The United Nations report on poverty rates in states
in Nigeria showed that before 2011, the poverty rate in Imo State was 57% but
by 2015, the poverty rate came down to 19%.
This disclosure was made by Governor Rochas Okorocha
during a parley with over 200 journalists at the NUJ secretariat in Owerri on
Monday.
Speaking during the interactive session which lasted
for nearly 5 hours, the governor who was accompanied to the occasion by the
Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Mr. Acho Ihim, and some top
government appointees said that he will not relent until he makes the State
capital, Owerri, a model city that would attract investors.
Reacting to questions asked by journalists at the
occasion, he attributed the reduction of poverty in the state to the success
recorded by his administration in the free education programme.
He restated government decision to relocate the
Eke-ukwu market from Douglas road to a better location, adding that it is not
good to accommodate a major market at the center of the city. According to him,
another SHOPRITE will be built to replace the Eke-Ukwu marked after it has been
relocated.
Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha
advised journalists in the state to desist from being used by aggrieved
politicians to attack him and the ‘Rescue Mission’ government adding that in
future, he may reconcile with such aggrieved politicians.
He cautioned the Editors of the Leader newspaper to
be conscious of the ownership of the medium – The Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri-
in whatever they publish, expressing concern that most of the news published by
the newspaper could destroy the image of the church. He said it is wrong for
the tabloid to publish news like a full blown political newspaper when it
should set the pace for other newspapers because of what it represents.
He said his government has brought a lot of brand
new things in the state and appealed to the people of the state to continue in their
unflinching support for his administration because he means well for them and
that all his actions and inactions have been in the best interest of the state.
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