Imo Govt embarks on total electrification project in Ohaji/Egbema LGA

Okorocha in a group pix with General President and members of Ohaji Egbema Elders Council during their visit to Govt House, Owerri on Monday

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has assured that all communities Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area will be connected to the national grid as government had embarked on total electrification project in the area.

 He gave this assurance when he received the leadership and members of the Ohaji/Egbema Elders Council at the Sam Mbakwe Expanded Exco Chambers, Government House Owerri yesterday

 Speaking during the occasion, Governor Okorocha charged the Elders Council to broker peace among the conflicting communities in Ohaji/Egbema while assuring them of government’s support in improving the socio-economic wellbeing of the people.

 According to him, the State Government will collaborate with the Ohaji/Egbema Council of Elders to restore peace and foster rapid development in all the communities of Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area.

He lamented the incessant harassment meted out on contractors by youths in the area as well as community clashes and blamed leaders of Ohaji/Egbema for the woes that exist in the area.

Okorocha receives a copy of Almanac as presented by Rev dr Prince Gill Ogbonna, the General President, Ohaji Egbema Elders Council during their visit to Govt. House, Owerri on Monday.

 Earlier, the President General, Ohaji/Egbema Elders Council, Prince Gill Ogbenna said the Council is an inter-faith based association rooted for the promotion of peace and co-existence among various communities in Ohaji/Egbema.

He pointed that members of the council are drawn from all the 20 autonomous communities in the Council Area and registered in November 2013 to champion the enthronement of better welfare for the people of Ohaji/Egbema.

Prince Ogbonna commended Governor Rochas Okorocha for the monumental infrastructural projects in the area and the State at large, as well as the N500 million naira empowerment fund given to youths of the area.

The Council unanimously showed solidarity to the Imo Rescue Mission Government and assured their continued loyalty and support.

Responding, the Transition Committee Chairman of Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Council, Chief Gideon Mefor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman of the area Rev. Emma Ebomuche commended the 1,500 members of Ohaji/Egbema Council of Elders for being instruments of peace and development in the area.

They urged the group to continue to advice government as well as educate the people on the policies of the Rescue Mission government.

Massive protests trail voter reg. exercise in Imo

Thousands of people from the various Local Government Areas in Imo State staged a peaceful demonstration at the Government House Owerri today demanding to know why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dragging its feet concerning the ongoing voter registration exercise.
According to the demonstrators, most of the eligible voters are yet to be registered while those who registered in 2011 were unable to receive their voters card from INEC.

The reason for INEC's failure in the exercise has been blamed on the poor state of preparedness of the commission to handle the exercise, for instance, each polling unit in the State comprising of over 4,000 voters is being attended to by only one INEC official with one dysfunctional computer.

The demonstrators insist that INEC has failed woefully in this very important exercise and called for the extension of the exercise.

Rochas commissions new office building for NSCDC in Imo

The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has commissioned an ultra modern administrative complex newly built by the Imo State government for the Nigerian Security and civil Defence corps [NSCDC], Imo State command, Owerri.

The newly commissioned edifice which today stands out elegant at the Imo Command Headquarters of NSCDC, came in place after an official visit of Governor Rochas Okoroch to the Corps headquarters earlier in the year when he was stormed by the shabby state of the office environment, littered with ram shackling batcher as offices for heads of departments and units.



Governor Okorocha in group pix with representatives of the Nigerian Armed Forces during the commissioning of the news office complex built for the NSCDC by the Imo State Government

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony yesterday, the governor called on individuals, organizations and governments at all levels to pay maximum attention to various paramilitary agencies across the country as the police and military cannot  solve the increasing security challenges in the country.

He lamented the wanton killings of innocent Nigerians by the Boko Haram sect as well as the increasing criminality in the country, stressed the need for the Federal Government to give more attention to security agencies in order to equip them for the growing challenges.

He emphasized that state and local governments should be given some authority to handle security issues at their different levels as the Federal government alone cannot grapple with the alarming rate of insecurity in the country.  He ended with a call on all Nigerians to join hands in the fight against insurgence and criminality in the nation.  “We must all join hands to fight this growing trend before it becomes a culture in our country” he appealed.

The governor equally announced the donation of three pickup Vans to the corps to assist the Imo Command in their operations and commended the officers and men of the command for their gallantry.  “The best a security officer can give to  the nation is patriotism,”  he added. 

Earlier the Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corps, Dr Ade John Abolurin commended governor Okorocha for his support to the corps which he said has no doubt helped in checking crime and criminality in the state.

Dr Abolurin described governor Okorocha as a man of vision and mission and called on Nigerians to support NSCDC to ensure peace in the nation, while assuring that the Defence Corps will work to optimal capacity to reduce criminality in the country.

The commandant NSCDC Imo command, Mr Adamu Soja said, the new administrative complex as put in place by the governor has solved the accommodation problem of the command and assured the government and people of Imo State of the command’s resolve to collaborate with other security agencies to continue to rid the state of criminals and miscreants.

Present at the occasion were the heads of all security agencies in the state, the secretary to the Imo State Government, Prof Anthony Anwuka, the Chairman Imo State council of traditional Rulers and some members of the State Executive council.

