Emergency rule: Tinubu acted to quell tensions in Rivers — Gov Uzodimma,
•Nigerians will judge whether they want coalition or APC’s continuity
•I summoned courage to revive infrastructure, tackle insecurity in Imo
By Dapo Akinrefon
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, in this interview with select journalists in Lagos, spoke on how he has been able to transform the state through infrastructure.
During the session, the governor insisted that the rate of insecurity in Imo State was politically contrived by those who lost elections.
He said he adopted the kinetic and non-kinetic approach to tackle the rate of insecurity in the state.
He speaks on how he has been able to transform the state through infrastructure, reduce unemployment and increased the internally generated revenue of the state.
He also bare his mind on the proposed move by some opposition figures to form a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections to oust the All Progressives Congress, APC, emergency rule in Rivers State and other sundry issues. Excerpts:
Can you tell us what Vanguard award on Infrastructure Governor of the year means to you and what you feel earned you the award?
I must start by thanking the Vanguard Newspapers for finding me fit to be honoured in the manner they did on Friday and christening the award as the Infrastructure Governor of the year. To be very candid, it did not come to me as a surprise because in 2020 when I came into Imo State as the governor, there was a total breakdown of both public infrastructure and critical private infrastructure. That led me to my three-r vision mantra of reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery and to also drive my political programme of shared prosperity. In Imo State, by 2020, all the major roads and side roads were impassable.
Government house was not habitable. The public secretariats were civil should work from were broken down. In fact, like those days of Chinua Achebe, it became a typical example of things falling apart and there was no centre. We embarked on it. There was no drinking water for our people. The hospitals were moribund. Public schools were in a total state of disrepair. What did we do? We summoned courage. First, the governor that stayed before me for seven months, Emeka Ihedioha, was not able to live in the government house for one day until he left because the place was not habitable. I struggled to operate for a few days from where he worked, which was outside the Government House. I was challenged that I didn’t contest the election to come and stay outside the Government House. So I moved in. From the guest house where I stayed, I recovered the office, recovered the governor’s lodge, started cleaning up the compound and that’s how I now have an office. The executive chamber was just like one of those market stalls.
I had to immediately build a brand new escrow chamber. Now we have a Government House. Then we did a comprehensive review of the state of roads in Owerri. I prioritised the roads network, identified the major economic interests that would create an economy for my people. Three major roads that came to mind were the Owerri-Orlu Road, the Owerri-Okigwe Road and the Owerri-Umuahia Road. If you go through those roads now, they are a thing of testimony for themselves.
Within a short period, we did over 120 solid roads. And we restored the Owerri Water Scheme. In 2020, people were hauling water in jerry cans and trolleys in Imo State, particularly Owerri, which was supposed to be the state capital, with no access to potable or drinking water.
So we restored that and the Owerri Water Scheme, within the first six months, started running. And our people started discovering themselves again. We looked at the civil service, it was like a market square. Not only did we rehabilitate the buildings and the secretariat, we had no data. We embarked on the enumeration and automation of our civil service nominal roll. We were able to reorganise and recalibrate the modus operandi in the payment of salaries and the recruitment of civil servants. Today, we have a well-sanitised civil service that we can stand up anywhere and tell you how many people that are under our employ. From 2020 to today, we have never missed payment of salaries for a month.
When I came, the minimum wage in Imo State was N18,000. I did the N30,000 minimum wage, even without any prompting, on our own, it increased to N40,000 before the new agreement of Federal Government, and we have started paying N70,000 minimum wage. Even now, I am reviewing the salaries of teachers and critical non-economic offices that are required for social mobilisation in the state. We will review upwards the remuneration to be able to create some additional incentives that will enable workers to get job satisfaction.
In Imo State, I can tell you both the pensioners, civil servants today are under free medical care. We have one of the most robust health insurance schemes and my state government is paying the insurance premium on behalf of all workers. And they have access to medical treatment, every type of ailment apart from cancer. We have strengthened the facilities, the hospitals, the primary health care and the secondary health care system in Imo State is very strong. Only last month, we amended our hospital management law to provide for a public-private partnership so we can have private funds injected into it knowing full well that once you are enrolled for N15,000 a year for the informal sector, you have access to free medical services throughout the year. By the grace of God, it is my hope that we will strengthen the medical system, the school system.
