U-Report: Opposition Political Parties Commend Imo State Assembly Speaker

Uwajimogu: Imo State Assembly Speaker

Reported By Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha

The Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, the Rt. Hon. Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu has been commended for the able way he has been piloting the affairs of the state Assembly. The commendation came when members of opposition political parties paid him a courtesy visit at the Assembly complex on Monday 13th of February 2012.

The leader of Imo State Association of Registered Political Parties (ISARPP) Hon. Chief Charles C. Ubah led other members who are Chairmen of Political Parties on the visit. Chief Ubah who is the State Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) commended the State government on the massive infrastructural development going on in the state.

He specifically thanked Mr. Speaker and other Honourable members for providing the enabling environment which the state government is using to develop the state. Chief C. C. Ubah said “Mr. Speaker, this association has followed the performance of this house since its inauguration and we commend you for the ebullient manner you have been handling its affairs. We also commend you and your colleagues for some people oriented bills and motions you have passed which have impacted positively on the people. The association Equally notes with great delight the atmosphere of conviviality that pervades the hallowed chambers each time the House is in session. Keep it up”.

Chief Ubah popularly called “Akusinachi” however noted with concern the “Proposed commercialization” of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). He advised, “Since Imo State is a civil service state and there are no so much industries like Lagos and Rivers States, the Governments commercialization programme may deepen the suffering of poverty stricken masses. We therefore urge the Government to revisit the policy”.

In response, Speaker  Benjamin Uwajumogu thanked members of ISARPP for the visit and urged them to continue to support the state government for the overall benefit of the people, pointing out that the interest of the people is the major concern of the present government.  Speaker Uwajumogu, said that “In this House of Assembly, we have representatives of various political parties. But we operate and communicate as members of one united family and this have positively impacted on the good people of Imo State. We will make sure that all we do here benefit the people of the state”.The  Speaker enumerated some of the achievements of the Assembly and that of the state government, pointing out that the achievements were possible because of the synergy between the state government and the House of Assembly. “For the first time, a government was installed by the people without the interference of a god father. That is why this administration is performing to the admiration of Imo people. The governor is running the state from divine perspective. He is not the governor of APGA but the governor of all Imo citizens. Here in the Assembly, we are reviewing old laws of the state and digitalizing them together with harmonizing several amended laws. We have passed 12 bills and forty-seven motions that are people oriented. We are today the most productive House of Assembly in the history of Nigeria. We have also
passed a 4 year rolling budget, out of which 73% are for capital projects. No wonder investors are now trooping into the state to invest in their areas of interest”, the Speaker revealed.

“We have given subvention to Adapalm plantation and today, the company is functional with employment opportunities given to over 1800 Imo sons and daughters. Imo Modern Poultry is about to take off. Concorde Hotel has been turned around. Massive road construction is going on in the state. All these achievements have been possible because we slashed our security votes in order to serve the people of the state”, the Speaker further revealed.

On the issue of Commercialization of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Speaker stated that it was in the best interest of the people of the state.“Ministries and Agencies who are performing below expectation would be merged with agencies performing optimally. This strategy is to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. With the commercialization going on in the state, we would be able to pay up to N40, 000 minimum wages when the time comes. Development is a gradual process”.

“We are proactive in thinking; we are changing the peoples attitude about governance. That is why we want to leave a legacy so that our children will be happy with us”, Rt.Hon Uwajimogu  concluded. Members of the ISARPP who accompanied Chief C. C. Ubah to Imo
Assembly are:

 (1) Chairman of Peoples Mandate party (PMP). 

(2) Chairman of Peoples Liberation Party (PLP)

(3) Chairman of Labour Party (LP)
(4) Chairman of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA)

(5) Chairman of Congress for Programme change (CPC)

 (6) Chairman of Better Nigeria Peoples Party (BNPP)

 (7) Chairman of Congress for Democratic change (CDC)

(8) Chairman of Fresh Party 

 (9) Chairman of African Liberation Party (ALP).
 

(Iwuoha is Special Adviser On Media to the Imo State Assembly Speaker)