By Ebuka Afam-Echi
Rural areas in this state and indeed the entire country are where we can find a greater population of the people. It is also in these areas that we can find the greater number of people who are neglected and marginalized by the impact of bad governance. The greatest population of the poor, downtrodden and the less privileged inhabit here. It has always remained so from the creation of government in this country.
The only time a government deliberately changed the status quo, seeking to bail the oppressed rural folks, was under the retired General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida administration. Under his watch, there was a creation of the agency called DFRRI (Directorate of foods, roads, rural infrastructure). Another agency called MAMSER (Mass mobilization for self reliance and Economic Recovery). It made useful impact drawing attention to an all inclusive government. The rural folks then smiled.
It woke up some state governments a few of which have since sustained rural development especially roads from where the foods consumed in the cities are brought. States like Akwa Ibom and Anambra come handy when it comes to road construction.
The same cannot be said of our dear Imo where the government has continued to pay lip service and do ‘mightily’ on the pages of newspaper and air waves where they make false claims.
No government can claim to have got it right when the bulk of the citizenry is living in contrived poverty and squalor as is the case in Imo. The present government has been making a sing song trumpeting that it has done so much in road infrastructure. It has only pooling wool in the eyes of the people.
While the present administration is making so much noise on three major federal roads that it will claim compensation from the FGN what it has not told Nde Imo is the present totality of roads that needs attention and how many that it has done. Imolites already know that the government since inception has focused development only in one zone-Owerri that houses the state capital. The other zones are crying in neglect
The rural roads are in a state of impassability. More than two thirds of the local governments have nothing to write home about their roads. The facts are there. Take a tour of the Councils and it will show that the people are being deceived. Road infrastructure is one of the catalysts for rural development
When the roads are in good working condition it will be easy to move foods from the hinterland to the cities and the farmers will have something to show for their labour. When there are good rural roads local markets would be developed because patronage will come from everywhere.
If rural roads are passable it would attract further development as people would be encouraged to locate industries like agro related or food processing businesses close to the source of raw materials. Besides, other infrastructures will follow.
Most of the rural folks migrate to the urban areas abandoning home for many years because of bad roads. Those in the towns also refuse to return home because they cannot bring their expensive cars to ply on roads that would do great damage to them in a matter of days.
It is the realization of these that Johnjude Okere, has decided to anchor the major pillars of development focusing on the rural environment because of the numerous huge benefits that accrue there from. He is aware that there is none of the leaders who do not hail from a rural background and it amounts to great injustice to ascend to power through the support of rural folks who are eventually abandoned with fairy tales.
Liaising with the necessary relevant agencies to deploy the necessary amount of stable power supply will speed up rural transformation. Electricity is key to roll back unemployment by providing numerous jobs. The ingenuity of local crafts would come to play if there is power to do the needful. Imo youths are abundantly creative.
He has packaged a comprehensive master plan for sustained rural development with agriculture as the major focus. Most of the rural areas are surviving on subsistence agriculture and has great potential for commercial agriculture. Good examples are Ngor Okpala and Ohaji/Egbema local government areas.
Agriculture and trade are the major handwork of the typical Igbo society and in spite of government neglect of agriculture evidence abound that it still holds huge potentials for development. It would be recalled that back in the days in the mid-fifties to mid sixties the then Eastern region (now South East) was one of the fastest growing economies of the world. All of that was achieved courtesy of palm produce which opportunities still abound.
Bringing back the glorious days of agriculture is the major focus of the young incoming governor. It would be recalled that some of the current elders that are making waves were trained even abroad with the proceeds secured from livestock farming-goat and fowl rearing, palm produce business and yam and cassava production. There is virtually no part of Imo State that cannot boast of related opportunities.
The Ngor Okpala born governorship candidate has a program to make this attractive to the youths in order to herd them back to the roots. Combining this consciousness with modern agricultural inputs as well as improved agricultural technological method is the magic required to transform the state. Agricultural activities no doubt will complement rural development and vice versa
Follow the man that knows the way to arrive safely. Johnjude Okere is the man.
