview. Could you please introduce yourself?*

My name is Goodluck Nanah Opiah, former Speaker Imo State House of Assembly and former member of the Federal House of Representatives for Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West Federal Constituency. I am the SA/Coordinator Petroleum and Gas Matters to the Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma.

*For some time now the Imo State Petroleum Development Company has been in the news. Could you update us on what the company?*

The Imo Petroleum Development Company Ltd is a Government owned oil company incorporated in 1999 by the Udenwa administration, but it wasn’t made use of until Ikedi Ohakim came on board in 2007 and tried to use the company in partnership with the Oak Company from the US to float the Oak Refinery in the State. That process was aborted because of the end of tenure of Ikedi Ohakim in 2011. So, the company had been there. Rochas Okorocha came on board but did not deem it necessary to make use of the company until Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma came on board last year and dusted up the company and increased its share capital base to N500M, from N10M it used to be. Governor Uzodimma made the company available for use when the NNPC through the DPR advertised marginal fields for Nigerian and other investors to apply. So Imo State, through the Imo Petroleum Development Company applied for the marginal fields and went through all the rigorous processes and came out successful. Today, Imo State is the owner of Ihioma Marginal Field here in Imo State. The Imo Petroleum Development Company has come alive. We have the final award letter from the DPR and we are ready to pay the final bonus which is about the last commitment on the part of the Government before we can go into operation. So, Imo Petroleum Development Company is the property of the State and it is ready to go into full operations.

*Prior to the coming of the Uzodimma Government and your subsequent appointment, oil producing communities had unfriendly relationships with the oil producing companies. What is the situation now, especially with regard to writing new GMOU and the development of the oil producing communities?*

The administration of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma has opened a new vista for the oil companies and the host communities. It is very unfortunate that oil producing companies in Imo never had their fair share of development, either from the Government or the oil producing companies until now. The mandate we have in the Petroleum and Gas Bureau from the Governor is to ensure there is a conducive environment for the oil companies to operate and that the oil companies in return begin to develop the host communities where they operate. We have started with some communities where the oil companies were unable to even have a GMOU with the communities. We started with Sterling Global, an Indian company that started operating in the State about 2007 in three host communities. They are in Umukpo Agwa, Umuofeke Agwa and Mgbala Agwa, all in Oguta LGA. There has not been the presence of the oil company in terms of community development in the host communities. What we did was to start developing new GMOU for the host communities and the oil company. The oil company is expanding to communities in Ohaji-Egbema such as Obiti and Ihie and we are taking them up one by one. Same applies to Seplat, Adax and the rest of them. The administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma is poised to ensuring that oil producing communities are developed by the oil producing companies because the hazards of oil exploration and exploitation is high, and one way or the other they must try to cushion the effects of the hazards through development, in terms of employment for the teaming population of youths in the area and providing social amenities and other physical infrastructures. Government is quite determined to ensure that these things are achieved and at the same the oil companies have harmonious relationship with the host communities to enable them operate without hindrance.

*Still on the Ihioma Marginal Oil Field the Government acquired recently, who is going to be the operator? Is the Government going into partnership with other companies to operate the oil well?*

Definitely we are going to go into partnerships with other operators. We are not going to do it alone. At the moment we do not have all the technical knowhow to go into oil production. It is obvious we are going to go into partnerships with other investors. But that is not to say that the Government cannot operate the company on its own. Ordinarily we would want to operate the company on our own to demonstrate that a government can operate an oil company and make profits for the people and change the narrative. The general belief is that government is not a good businessman, but with the capacity of a governor like Hope Uzodimma, Imo can run a successful business especially in the oil and gas sector and come up with profits and other benefits for Imo people. But we have to go into partnerships with other people to make the business more efficient and more profit oriented.

*Can you throw more light on the shareholding of the oil company?*

When the Imo Petroleum Development Company Ltd was established in 1999 it had a share capital of N10M. When Dr. Ikedi Ohakim wanted to make it operational with the Oak Refinery initiative he increased the share capital to N100M. It was from there that the Shared Prosperity Government increased the share capital to N500M. The shares are wholly owned by the State Government.

*There have been new investments in the oil and gas sector in the since the coming of the Uzodimma administration. We have seen the refinery owned by Waltersmith and there is also a gas project in Ohaji-Egbema. What is the magic?*

