Imo state people are lousy and have lost interest in their state, if not tell me why they should not question their govt why this substandard flyover was abandoned, despite massive debt hanging on Imo state.

Owerri is a pure village. Imolites should wake up and vote out bad leaders like Okorocha.

Abagworo come and explain this to us

All they do here is chestbeating with nothing to show.

Owerri still remain a complete backward village filled with bad roads and filth after 40 yrs of creation.

Abagworo over to you

with all the hype and noise from rochas, owerri is still an eyesore. we need a change of government to get things right in imo state

whaat

New Pedestrian bridge at Alvan gate, Orlu road.

Another shabby project just like the flyover they are decorating while its collapsing.

Abagworo your propaganda ends soon because a new government is taking over to start fixing the mess left by Okorocha, which will likely take decades to fix.

Abagworo:
New Pedestrian bridge at Alvan gate, Orlu road.

Wetheral road by Cherubim junction.

LOL This is the same substandard chaotic wetheral road laid bare, the same 3 meters long road you usually post when they ask you to show us what Okoro did in Imo state. Look at how shabby and substandard the road is. The whole road and gutter filled with sand. Look at the background and see a town dilapidated with old houses and rustic brown roofs filled with poor residents. The best road in Imo state. Abagworo your propaganda will end soon.

Abagworo:
Wetheral road by Cherubim junction.

Asshurbanipali:
LOL This is the same substandard chaotic wetheral road laid bare, the same 3 meters long road you usually post when they ask you to show us what Okoro did in Imo state. Look at how shabby and substandard the road is. The whole road and gutter filled with sand. Look at the background and see a town dilapidated with old houses and rustic brown roofs filled with poor residents. The best road in Imo state. Abagworo your propaganda will end soon.

Man once in a while, act like an adult. Not everything is child’s play. Biko

what is this one yapping?

Ozibe:



Man once in a while, act like an adult. Not everything is child’s play. Biko

ngoxievergreen:
with all the hype and noise from rochas, owerri is still an eyesore. we need a change of government to get things right in imo state

Come, this Owerri, is it Imo state?
99% discussion/photos here since 2012 is on Owerri.
I go to Anambra thread, it's about discourse/photos of governor Obiano's developments in O'sha, Ogidi, Awka, Nnewi, Ihialla, etc.
I go to Enugu threads, recently, Ugwuanyi photos of development in Nsukka are competing with those of Enugu.
Same for other eastern Nigeria states.

Is Imo governor an heeediot, that he reduced a whole state to one location in the state?

Aerial view of Iceclub Owerri and developing area of Uratta in Owerri North.

Lol..Imo state is a totally failed state. When focused states are attracting big time investors to invest in real sectors, imo state is setting up and showing beer parlors as if it doesn't exist in other states with industrial presence.

Okoroawusa had the rare opportunity of creating jobs by creating enabling environment for big time establishments and agro processing industries to invest in the state but he failed completely in his 8yrs to achieve anything meaningful.

Abagworo:
Aerial view of Iceclub Owerri and developing area of Uratta in Owerri North.

Okigwe shopping mall nearing completion

Javierleon:
Okigwe shopping mall nearing completion

Wow... nice one

SoNature:


Uncle, with regard to this statement, I beg to differ. Nigerians pay income taxes. Yes, I know for certain because I've worked in well-established organizations. The challenge we have with tax collection include non-remittance, tax evasion, tax avoidance, etc. But that doesn't in anyway mean that nobody pays taxes in Nigeria. Yes, I once managed a company where the staffers paid PAYE taxes, and we also paid corporate taxes. So, don't tell me that we don't pay taxes.

You may argue that we are not heavily taxed as obtained elsewhere in the world, and I will agree. Come to think of it, why would any government be heavily taxing her people where over 70% of the people (according to CNNMoney) live in abject poverty?

What's more? In advanced countries, governments tax differs from country to country. And a new government can come in and change the tax structure, just like the tax debate is on in the US now. Again, Nigerians pay taxes but taxes are not vigorously pursued in Nigeria because of oil.

It might interest you to know that FIRS is the second richest government parastatal in Nigeria after the ministry of petroleum. So, if Nigerians don't pay taxes where does the money come from?

Uncle, you can argue all you want, but when businesses are heavily taxed, they will move. That's the way the cookie crumbles. Finally, many state governments give companies tax holidays in Nigeria just so they move to their states and create jobs. And yes, those are the states they would move to.

You are so so correct, taxes are deducted from my salary each month, and remitted to the government. After some times, one is given a tax clearance certificate or something like that sha (Note that this is in Lagos o... And its needed when you want to have any dealing with the state government).