Today, Imo State is the only state in Nigeria with three universities. When I came, we had Imo State University and the College of Agriculture. But today we have Imo State University, we have University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and we have the Mbadiwe University. All being funded and financed by the state government in addition with a polytechnic and the college of education. So infrastructure is not about road. We have both tangible and intangible services we provide as dividends of democracy.
Those who knew Owerri before 2020, if you go to Owerri now, you will be surprised what has happened. The revolution is, I don’t think that the best form of communication, really, if you want to encourage concentration, is to embark on the strategic ways of advertising yourself. Seeing is believing. We do the work, while some other people do the propaganda. But with our work, we demolish propaganda. That is what we are doing. I think that for Vanguard to have seen that and invited me to the way I was honoured yesterday, you see the attendance, how excited Imo people from the smallest to the biggest were. We create an environment of conviviality, where people must go around, radiate joy and happiness among themselves. That is what is government. Government is about the people. If they believe you, they will trust you. If they trust you, they will follow you. I think that is what is happening in Imo State now. I am very happy, and indeed, I want to give all the glory to God.
What is happening in Imo State as regards insecurity?
For insecurity, the insecurity that started in Imo State from 2020, my first four years, was more of a politically contrived insecurity. Those who lost out in the election, those who could not sustain the fraud they committed, got angry and then wanted to create a situation where there would be anarchy in Imo State, looking for a state of emergency. But God said no. Coupled with the local agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Easter Security Network, ESN, people, and that led to the breaking of Owerri Correctional Center facility. And then, armed robbers who had been there for over 20 years, kidnappers had their way out, they went back to the business, the only business they know how to do. It costs government a lot of money. But gradually, with the support of the federal government and God’s grace, we have relative peace in Imo State, and people have gone back to do their businesses without fear of any serious molestation. For me, we have relative security in Imo State now. It is no longer an Imo affair. The thing is all over the country. So every state has fastened their seatbelts to ensure that there is security in place.
So working with the community, we are using both a kinetic and non-kinetic approach and it is yielding results. I think the situation is good. I invite all of you to come to Imo State and see for yourself what is happening there.
You said you dealt with the insecurity part, but the Imo West Zone has been complaining about security. What effort are you making to ensure that the people move freely and then you continue with the infrastructure, especially the Orlu side of that zone?
There is a beginning to everything. First, what led to insecurity? All of us are here in the country, where this incremental growth of unemployment and the youth population has become very explosive. And of course, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. The youth population now decided to go into all sorts of things, including drug abuse. To address insecurity, we must start from the roots, from the basis. For Imo West, the population there is small.
That is the only district with 12 local governments out of 27. So we have more private sector people. We have the youth population there higher. We have the highest voting population. We have done our best to engage the youth population.
I started first with employment. I tried to enumerate some young men and women and to try to do one form of business or the other. I partnered with the Central Bank in the year 2021..We shared up to N50,000 each to some of those people that trained to do either bagging soap making, all that. But what did we get? It was a young man. Once they get the money, the 50 per cent or even more will go back into social life and all the rest of the thing.
We did that first. Second, it did not work. We didn’t get the kind of result we expected. I now diverted to the digital economy. I now tried to create the Skill Up Imo programme with an ambition to empower 300,000 young men and women. We have so far graduated over 45,000 from taking one digital skill or the other. Out of these 45,000, over 99 per cent are carefully employed, either working for companies or doing their own businesses. They have an alumni platform and are still alive. Some are working abroad, some are working in Nigeria, some are even in the country working for companies abroad, depending on the kind of skill you have.
We have a very robust curriculum, starting from computer appreciation to web design to AI and all the rest of the things. So it is working. My target is 300,000. We have now solved the initial challenge, challenge of certification. So we went into a memorandum of understanding, MOU, with Cisco, the global giant that certifies all digital disciplines. From getting Cisco to certify some of these things, we went into an MOU with Microsoft, working with Oracle, Zynos Computers. Only last month, I signed an agreement with U.S. Mark of Silicon Valley. Owerri now is West Africa hub. We have Imo Digital sitting in Owerri, and the whole idea is to create an entrepreneurship centre where entrepreneurs will train, graduate and then get certification from University of California. We have signed an MOU to get a ceniter in California to certify our graduates so they can work anywhere in the world.
