Better Days Are Here
By Chris Ajaero
Monday, September 05, 2005
The Achike Udenwa administration in Imo State has, through its numerous projects provided hope and succour for the less privileged
On August 18, 2003 when Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State appointed Joe Okoroji, a London-trained development economist as special adviser on poverty alleviation, he challenged him to take practical steps to empower the rural poor. To the Imo State chief executive, poverty has to be confronted frontally so as to realise the objective of his administration towards diminishing it, if not completely eradicating it in the shortest possible time.
As a development economist, Okoroji resolved to work towards using the Imo State Poverty Alleviation Programme, PAP, to actualise this goal. Realising that unemployment, low productivity, and lack of skilled manpower were the major causes of poverty among the people, he set out to address them. Some of the poverty reduction strategies Okoroji adopted include empowering the people through skills acquisition, agricultural activities, and welfare schemes.
In terms of skills acquisition, the bureau for poverty alleviation selects people from all the communities in the 27 local governments areas of Imo State for skills training at no cost. At the end of the intensive training, basic tools and equipment are provided to the beneficiaries on loan to start their own businesses. They are also issued with certificates. The bureau has established skills acquisition centers in all parts of the state and its activities are closely monitored by its coordinators in all the local government areas. Some of the skills available in the bureau include, woodwork/carpentry, computer training, welding, vehicle maintenance/repairs, sewing, electrical work, hair dressing/barbing, photo/video operation, confectionery/catering, and soap/cosmetics-making.
Already, many youths and women from, Imo State have benefited from this scheme and it has helped to reduce youth unemployment, and anti-social behaviour, including crime. Many of them have established their own businesses with the equipment provided them by Imo PAP. Okoroji said that the beneficiaries are very happy and were gradually paying back the loan.
In the area of agricultural empowerment, the Imo Poverty Alleviation bureau selected all interested persons all over the state and organised them into self-help groups depending on their interests. Among the areas of interest in agriculture where Imo PAP organises training programmes include animal husbandry, snail growing, fish farming and growing of crops. At the end of the training programme, the bureau arranges for micro-credit for the self-help groups. It also provides them with farm inputs and monitors their progress.
To enable some of the beneficiaries embrace mechanised agriculture, the bureau has concluded arrangement with the Nigerian Agricultural and Rural Development Bank to enable them obtain loans with ease.
Besides, the bureau has assisted those engaged in food processing by providing them with micro-credit to acquire equipment for oil milling, kernel cracking, garri processing and hatching of eggs.
The bureau recognises that poverty can be comprehensively reduced if the truly indigent persons, especially widows were encouraged to go into petty trading. To this end, it has through its Poverty Alleviation Welfare Scheme, PAWS, offered small loans to the rural poor women and trained two children of certifiably indigent families in each community in Imo State up to the junior secondary school level.
The bureau is currently working in partnership with Globacom to create 1,000 new jobs for the youths and women through the establishment of Pay Phone Centres in all the local government areas of the state.
Okoroji is quite committed to the task of giving hope to the people. He recorded a breakthrough in the poverty alleviation programme recently when he initiated an idea that would encourage community-based craft groups who are specialists in the production of baskets to produce on a larger scale. Okoroji who personally visited the basket-makers in Nnempi in Oru West Local Government and other communities in Oru East council discovered that they were the main producers of the baskets used throughout Nigeria for the transportation of eggs, tomatoes, onions, and other perishable goods. According to him, on every Orie market day, several trailer-lorries come from, the North and South- West of Nigeria to purchase these baskets. The bureau has decided to provide them with the requisite fund to expand the business and make more money.
In terms of transportation, the bureau has acquired seven 50-seater buses to help convey children from poor homes to and from school, free of charge. The buses have been distributed to Owerri, Orlu, and Okigwe zones.
In addition, Imo PAP has deployed fifty mini-taxis otherwise known as Keke NAPEP to all the councils in the state. The mini-taxis have been named Igwe Udenwa meaning Udenwa's bicycle.
Udenwa is pleased that Imo PAP is making the desired impact on the people. He said that since this year, the state government has injected more than N200 million into the bureau to enable it transform the lives of Imo people.
Other areas where the Udenwa administration has excelled include, public utilities, lands, urban planning and tourism.
Public Utilities and Rural Development
The ministry of Public Utilities and its parastatals, the Imo State Water Corporation, ISWC, and the Imo State Water Development Agency, IWADA, have succeeded in providing potable water and electricity in the state. Some of the landmarks of the Udenwa administration in this direction include the expansion of the Owerri Regional Water scheme and Umungwa Regional Water scheme in Obowo local government area of Imo State. It has also completed the Umuezeala Nwoke water scheme in Amaigbo, Nwangele local government area and rehabilitated the Obodoukwu water scheme in Uruala, Ideato North council.
In the electrical sub-sector, the Udenwa administration has constructed overhead transmission lines, transformer sub-stations and reticulation in many parts of the state. It has completed electrification project at the Housing Estate, Owerri, Umunkwo Mbano and Amiri-Isu.
Lands, Survey and Urban Planning
The Udenwa administration recognises that effective management of land is pivotal to development of the key sectors of the economy such as agriculture, and industrialisation. It was against this background that A.U.D. Nwosu, an estate surveyor and valuer was made the commissioner for lands, survey and urban planning. As a thorough-bred professional, Nwosu has ensured that industrialists who are committed towards investing in the state procure land in the state without hiccups. As soon as such prospective investors get any kind of certificate from the ministry of commerce and industry that the appraisal report they submitted is in order, the ministry of land ensures that they are allocated land in the industrial areas.
In order to manage and control state lands for public use, the ministry has also ensured that the designs of urban master plans are rigidly followed. It has also mounted pressure on those issued with certificate of occupancy, C of O a few years ago to develop the lands. This has led to the speedy development of the New Owerri, and other major towns of Imo State.
Recently, the ministry has also embarked on the computerisation of all land registry and data so as to enhance speedy delivery of services in terms of land allocation.
Commerce, Industry and Tourism
The ministry of commerce, industry and tourism has, in line with the tripod vision of the Udenwa administration, executed fundamental industrial and commercial programmes that have boosted tourism in the state. This has been greatly enhanced by the peaceful atmosphere in the state. With the renovation of the Imo Concorde Hotel Limited in Owerri, many people now find it more conducive to hold seminars, conferences and workshops in Owerri. The hotel which was leased out to the Holiday and Tourism Limited at an initial annual rent of N45 million and subsequent annual incremental annnual rent of N5 million has regained its lost glory as "the five star pearl of the East."
The Oguta Lake Motel Limited and the Golf Course have equally been leased out to CONA Properties and Investment Company Limited. Indeed, the commitment of Udenwa towards the transformation of Imo State is total. Vin Udokwu, chief of staff, Government House, and Emeka Adimmadu, accountant-general of Imo State believe that Udenwa has been able to achieve results in the state because of this insistence on the prudent management of resources. Udokwu whose office coordinates and monitors the implementation of the programmes and projects embarked upon by the state government said that Udenwa was determined to leave enduring legacies in Imo State by the time he leaves office in 2007.
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