Well, like I said, every government has its own wisdom, or lack of it. The Shared Prosperity Government of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma came on board with a lot of capacity in terms of experience from both the private sector and the public sector. He was a key player in the oil and gas sector even before he ventured into politics. He has brought his experience in the private and public sectors to bear in the running of the affairs of Imo State. The private refinery owned by Waltersmith didn’t come by chance but by the complete support and active government’s involvement in terms of creating the enabling environment and community/oil company peaceful relations. The refinery remains an uncommon initiative. It is uncommon because the idea behind the refinery is to reduce the losses the oil company usually incurred through bunkering activities by hoodlums along the production line from point of production to point of sale at Bonny Terminal. The idea is to produce the crude oil and refine it here rather than selling the crude oil. It works. Right now the company is in need of more crude oil to refine because they are expanding their production beyond their own capacity to use crude oil. In a nutshell, that refinery has clear support of the Government to ensure its takeoff, and it is already operational. Apart from the refinery project by Waltersmith, other oil companies are thinking out of the box now. Waltersmith is already planning to go into partnership with other oil companies to install more oil refineries in Imo. Imo has become a major basin for economic development especially in the oil and gas sector. The infrastructure development of Imo, particularly in Ohaji-Egbema LGA, is also going to be beefed up. Right now the point between the refinery and Port-harcourt/Owerri Express Road is being planned for dualizition to cater for the increased traffic, especially trucks that would lift oil from Awara/Obile, where the refinery is located, to Umuapu and to Port-harcourt or wherever they want to. There is so much going on, in addition to the gas exploration that is about to begin, that is the Assa Gas Plant, the biggest gas find in the West African Sub-region. Seplat, Shell and the NNPC are in partnership to develop the infrastructure, and between now and next year the gas exploration activity will be in full gear. Government has the intention of ensuring that Imo State gets her fair share in the development. We are proposing an industrial cluster around Ohaji-Egbema LGA where investors would set up oil and gas related industries. This no doubt will lead to increased industrial activities in Imo State. Government is really working hand in glove with the oil companies and now fully involved in the oil and gas sector. I am hopeful that Imo will be better for it.

*You talked about illegal oil bunkering. I recall that last year a community in Ohaji-Egbema had serious problem with one oil company in your area where a security man escorting the crude oil was alleged to have shot one of the natives…*

I am sure you are mixing up things. There was a development between Sterling Global and one community in Ohaji-Egbema last year. Sterling Global does not have oil pipeline at the moment and so they do not transport their crude through the pipeline from the point of production to somewhere around the Ndoni area to the bank of River Niger from where they ship their crude to wherever. It was in the process of that trucking – the trucks are in good number, between 20 and 30 in a day – and they move in a convoy, escorted by armed policemen or soldiers – that the problem ensued. From time to time they have had issues with the natives along the area where they pass by resulting in loss of lives. We have handled the cases to the satisfaction of the oil producing companies and the communities involved. But that is not the type of bunkering we are talking about. You cannot call it bunkering. If at all it is bunkering it is official bunkering because the NNPC is fully aware of what they are doing. We are not in support of trucking because it has a lot of negative impacts on the environment. It is an unfriendly form of transporting crude. It is obsolete and not acceptable to us. We have encouraged Sterling Global to as a matter of urgency develop its own pipeline so that they can transport their crude oil through the pipeline and reduce the negative impacts, including destruction of our roads. Our roads were not built to carry heavy trucks such as the ones owned by Sterling Global. We don’t find it funny anymore.

On the other hand, there is high level of illegal bunkering activity going on in the Niger Delta region generally. We are in liaison with the oil companies battling the illegal bunkering activities. There are illegal refineries going on everywhere and it is not in our interest as Government to allow that kind of activity because it has negative impact on the production level of the State. Our 13% Derivation Fund depends on the quantity of crude oil we produce. If we allow illegal oil bunkerers to reduce our production level it would diminish our resources coming from the Federation Account. And so we have in place an anti-bunkering Committee set up in the communities where the illegal bunkering activities take place. It has not been an easy war. The people engaging in oil bunkering are criminals and some of them are deadly. But with the help of the army and the police we have carried on with the war. A lot of the illegal refineries established by the illegal oil bunkerers have been destroyed. But the problem is that as you destroy one illegal refinery another one is being set up elsewhere. By and large, it is going to be controlled. Arrests are made and some people are being prosecuted from time to time. We will do anything legally possible to combat the activities of illegal oil bunkerers to bring that illegal business to an end. I thank the Governor for approving the setting up of the anti-bunkering Committee. From time to time you could find some misfits who may want to connive with the illegal oil bunkerers and we fish them out and make changes where necessary. We intend to embark on a sensitization programme in the oil producing communities.

*Recently we read in the media about the boundary adjustment exercise embarked upon by the Office of the Surveyor General and the National Boundary Commission between Imo and Rivers. Can you give us update on the exercise?*

One of the problems we have had in Imo had been the State being shortchanged by neighbouring states in terms of our oil wells being credited to them. The past administrations in the State didn’t have the will and capacity to combat that situation until Senator Uzodimma came on board in January 2020. From the beginning he took up the challenge to recover all our oil wells that were ceded to neighbouring States, especially Rivers. He wrote to the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation. Meetings were held between Imo State, Rivers State, Office of the Surveyor General and the National Boundary Commission in Abuja and agreement was reached for the Commission to conduct physical definition and demarcation of the boundaries between Imo and Rivers. That exercise lasted for about four months, from November 2020 to February 2021. The boundaries between Imo and Rivers have been properly defined and cuts across a distance of about 123 kilometers, running from Oguta LGA, in the area an oil company designated as Akri, to Ohaji-Egbeme to Owerri West and Ngor-Okpala. These are the four local government areas that share boundaries with Rivers State. I can say with near sense of certainty that the boundary adjustment would have succeeded in given back to Imo the oil wells that hitherto were ceded to Rivers State. This is a sure source of increased revenue to the State. I congratulate His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma for all his bold steps. I thank God for giving him the will and sagacity to push for things like this. In a nutshell, the boundary adjustment programme has been completed and the National Boundary Commission and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation have submitted their reports and they are being analyzed with a view to ensuring that the wrongs are righted.