So while we are doing that, in 2006, the Federal Government started one of the Egbema power plants. Out of the 10 power plants, one was sited in Egbema. In 2006, it was awarded and abandoned. The lifespan of every generating set and turbine by General Electric is 25 years. The one brought to Egbema has been lying there for 19 years. What did I do? I approached the federal government. This thing has been lying here for 19 years. Mr. President, give it to me. Let me look for partners to complete it so I can light up Imo State.
Mr. President, his wisdom was approved, and we took over. By the end of this year, there will be uninterrupted electricity supply in Imo State. Because we think that without electricity, there is no economy.
Without electricity, there is no life. That is the beginning of any good thing to happen at all. We are working on that and trying to create our network. We are not mindful of the conspiracies here and there by some kind of cabal, either in the generator business or in the petroleum product business. In Imo State, our power system must work. This year, we have seven oil producing companies in Imo State, starting from Chevron, Agip, Shell, Water Smith, Seplat, Adas.
They are there working, but none have an office in Iwo State. None lives in Imo State. They come from Lagos, Portugal to do the work and go back. And when I confronted them, they said, they didn’t have any good places to stay. These oil companies are not interested in whether you are developed or not. They just want to take their raw material and go away. I made a local law. I said if you are an oil company operating in Imo State, you must open an office in Iwo State and employ Iwo people.
And they told me if I can help to attract a five-star hotel like Marriott or Hilton or Radisson Blu. So while I was still talking with Afrexim Bank on how to set up the Marriott Hotel in Owerri, I embarked on the total rehabilitation of the old Concord Hotel in partnership with Hilton. By November this year, Hilton Hotel, the Concord Hilton in Owerri, with 224 rooms.
These are practical things. It will also boost our internally generated revenue revenue and stimulate the local economy if they begin in Imo State.
If you don’t have an economy, the consequences are insecurity. As you try to pursue those who have committed one form of crime or the other using the police, the army, the air force, you should also bring to the conscience of our people to now begin to repent and know that there is security because if they don’t have hope and they don’t believe that something will be good and they are not expectant, they will take that risk. I don’t think that any human being is willing or ready to die if there is an alternative. Government has a responsibility to secure the environment and the primary purpose of government is the welfare of the people and the security of the people.
I met N292 billion debt portfolio in Imo State in 2020. As of today, we are less than N100 billion because I have to reduce that debt so that my state will become solvent to be able to discuss credit with international organisations. So we did that.
When you are able to put all these things in place, somewhere we think we are doing magic. The difference between some of us and some other leaders that came before us is that you come in there with an agenda, you have a vision, you know your target, and you are focused, you drive straight to that target. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted. I am on top of my game and I understand the reason why I am the governor and I have a covenant too with my God that made it possible. So I serve the people and the story will be told after I leave as the govern, it is not now. There is no governor anywhere in the world that people will appreciate fully while he is still in office. It is where you live. What you left behind will speak for you. That is what we are confronted with now.
What is your take of the emergency rule in Rivers State?
Maybe you are not vigilant because I have spoken about. In fact, I was one of the earliest speakers the moment it happened. I anchored my reasoning and logic on protection of our economic assets.
When pipelines were bombed, had to prioritise safeguarding production. As chairman of the National Economic Council’s subcommittee on crude oil theft, our efforts have been on how to boost output and any actions threatening our quotas must be condemned.
The president, as Chief Security Officer, acted to quell tensions in River
By the time I heard that the pipeline was burnt at a time we were crying and making efforts geared towards boosting production. So, anything that would lead to further leakage or reduce the production quota we have, should not be encouraged. Mr President, who is the Chief Security Officer of the country, called some of us, and said he was worried about the growing tension in Rivers State. Of course we were all here and we saw it. What would have happened if those boys in the House Assembly were allowed to impeach my colleague, Governor Siminalayi Fubara? It may be one person today, another person tomorrow. Power belongs to God, I am a Christian and my faith is strong. If you will be a governor, you can only be if God approves and when it is your turn, God will defend and protect you. I am one of the most abused and blackmailed governors when I came in.
