Now that Ohakim's IRROMA is commissioned 

By Okechukwu Nwadike 

Imo people had the rare opportunity of having the Imo Rural Roads Maintenance Agency (IRROMA) of Governor Ikedi Ohakim commissioned yesterday by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar¢Adua.

The feat was in line with the President¢s belief that what is worth doing is worth doing well and also as part of his leadership philosophy of encouraging good works and identifying with any noble pursuits of governors in the country without minding the party where the governor belongs.

Although some people for their personal reasons were in opposition to the President¢s visit to the state for the commissioning program of an agency that would bring progress and development to the state. Imo people are already watching them with dread and at the right time shall react accordingly.  

 Meanwhile the various machines and equipment acquired by the Imo state government for the take off IRROMA, a novel idea introduced by the governor as a replacement for the defunct Public Works Department (PWD) had been commissioned as who did would not have made any difference.

PWD it would be recalled was an organ used by governments of the first and second republics to effectively combat the decay of public infrastructures such as rural roads, pipe-bore water and the rest of them.

This department unfortunately suffered death as a result of the aberration caused by the military in governance that today, public utilities, especially roads in various states have remained in the state of crumbles while majority of them have remained impassable.

It takes only a visionary leader like Ohakim to dig deep into history as this guides the next step into the future. So to bring back the old glory of the state, the governor in his wisdom decided to re-introduce the magic finger of the former PWD but this time with a new name he calls the IRROMA.

Governor Ohakim has acquired for commissioning by Mr. President on Saturday over 100 vehicles for the Imo Municipal Transport Services and Operation Festival. Operation Festival vehicles are equipped with state of the art communication facilities to coordinate and monitor the entire state throughout the Christmas season and beyond.

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Also, excavators, graders, Pell-loaders, tippers and other construction equipment have been procured for the Imo Rural Roads Maintenance Agency which will be used to tackle rural roads in the state.

The governor has equally come up with a strategy to construct and rehabilitate 300 rural roads in 30 days. These equipments would be moved in to be used on all those rural roads which have broken down and remained impassable; not basically to get them all tarred within the time frame but at least to put them in the states of use before the Christmas period.

This is a laudable initiative every Imo indigene should appreciate as IRROMA would not only take care of maintaining and patching up pot-holes on our roads but would equally provide job opportunities for the teeming unemployed citizens of the state.

IRROMA is already strategized to balance the seemingly marginalization of some local governments in the state in the area of rural development initiatives from the state as the agency is designed like the defunct PWD to have concentration units in each of the Local Government Councils.

Machines and equipments to be deployed for rural constructions are not going to be daily moved to the state capital. They are for the rural dwellers and should be monitored by the communities.

It is pertinent therefore that all hands must be on deck to support the governor. Aggrieved Imo citizens who have been politically wounded one way or the other should please shield their sword and allow meaningful developments initiatives of the governor to be implemented as Imo people would achieve nothing by fighting against themselves.

Okechukwu Nwadike is an Abuja media practitioner and Coordinator, Imo Peoples Movement (IPM), Abuja and Northern region

Greg Okey Nwadike

Discovery News Nigeria

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