Also, the organization pays tax to the government aside land use charge and other charges from the Lagos state governmenr

Ofuzo:


Check the second paragraph of my post. I've lived both in nigeria and the US and I know very well that nigerians absolutely don't pay any taxes on those things I listed. They don't pay any taxes when they buy food, buy fuel, buy airtime, pay nepa electric bill, buy cars, buy furniture, or buy any of those things I listed on my second paragraph. You can go back and reread it.

As for PAYE tax and other taxes you listed? Well, the percentage of that to the general eligible nigerian tax payers is probably less than 1%. Millions and millions and millions of nigerians receive their salaries without any deductions for taxes. Millions and millions and millions of others are not captured in the tax net. It's impossible to capture millions and millions of hawkers, roadside and street traders, attachment traders and the likes. If you go back several pages of this thread and the enugu thread on nairaland, I highlighted exactly this nigerian 5 tier commercial activities of hawkers roadside and street traders, attachment traders and ndi oso ahia traders, and how it's possible for localities to collect taxes. I suggested that the state should collect property taxes and the cities to collect sales taxes.

Millions of nigerians earn their money on the street. When I went to the bank for my BVN, the person who took my passport picture was operating on the street. When I accompinied my nephew to get his marriage certificate, the person who took the picture of the ceremony was on the street. There are 100,000 people selling exactly the same things on every street corner of every nigerian city. 100,000 people selling spare parts. 100,000 people selling electrical parts, 100,000 people selling in mini supermarket. This is gross. To capture people in a tax dragnet, you must formalize the informal sector.

I understand your argument Sir, but will you mind shedding more light on your last statement, please

*To capture people in a tax dragnet, you must FORMALIZE THE INFORMAL SECTOR*.... N how can it be done?

arinzeejikonye:
More.

Are these online pictures or did they allow u go in and snap?

I Love Imo State.

Asshurbanipali:
What's this one smoking? Owerri is known for commercial sex hawking and brothels. Owerre is the only town in Africa where parents train their children to become sex hawkers. Owerri is the only town where you can find very cheap commercial sex hawkers because they are many all over the town. I wish the Imo state govt could develop more brothels in the town, so that more commercial sex hawkers could be engaged and thereby Improving the IGR of the state. Imo state should consolidate on its economic mainstay which is commercial sex hawking.


[s][/s]

Just for arguments sake...Only town where u can find cheap commercial sex hawkers?

I doubt... U definitely haven't visited Benue and Nasarawa

Just for talks sake Sir. Apologies n I don't expect a reply PLEASE

kikake:



But as Owerri people continue to make concerted efforts for every succeeding governor of Imo state to focus only on development of Owerri, time shall come very soon when Owerri shall become an unlivable City. Fraud begets fraud.

Owerri has to learn from Enugu state. Nsukka is now a second modern city in Enugu state by gov Ugwuanyi.

Not just Ugwuanyi, d fine boy governor started the process by constructing a new road from Opi to Enugu town. Road was constructed by Arab contractors and was always a beauty to behold while driving through cos it passed through hills and lush environment.

Ugwuanyi is from Nsukka, so its expected he does well for his people. Same thing Chime did in UDI and same thing Ambode did in Epe

lilfreezy:
Hey guys I like the good work you guys are doing in this thread. Biko I don't mean to derail the thread, I just want a quick response to an important question. My mom wants to relocate to owerri from Lagos and we and looking for a wonderful environment to live in. Taken into consideration SECURITY, ELECTRICITY, GOOD ROADS, and BEAUTIFUL SITE. NO STUDENT ENVIRONMENT & NO HOTEL proximity please. folks residing in owerri can help me out with locations where i can get such in owerri. I'm seeing beautiful house via jiji but I'm not sure if every other thing falls into play.

Thanks guys as I wait for your quoted recommendations.

No student environment and no hotel proximity, you say?

Then, ull have to go outside OWERRI, just that I can't vouch for good roads in other areas outside Owerri

kikake:


Bros.
Unimaginable the level of hate Okorocha has for Orlu which makes him want to relocate Imo state University teaching hospital Orlu to Owerri.

Last two weeks, you showed us here the Shopping Mall at Eke Ukwu Owerri which Okorocha intends to either relocate IMSUTH to, or establish an IMSUTH-like hospital - only aimed to cripple IMSUTH in Orlu.

Please, boss. Enlighten me on something. Isn't Rochas contesting to represent Orlu in the Senate... Does that mean he is from Orlu? Something doesn't seem right here

arinzeejikonye:




You're wiggling and unstable like a pendulum,

Who doesn't know that teaching hospitals world over got affiliates, with each having its area of specialization and research , call it cancer, neurological science, genetics, pediatrics, psychological science, diabetes, etc

So it's possibility cannot be ruled out, that is out of place.

And of course we all know the state got to have a gradualist approach in equipping the 27 G hospitals with some still uncompleted.