*The Rt. Honourable, we cannot end this interview without a spice of politics. We heard that you will be running for Senate for Orlu Zone in 2023.*

No doubt, I am a politician but not an ambitious one. In my business of politics I don’t do long race. I am not old yet and I cannot rule out the possibility of running for an election. As it is, I have not made up my mind to run for any election in 2023 - be it the Senate, House of Reps or even the State Assembly. What you said remains in the realm of speculation. I am more concerned about making my contributions to ensure that the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma becomes a success, which it is already becoming. Such support as I just mentioned, that our lost oil wells are being recovered and we have increased revenue; we now have the Imo Petroleum Development Company Ltd and we now also have harmonious relationship between the oil producing companies and the host communities. We also have a new directive that oil companies should begin to develop their host communities and economic development springing up and Imo becoming an industrial hub in the oil and gas sector. When it is time for politics we would sit down as a family under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma and agree on what goes where and who goes for what. That is my belief and what I think is the best thing to do.

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

IMO STATE WATER SECTOR PARTNERSHIP: (Things to know)

Imo to participate in the World Bank supported Nigerian Sustainable Urban & Rural Water Sanitation Hygiene project

Partnership between Imo State, the Federal Government and Development Partners are guided by the provisions of the National Water Policy of 2000 and the Imo State Water Policy of 2019.

For any sustainable partnership, the Federal Government of Nigeria funding arrangement is 30% FGN and 70% State Government.

On Friday 26th March 2019 officials of Imo State Government led by the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Water Resources and officials of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources led by the MD Anambra Imo River Basin Development Authority held a meeting on Rehabilitation/Completion of the Inyishi dam project for water supply to communities in ikeduru LGA.

The funding arrangement is FGN 30% and IMSG 70% in line with the National Water & Sanitation Policy .

Then on USAID funded E-WASH program in Imo please see below page 19 of the 61 page Service Improvement Plan *SIP* developed by USAID and Imo State Government before commencement of the partnership.

USAID funded Ewash program is a milestone driven support. The benefitting State must therefore progressively achieve certain milestones to qualify for USAID commensurate investment .

In the SIP, while USAID committed to invest N1.05 billion in infrastructural improvement of the Owerri Regional Water Scheme, the Imo State Government must invest N1.34billion.

It was the shared prosperity government of Senator Hope Uzodimma that showed commitment by first signing the MOU with USAID last October and commenced achievement of the agreed milestones through investment in the sector.

USAID funded Ewash executes their aspect of the SIP directly so there's no cash transfer. The State investment is verified by an independent USAID verifier.

The main thrust of USAID funded Ewash program is actually capacity building of State Water Corporations and preparing them for major Development Partners investment in the sector. Through the support of the USAID funded Ewash, Imo State today has a Water Policy and a WASH law after more than 40 years of it's creation.

And the Imo State Water & Sewerage Corporation through their support has developed the following policies & documents; GESI policy, Sexual Harassment & Prevention Policy, Water Metering Policy, Water Connection Policy, Women in WASH Policy, Customer Charter, Organizational Development Policy, Corporatization Policy, Financial Management policy, Integrated Enterprise Resource Planning System, 5 year Business Plan, a Statewide WASH sector Investment Master Plan, Corporate Philosophy & Corporate Culture document etc.

The Corporation's new Head office complex is fully solar powered and networked while customer enumeration & tariff studies has been carried out in Owerri, Orlu, Okigwe and Ekenguru in partnership with FGN/WorldBank and USAID funded Ewash program.

These policies and capacity building placed Imo State in good standing to attract major Development Partners investment in the WASH sector which happened last in 1996.

The commitment of His Excellency, Governor Uzodimma is acknowledged by Development agencies including the World Bank, USAID and French Development Bank.

Today Imo State is one of the 7 states in Nigeria selected as *Tier 1 states* to participate in the World Bank supported Nigerian Sustainable Urban & Rural Water Sanitation Hygiene project *SURWASH* 2.

Specifically on the ongoing FGN/World Bank funded 3rd National Urban Water Sector Reform project in Ekenguru & Orlu. Imo state was included in this program which started in 2015 as Tier 3 state in 2018 but could not pay the counterpart contribution and commit to paying all taxes(5% tax & 7.5% VAT) until last July when His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma paid the counterpart fund and committed to paying all taxes.

The project could not therefore commence in Imo State until last September 2020 with the head office complex. The World Bank supported 3rd National Urban Water Sector Reform Project is regrettably drawing to a close by 31st day of March 2021.

There are no free partnership whether with FGN or Development Partners.

NOTE: The Service Improvement Plan and other information on the Imo State Water & Sewerage Corporation and the WASH sector in the State is available on website http://www.iswsc.org.ng

You can connect with Imo Water by clicking on: imoconnectwithwash.com

These are very interactive and informative sites.

#ImoStatePublicEnlightenment