It has been another moment of lamentations and wailings as the people of Imo State cry out to God and the government to save them from the embarrassing situation that they have found themselves.
In the last one week News Echo has received tons of complaints from residents who phone in, visit, and write to complain about the poor state of things, asking the government to urgently intervene to redeem the situation.
Some of the issues they drew attention to range from high level of insecurity, terribly filthy environment-which predisposes them to sickness, bad roads, menacing flooding, humiliating hunger and starvation, unpaid wage bills to total neglect of the people.
Shockingly, in one of the complaints, the writer had accused Imo media excepting a popular faith based radio station of pandering to the government and turning a blind eye to the poor governance situation in the state which it described as “unforgiveable and deliberately designed to exterminate Imolites’’.
Reports received on insecurity described the once most peaceful state in the South East region as another theatre of violence orchestrated by government action which according to it rather than abate the situation heightens it.
In the language of Ekwueme Cyril, a resident of Orlu, “Imo has now become another northern state which is besieged by unending spate of killings and violent attacks snuffing out lives indiscriminately while the government looks the other way’’
Continuing, he lamented, “since April or is it May that government boastfully invited the military in Orlu to fight what it called hoodlums, peace has eluded Imo State. We have lost many of our youths and many are still being killed secretly under the tag of Eastern Security Network (ESN). I wonder when Imo will return to its peaceful state.’’
An Owerri based attorney, Barrister Basil Igwike, decried the plight of motorists who use the Owerri-Onitsha routes in the hands of security operatives that man the road. Narrating his experience he bemoaned that even lawyers in their regalia on their way to courts are forced to alight and walk some distances to cross security check points and with their hands raised up.
He not only described it as humiliating the citizens but regretted that even women in a poor state of health are compelled to undergo the same stress.
A petition to the Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo Chapter accused the police and other operatives of taking advantage of the situation to fatten their pockets while jeopardizing the lives of innocent citizens.
Many youths it is reported are now wary of how they move, a situation that has limited their freedom, for fear that police would arrest them, extort money from them and any resistance would attract you being labeled as an ESN member under duress. Many innocent people it is stated has been incriminated in this manner.
Again, Imo State appears to be under the siege of un-disposed/non-evacuated huge refuse in virtually every part of the state. The once cleanest state in Nigeria is now adjudged by residents as the dirtiest because of what a female trader residing at the Ikenegbu Layout Owerri, who gave her name as Chika described as a parade of mountainous refuse dumps. She had unkind words for the state authorities.
In her words, “Igbo man is not known for filth. I wonder where this is coming from. I think it is because those ruling us are not mindful of their environs, that is the reason they are so tolerant of rubbish everywhere. Are they aware they are extending invitations to epidemics and it would be mass deaths if it occurs because the government lacks the capacity to handle any such health challenges? Do we even have hospitals’’, she queried.
In a recent report, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Imo Chapter in a statement signed by the Director-General of its media, Comrade Chinagorom Ifeanyi lambasted Gov Hope Uzodimma over a dirty Imo.
The party’s statement read in part; “A movement round Owerri metropolis shows that the Capital City is now among the dirtiest in Nigeria. Where do we start from? Wetheral Road that used to be a wonderful sight to behold since it is the only road that leads straight to Imo Government House from the Airport, has suddenly become a valley of indiscriminate refuse dump coupled with the unpleasant presence of beggars and persons with mental health issues.
“Okigwe Road – Orji; Douglas Road; Orlu Road, especially Amakohia-Akwakuma; World Bank; New Owerri; Onitsha and Aba Roads; Ikenegbu; Bishops Court and other parts of Owerri Capital City are indeed, a harbinger of sort. A stroll along Wethedral Road, between old ITC Park and Government House roundabout would give an individual clearer picture how messy things are at the moment.” “As a matter of fact, Imo Waste Management Agency does not know its jobs.
“A visit to Bank Road, Government House Roundabout, Ware House Junction, Douglas Road, Ohaozara Street – Ikenegbu, Aladinma, Mbaise Road, Akwakuma roundabout, Naze Junction, Egbo road, among others will actually convince anyone that all is not well with Owerri Capital City.”
It would be recalled that in recent times News Echo and other tabloids have continually drawn attention to the state government of the dirty environment which predisposes the citizens to more health hazards and avoidable consequences.
Imo people did not also fail to draw attention to the poor state of their economic situation which some of them simply described as ‘’agonizing, regrettable but avoidable’’. One of the unpaid teachers, a headmistress who is owed over 9 months arrears of salary and who heads a primary school in Ogwa, Mbaitoli stormed our office with lamentations. Choosing to remain anonymous she lamented the plight of teachers who are owed huge sums and yet are expected to perform creditably.
The tale of woes did not end with the above. As if all those are not enough the combination of bad roads and flooding have made life more unbearable for the citizens. The state of bad roads worsened by flooding has shut down business activities in many communities as well as the urban areas.
A civil servant and native of Uratta, Collins Mbara commenting on the state of road in his area lampooned the government for creating a death trap which he claims risks the life of motorists plying the road. When challenged that contractors are already on the road, he denied that work is going on there for two months now.
Arguing, he tasked the reporter, “can you go on that road and tell me where anything is happening there. When you visit make sure you report exactly what you see, is that how to do roads, is it not when you pay the contractor that he’ll work, he queried further.
It is still the same tale of woe in Nekede and Ihiagwa communities and many other communities. The lamentations coming from the hinterlands it would appear negate and lay to rest the government claims on road rehabilitation.
Ben Osigwe from Mbaitoli, dismissed any government efforts on road reconstruction. In his views, “this government is living in deceit, why should it be making a sing song working roads when they are only focused on Owerri-Orlu and Owerri Okigwe road. Are they aware that we have more people in the rural areas? What has happened to the RAMP roads they inherited from the previous government? You journalists should investigate and tell us.
The consequences of the above it appears culminate into more hunger and starvation as more citizenry cry out. Cost of living has hit the rooftop as virtually everything including pure water has gone up. David Anyalechi, a trader at Ekeonunwa market blamed the rising prices on the cost of purchasing those items. According to him transportation costs is a critical determinant of the costs of goods.
The lamentation of the people places great burden on the shoulders of government to provide the citizens what they want. Governance should make a difference in the lives of the governed.