Now you making it crystal clear that truly owelle mustn't have all the blame, because it wasn't his making that 6 public tertiary institutions were concentrated within Owerri zone. So you conceded that as a matter of fact. I had thought you would have him blamed for the decision of Evan Enwerem.


Talking about Eastern palm, Are you insinuating that private Universities like afe babalola, Covenant, igbinedion, Babcock, baze, bowen etc have little or no impact in their host communities and the state's development by extension since their inception?

Tell me more, I'm all ears.

Someone should help me out here... IS EASTERn PALM UNIVERSITY a private university? If yes, its owned by who?

I've always thought t was a public one

lilfreezy:
Hey guys I like the good work you guys are doing in this thread. Biko I don't mean to derail the thread, I just want a quick response to an important question. My mom wants to relocate to owerri from Lagos and we and looking for a wonderful environment to live in. Taken into consideration SECURITY, ELECTRICITY, GOOD ROADS, and BEAUTIFUL SITE. NO STUDENT ENVIRONMENT & NO HOTEL proximity please. folks residing in owerri can help me out with locations where i can get such in owerri. I'm seeing beautiful house via jiji but I'm not sure if every other thing falls into play.

Thanks guys as I wait for your quoted recommendations.

There are so many estates you can live in Owerri that meet up with your specifications ranging from highbrow to average. Example Graceland Estate or Arugo Garden as shown here.

Abagworo:
Okorocha inspects new Orlu Stadium nearing completion

New ORLU stadium ---- roofing?

Without roof on top of those chairs, weather must rot the chairs in a few months.

After Okorocha dismantled the roofs of old ORLU stadium in 2012, it took weather less than six months to destroy all the seats of the stadium.

Yampotatocarrot:


I understand your argument Sir, but will you mind shedding more light on your last statement, please

*To capture people in a tax dragnet, you must FORMALIZE THE INFORMAL SECTOR*.... N how can it be done?

From my vantage point of having seen great cities, it might look like a daunting task, and a mission impossible to do anything about the chaotic nigerian environment, but it's doable. I exactly, also know what nigeria did wrong, and how they can right it. People don't like okorocha for one thing or the other, but his urban renewal projects are very commendable and a good example of how somebody can come in and totally change the dynamics of something that everyone thought was the norm. It's also the same reason why I don't mind, if his son in law wins the governorship election. Okorocha was the only SE governor that came in and started building stuff. Eventhough most of it is substandard, but at least, he had the right idea. Another SE governor, dave umahi, came in and started building stuff like okorocha, which is good.

Not to distract from your pointed question, but I'm trying to show how it's possible to revolutionize an idea, even when it looks like all hope is lost.

Now to the point about harmonizing the tax dragnet to capture eligible tax payers. You have to go back to the drawing board, with the governor and the legislature working hand in hand. The role of the governor here, is to select a few wealthy igbos with very high disposable income. I'm talking about those igbo billionaires whose businesses have very high turnover. Each igbo state have at least 5 such people. Let them sign a contract with the state government to build market infrastructure all over the state, not just in the cities but the villages. They should build to sell, lease or rent. They will build shopping promenades/shopping plazas, shopping malls, and mini marts. They should build business parks in the outskirts of cities. They should also build GIANT shopping enclosures as eke, orie, afor, and nkwo markets, in the villages and semi urban centers. Once this plan is in place, the house of assembly should pass a law banning hawking, street trading, highway trading, trading on road shoulders and median strips, attachment trading, and trading on residential areas. These should be done gradually, but once they start, there should be no let up until the the job is done. The house of assembly should also ban individuals from erecting any kind of business structures whatsoever without approval from the government. The idea here, is to make such structures from individuals impossible to erect.

Everybody must be forced to migrate to these very well organized platforms under threat of confiscation or jail time for those who fail to comply. This might cause major disruption, but it could be temporary. But it's a first step. The government should put other policies in place to help cushion the disruption. At the end of the exercise, the price of everything will most definitely go up. The reason why everything is cheap in nigeria is because business people don't have any overhead cost. They don't pay anybody. They hardly don't pay any taxes or rent since most of them are operating on the street. They don't pay phone or light bills. So they can afford to charge less and still remain in business forever.

I have written about such ameliorating things to cushion the effects on this forum but I can give you two things. Imo state have already started free education which is great. The only one I don't like is the university free education, because it will bankrupt the state. They should instead use the money for the university free education for elementary and secondary school feeding program for all students. They should make boarding schools compulsory for all secondary school students. They should also regulate how old one have to be to enter the workforce. At least, 50% of the people I see hawking on the street are children. The government should make it illegal to work until a certain age. And even when they allow them to work, the number of hours should be limited. This puts a structure on the number of people entering the workforce on a yearly basis, which is a very good statistics for any government to have.

