Dr. Fabian Ihekweme, former commissioner in Imo State has revealed how Governor Hope Uzodinma Abandoned multi million dollars hydrographic Dredging Project Commissioned By Buhari In Imo State.
The Ex- Imo Commissioner for Foreign Affairs made this known a an article obtained by Impartial Observers on Saturday Oct,2 criticizing the administration of Governor Uzodinma who is his former principal.
The article read partly;
“In a sane clime, projects are not abandoned. In Imo state the abnormal has been normalized.*
“There was so much excitement last year precisely in May 2023 when the Governor of Imo state announced the dredging of Oguta lake through Orashi-Degema river down to Atlantic Ocean. The purposes are to provide South East zone with Hydro Power and Seaport. This Hydrographic Dredging will break South East from being “Land Locked” and give our Commerce Centres life line.
The Federal Government gave Imo state government approval as the Governor reported to unsuspecting parishioners in Government House Chapel to a thunderous applause, Rev. Father Alaribe, Chaplain presided over the church Sunday Mass.
The Governor swung into action immediately after the then President represented by his Deputy Yemi Osinbajo flew down to Imo state to flag off the Hydrographic dredging project. There was roll call of who is who: Obi of Onitsha, Oni of Ife, Eze Imo HRH Eze Okeke, Chief E. C. Iwuanyanwu of the blessed memory, to name a few, were at the ground braking ceremony in Oguta. The Governor Of Imo state Sen. Hope Uzodinma detailed the Navy to come up with a comprehensive survey report to commence the Dredging Project. And without wasting time, the hydrographic and comprehensive bathymetric Investigation survey report from the leadership of the Nigerian Navy was prepared and submitted to the Governor in the new Exco Chamber in Douglas House Owerri, in full public glare. Since then, citizens of Imo state heard nothing more about the Oguta Dredging Project.
Imo people have been asking the government to release update on the true position of the Oguta Dredging Project. When was the contract bidding process conducted? Which company won the contract? What stage is the contract? Everything about Imo state should not be hidden under shrouded secrecy. In the name of God, this is supposed to be a “Democratic Government” or Is it a government of Bilkers? We need clarification! There has been no credible official state government information or report available to the public since after the Survey report was delivered to the Governor.
Chaiiii Imo people are suffering untold hardship: Why? What happened to the money earmarked and designated for the project? Why is the government no longer interested in the dredging project after huge amount of money running into “Tens of Billions of Naira” had been set aside for the project immediately after receiving Presidential approval for the flag off? A Normal State Government cannot abandon its project without citizens knowing, especially when it is still in power.
“Without telling Imo people the position of the Hydrographic dredging power project, the Imo government has as again, jumped into yet another phanthom project called the Orashi Power Plant which certainly will be abandoned soon after perfecting the Loan in Egypt. I thought the Christian doctrine says, “Those Egyptians we shall see No More.” Is it not Ant-Christ to import and foist the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Administrative Model on the innocent citizens of Imo? This has become a model by the Uzodinma administration as he has become legendary in abandoning his so-called projects, after laying the foundation. Is there no end to this pattern?
“The Governor has never started and finished any project he had set out to do, that could employ even 10 Imo Citizens in the whole of his five years on the saddle.
“I decided to bring this update about Orashi Electricity Project because I want it to succeed. And as I have repeatedly said, I don’t have personal grudges against the Governor. I don’t want this particular Power Project to be abandoned like others too numerous to mention Including Awomamma to Okwudor road in Uzodimma’s Oru East and Njaba LGAs.
How did we allow an unlicensed driver to take us on this long journey?”
