 |
| Governor Okorocha |
By Kenneth Uwadi
I remember Fela Kuti. I so much love Fela's Afrobeat which he
originated and perfected from African highlife, rhythm, percussion and jazz.
They made him connect with contemporary events in Nigeria that it became understandable
why working class elements clamored for his music laced with penetrating
political messages. I remember his lyrics in Confusion-Break-Bone (CBB), one of
the mid-1980s hit series that also included the Beast-of-No-Nation (BONN). Fela
sang "If something good I go sing about am. But nothing good self to sing
about’’
Julian Assange also said ‘’a great number of those working for
liberal causes are not only shy but borderline collusive. They want change to
happen nicely, and it won't. They want decency to come about without anybody
suffering or being embarrassed, and it won't. And most of all they want to give
many of the enemies of open government the benefit of the doubt, and I don't.
It's not just a difference of approach, it's a complete schism in our
respective philosophy. You can't go about disclosure in the hope that it won't
spoil anybody's dinner.”
Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi once said that the reason
that political office holders steal funds is because citizens have never confronted
or stoned them (including himself) for the act. At a tribute event for Nelson
Mandela in Lagos last year, Mr. Amaechi said Nigerians have not shown enough
aggression or resistance against stealing by political office
holders."Even the musicians, you're singing about us, the stealing
leaders. If you see a thief and you allow him to be stealing, he will steal
more. You have stoned nobody that's why we are stealing. Who have you stoned?
We came out and you will be dancing and clapping for us ?." Amaechi said.
I have
summoned up courage and I have been showing my frustrations on the miss
governance taking place in Imo State. I have been stoning the political
thieving vampires in Imo with my weekly articles. I am fully aware that the Imo
State Government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha in Nigeria is seriously looking for
me, to arrest me, frame me up and remand me in prison custody for my whistle
blowing activities. They have recruited 21 youths in the state and are paying
them N50,000 naira a month to attack me on social media. They have also
collected my full security details and planted spies in my community to monitor
my movement just because I say stop this stealing of Imo monies.
Wastage and
corruption at the expense of the welfare of the working people seem to be more
virulent in Imo state than the other south-eastern states of Anambra, Ebonyi,
Enugu and Abia. The state of things in Imo’s 27 LGA’s is a direct reflection of
Okorocha’s commitment to enslaving the people, a situation reminiscent of biblical
Israelites in bondage in Egypt. Nothing is fundamentally working out in our
LGA’s ; no light, no water, no security, no social infrastructure, in fact no
life. One man has squandered 132 billion naira that came to our LGA’s from May
2011 till Deceember 2013. This one man is Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Due to the
deep social inequality and extreme wealth polarisation, non-existent public
infrastructures, record levels of unemployment and shameless corruption that
characterise Imo State today, it does not require the gift of clairvoyance to
know that there is a wellspring of feelings and desire for
"revolutionary" change of leadership in Imo State. Truly, Humpty
Dumpty must fall down in Imo State in 2015.
Even some
members of the ruling elite in Imo have voiced this same opinion expressing
this fear. So huge is the level of economic and political failure of the ruling
political party in Imo at the grassroot areas of the state that, if given a
clear cut social political alternative, the overwhelming majority of Imolites
will unhesitatingly put an immediate end of the Okorocha’s government.
I must
confess that the looting of council funds in Imo State by Governor Rochas
Okorocha is totally unjustifiable and unacceptable. No wonder Popular Musician
Charly Boy told the world that Okorocha does not have the moral right to speak
at his father’s burial. Charly Boy is from Oguta an oil producing LGA in Imo
State that Okorocha squandered 16billion naira being 13 percent oil derivation
funds for 3 years. Okorocha displayed eye service in the National dailies with
the Oputa burial just to buoy his ego and selfish political interests. The
irony of this madness in that Okorocha who should cover his face in shame for
looting 132 billion naira funds of the 27 Imo LGA’s in 3 years including 16
billion naira 13 percent oil derivation funds of Imo oil areas of which Oguta
is one, is the one who came out to deliver an oration for the late Justice
Chukwudifu Oputa. Trust Charly Boy, he snatched the microphone from him.
Indeed
Okorocha lacks the moral right to speak at Oputa’s burial. Justice Oputa was a
man of justice, equity and rule of law. He was not corrupt. How can a man who
for three years of his government refused to allow democracy to exist in the 27
local government councils of Imo state pay tribute to the late judge?
The
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for elected council
men . Other neighboring states have elected men and women in their councils.
The governor has deprived the grassroots in Imo, democracy and is squandering
funds belonging to them . The result of lack of elected council men in our
LGA’s is comatose LGA’s begging to be attended to. Lack of basic amenities has
made these LGA’s a ghost environment. Yet Okorocha came out to deliver an
oration for the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa. Who is fooling who?
From May 2011
to December 2011 Oguta LGA received from FG as allocation the sum of
1,255,503,784.06 . Where is the money? From January 2012 to December 2012 Oguta
LGA received from FG as allocation the sum of 1,785,726,614.69. Where is the
money? From January 2013 to December 2013 Oguta LGA received from FG as
allocation the sum of 1,973,644,871.08 making a total of 5,014,875,269.83 (from
2011 to 2013) Where are all the monies? Imagine what Oguta LGA will look like
by now if all these monies were used for the development of Oguta.
We are angry
over the lack of financial discipline in government . We are angry with over
invoicing in government running into millions of naira, lack of audit
inspection of government establishment, huge payments for contract jobs not
executed, double debiting, Lack of receipts to cover payments, contract
inflation especially on road contracts in Imo State. We are angry with the
irritating pain of driving on potholes riddles roads in Imo State month after
month and year after year and angry with the no power supply to Ohaji/Egbema
and Oguta for 3 years now, the unbearable experience of lack of potable water
in many parts of the State as well as the pocketing of the entire allocation of
the various councils in Imo State. Even Oguta State Constituency in Imo State
has not produced its representative to the Imo State House of Assembly since
after the 2011 general election .
Oguta people
is this fair? Yet this man wants us to re elect him again in 2015. This weekend
we will talk about Owerri West LGA funds Find below the breakdown of money for
Oguta LGA’s from May 2011 to December 2013 that was squandered by Governor
Okorocha and his LGA caretaker chairman.
May 2011
N91,700,168.94
June 2011
N125,686,939.49
July 2011
N230,723,931.31
Aug 2011
N130,460,408.52
Sept 2011
N132,353,741.89
Oct 2011
N155,997,859.48
Nov 2011
N236,444,105.50
Dec 2011
N152,136,628.93
Jan 2012
N155,997,859.48
Feb 2012
N236,444,105.50
March 2012
N152,136,628.93
April 2012
N134,312,549.86
May 2012
N133,381,662.50
June 2012
N133,561,489.76
July 2012
N127,210,834.90
Aug 2012
N164,308,818.97
Sept 2012
N127,460,649.39
Oct 2012
N125,694,143.13
Nov 2012
N166,370,613.44
Dec 2012
N220,580,939.03
Jan 2013
N165,274,650.05
Feb 2013
N135,221,644.93
March 2013
N168,638,757.13
April 2013
N169,355,608.53
May 2013
N179,897,919.51
June 2013
N185,653,855.35
July 2013
N141,797,554.96
Aug 2013
N166,358,315.35
Sept 2013
N141,543,950.90
Oct 2013
N127,460,649.39
Nov 2013
N155,997,859.48
Dec 2013 N236,444,105.50
(Uwadi writes from Mmahu-Egbema,
Imo State, Nigeria)