Once you eliminate the 3,4, and 5 tier trading system in nigeria, it becomes easy to capture all your eligible tax payers. Like I said, it's going to be hard to accomplish since we've been operating under this disorganized system for more than 50 years now.

On a final note, for igbos in particular and nigerians in general to prosper, they must create jobs in manufacturing and white collar jobs, especially white collar jobs, which is totally and completely non existent. We will never solve the unemployment problem until jobs in those two categories are created. White collar jobs are those kinds of work that is done in a cubicle on the 14th, and 17th floors of skyscrapers. You know, the kind where you enter your confine, be it a room or cubicle, turn on your computer and start working. Right now, the only jobs available in igboland is buying and selling. You go to an area and you have 500 people selling car parts. You go to any nigerian city and you have 100,000 stores selling the same thing (provision store), in every street. In western countries, you have grocery stores the size of shopright. You might have about 10 shoprights in a big western city, and everybody will go there to shop. One shop is capable of employing 100 or more people in two daily shifts. This is why I keep telling people here that we're are 200 to 300 years behind western countries in all aspects.

Ofuzo:



From my vantage point of having seen great cities, yers. Like I said, it's going to be hard to accomplish since we've been operating under this disorganized system for more than 50 years now.

On atern countries in all aspects.

...right now, the only jobs available in Igboland is buying and selling. This is so true. However, I believe every area should be able to carve a niche for themselves. If that is the niche they wanna carve for themselves, the next thing is to make it orderly, as you've rightly stated.

About the secondary schools being compulsory boarding, I don't believe government will be able to fully handle that. I served in a government boarding school in the North (Lafia to be precise), and I know how things are done with a lackadaisical attitude there.

I've always wondered how there is no form of road hawking in some of these countries, now I know better.

For faster and even devt, let every city or LGA in the east use its Federal allocations, taxes and allocations it is supposed to get from the state's federal allocation to develop itself.
Evil people must not be allowed to continue to spread the LIES that a state govt must first develop state capital; there is no constitutional backing to that.

Southeast needs to elect better-educated governors who understand not to seize federal allocations to the LGAs.
A governor who seizes federal allocations of the state and its LGAs, seizes even the taxes from the LGAs, and tells his people that he is building "our dear state capital" - such a governor is a fraud. The governor sends his equally fraudulent agents online to show photos of wide roads in the state capital.. photos of Housing Areas this and that in Owerri, as sign that his state is developing. - to deceive the public. Rest of the state decays. No account for the monies that should have gone to provide infrastructures to rest of his state outside his "dear state capital". The East must stop to elect such a barely educated, discriminatory and most insensitive governor.

Nice contributions,
For me I think imo can opt for the enugu model, a tree can't make a forest, development is a collective effort,

As can be seen from enugu, chime concentrated in enugu, while gburugburu is taking it further to nsukka and elsewhere, while ekweremadu is complementing their efforts within and beyond his constituency,

Hence such can be observed too in anambra, we have all seen linda ikpeazu complementing what the state government is doing in onitsha metro, and other federal legislators from the state,

Peter obi equally didn't do much in awka and agrarian areas, today, obiano is spreading road infrastructure within those areas,

So it is a matter of collective effort, Imagine if federal legislative members and senators had complemented the efforts of the state government, things would have been better.


Another issue, is the use of reputable construction firms, so job done,can have longevity.

Yampotatocarrot:


...right now, the only jobs available in Igboland is buying and selling. This is so true. However, I believe every area should be able to carve a niche for themselves. If that is the niche they wanna carve for themselves, the next thing is to make it orderly, as you've rightly stated.

Buying and selling or correctly commerce is not the only job available in Igboland. Unemployment is a general problem across Nigeria and the reason is our belief in formal education for pride instead of practical education for skills development. However things are shaping up as more and more people are keying into self skills development instead of the usual job hunting of the past.

arinzeejikonye:
Nice contributions,
For me I think imo can opt for the enugu model, a tree can't make a forest, development is a collective effort,

As can be seen from enugu, chime concentrated in enugu, while gburugburu is taking it further to nsukka and elsewhere, while ekweremadu is complementing their efforts within and beyond his constituency,

Hence such can be observed too in anambra, we have all seen linda ikpeazu complementing what the state government is doing in onitsha metro, and other federal legislators from the state,

Peter obi equally didn't do much in awka and agrarian areas, today, obiano is spreading road infrastructure within those areas,

So it is a matter of collective effort, Imagine if federal legislative members and senators had complemented the efforts of the state government, things would have been better.


Another issue, is the use of reputable construction firms, so job done,can have longevity.

Imo has had the worst federal representatives in history of mankind. It is only in Imo that everything is done by Governor and Senators come back to their constituency still pointing fingers at Governor for lack of federal presence.