I joined APC to recover what the Igbos have lost in PDP – Okorocha

Governor Okorocha addressing a huge crowd of APC supporters during a political rally in Enugu yesterday

The Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum and governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has disclosed that his reason for joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) was to liberate the Igbos from the many years of marginalization and neglect by the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party.

Owelle Okorocha stated this at the campaign rally organized by the South East elders and leaders of APC at the Igbozurumee Cultural Centre, Enugu.

He said that there was need for him to vie for the highest leadership position in the country so that the Igbos can reclaim their lost opportunities in the scheme of things in the nation. “APC is the only party that can guarantee the welfare of Ndigbo and the rest of Nigerians in 2015” he noted.

  He pointed out that APC has not zoned the presidency to any particular zone.

Governor Okorocha said his emergence as the country’s president after the 2015 presidential polls would surprise many, particularly the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), stressing that he has the resources to sustain his ambition.

He also presented two APC governorship aspirants in Enugu State, Dr. Ifeanyi Asogwa and Chief Okey Ezea to the crowd at the rally.

Adressing the two governorship aspirants as Excellencies-in-waiting, the Imo ‘Rescue Mission’ governor advised them to emulate his leadership style when either of them becomes the governor of Enugu State and urged the people of Enugu State to vote the APC candidates come 2015.

Present at the rally were the former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, the former National Vice Chairman of APC and governorship aspirant in Abia, Chief Nyerere Anyim and many other party stalwarts in the South East.

Rochas calls for devolution of powers to States and LGA’s

The Imo State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorcha has called for a systematic devolution of power in Nigeria where the enormous power at the centre is decentralized to the States and Local Government Areas to create room for sustainable economic development at the grassroots.

Owelle Okorocha stated this while addressing the Board members of the Nigeria Media Merit Award and some Media executives who called on him at the Government House Owerri at the weekend.

Governor Okorocha maintained that devolution of power is the solution to the apparent poverty in Nigeria, adding that the country’s political authority is highly concentrated on an individual who solely determines the survival or death of millions of Nigerians. “There is no way for Nigeria unless power is divulged and resources controlled by a joint Development Board made of the three tiers of Government”, he noted.

He further regretted that the over centralization of power has made it difficult for serious development programmes to exist in the local Government and rural communities. A situation where Government at the centre takes 55% of the revenue allocation, leaving 45% for the state and local Government, he said, makes it impossible for the people at the grassroots to witness meaningful impact of Government.

The Governor enjoined Nigerians to join hands in the call to urge the federal Government to borrow his idea of community Government Council (CGC), where autonomous communities are given the opportunity to take part in the day to day running of their affairs.

On his vision of aspiring for the presidential seat, Governor Okorocha said he is propelled by the need to completely transform the ailing economic structure of the country as well as his desire to return power to the people. “It is not time for me to be President; but there is need for me to be President”, he concluded.

 Responding on behalf of the group, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Media Merit Award, Mrs. Bukky Ajayi, said the interaction has afforded them an insight into Governor Okorocha’s vision for Nigeria; but expressed worries if the ordinary people will be given the opportunity to contribute in the process of implementing such vision to their benefit.

Mr. Dele Adetemi, another member of the Board described Governor Okorocha’s vision as thought provoking and one that can be realized with the practical involvement of the ordinary Nigerian especially as it concerns their wellbeing and better living standard for all which is the essence of good leadership.

Okorocha, Ngige flays Jonathan over neglect of South-East zone

Governor Okorocha addressing a crowd of APC supporters at a rally in Aba on Friday

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has taken a swipe at the present leadership of the federal government of Nigeria over the poor state of roads and lack of Federal Government presence in the South-East in terms of social infrastructure and political appointments.

 Addressing a huge crowd at the Aba Recreation Club on Friday Nov 8, where the South East leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held a campaign rally, he said that the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has marginalized Ndigbo up to a point where the people can no longer endure and thereby prompting the need for the Igbos to vote out PDP in 2015.

He said that PDP has failed Nigerians since the 15 years of its dishonest leadership in the country and called on the people to support the All Progressive Congress (APC) which he described as “a brand new party for a new and prosperous Nigeria”.

Owelle Okorocha vouched that APC will guarantee peace and stability in the nation, free and qualitative education, massive infrastructural development as well as give Ndigbo a fair share of federal appointments and projects.

 Also speaking, Senator Chris Ngige regretted that the Federal Government has neglected most of the roads in the South East as well as failed to give Igbos their rightful position in stake of the nation, and called for the support of an Igbo presidency. “Nigeria will be better when they recognize the fact that the sun rises from East, and return the presidency to the Igbos” he noted.

He pointed out that the remarkable successes recorded in Imo, Lagos, Rivers State and other APC states is an indication that the party will do well at the centre if given the mandate in 2015.

Contributing, the former South East zonal chairman of APC and a Governorship aspirant in Abia State, Chief Nyere Anyim said Abia will sing a new song of progress when APC is voted into power in 2015.

Others who spoke at the occasion include, the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajimogu, a member of the APC Board of Trustees, Chief Mrs V.N Chukwuani, a party leader in Anambra State, Chief George Muoghalu.  All affirmed that the party has a vision to transform Nigeria into one of the leading economies of the world.