Many of our people didn’t give me a chance, they wanted to subdue the decision of our people. When I contested for election, it was clear that I won. Now, the number of votes after cancellation, the ones excluded outside the cancelled one were more than what was announced. The declared one didn’t make a simple two-third which is the required majority before anybody can be pronounced governor. However, because they have access to media and blackmail, he became the Saint and I became the sinner. When the matter was tabled before the court, it saw what was clear and asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, why it didn’t include the result, INEC didn’t answer. When it was included, number four became number one, yet people kept talking about it. For my second term, I won 27 local governments, is that also the Supreme Court? I am a realist, I don’t discuss things that have no meaning to me. I am very objective and practical. And that is why what interests me are results. At the end of the day, what has happened? Imo is better under me as a governor, and it is clear.
There are growing calls for state police as a way to aptly tackle insecurity. What is your comment on that?
The National Economic Council at our last meeting had already taken a position on state police. Out of the 36 including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, we have all signed for the creation of state police. You know it will be taken to the National Assembly for legislation. I believe that state police are necessary because with the population of the country, security cannot be micromanaged. It has to be decentralised so that our comparative advantages can have space in the system.
A member of your party, Senator Alli Ndume, is alleging that President Tinubu is favouring the South, especially the South-West in his choice of appointment. Do you agree with him?
For Sen Ndume, who is my very good friend, we can no longer address the problems of the country in piecemeal. There is no place called Nigeria, it is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Because Nigeria is a federation, if we look at the operations of the country, we will know that parts of the problem we had were ethnic and religious sentiments. A few days ago, I was in Kaduna with other governors to see former President Muhammadu Buhari. I tried my best to distinguish his style of President Bola Tinubu. Buhari came for eight years and followed the status quo of using no name, no method, no measure to rule Nigeria. He left at the end of the year. President Tinubu with a different style of governance, very bold, reform driven, courageous and we have seen the difference. Even though that any government that embarks on reform at the beginning of it there will be agitation and complaint here and there, you will find out that under Buhari, in 2020, my federal allocation was below N5 billion, but now the least is N12 to 13 billion because things like subsidy for petroleum products had been removed and the money saved. All those wastages and leakages have been blocked. The challenge now is how will the subsidiary leadership use this money? I am able to do Old Mbaise Road with N89 billion without borrowing, and that is because of increase in allocation. I have embarked on…erosion control very close to N150 billion without borrowing from anybody or bank. We repaired Orlu and Okigwe roads because we now make more revenue. We must speak to it. You can never see America or anywhere in the world where someone claims to be from Little Rock Arkansas. Clinton finished as governor of Little Rock Arkansas twice, went to New York where his wife became a senator. So the country is one. We are looking for a merit driven government. Governance that will be performance based our people are interested in results. If you take somebody who read history and make him the Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority, and he is not making money. Why not take somebody who is a marine engineer, understands the administration of ports even if he is from the same place with me to make more money and use it to develop Nigeria. The dividends of democracy are to be fertilised to the extent that the product will be enough to satisfy the yearning and appetite of our people. It is not about where you come from. We are Nigerians and we have laws too. So, every man has his own style, target and vision. Sen Ndume and President Tinubu are from the APC. The APC has an internal mechanism for contributing ideas to leadership resolving conflict internally.
Apart from depending on federal allocation, I want you to shed light on what you are doing to expand the revenue base of Imo State…
When I came in 2020. Our internally generated revenue was less than N400 million in a month. As I speak to you, we’re very close to N4 billion. I installed a land administration system. I automated all the processes for collection of taxes and royalties. We have minimised it to the barest minimum leakages. I stopped the idea of hiring consultants to collect government revenues. We have a single treasury account system. So everything is automated. Both the formal revenue and the informal revenue. We are still counting. I am almost confident that by the end of this year, we will be close to N5 billion a month. No wonder the World Bank under the Safe Tax Programme gave us a special award for all the reforms. I took 18 bills to the House of Assembly. All revenue bills. Last month, I offloaded those whose income is below 100,000 from our tax net. I told them not to be paying tax anymore. How can a woman frying bean cake, who at the end of the month may not make up to N100,000 pay? Why are we flogging her to pay tax? So that population, as part of my stimulus package to stimulate the economy, has been offloaded from the tax net. So we are intentional about our programmes to boost and create a good economy.
How have you been implementing local government autonomy?
Because of the so-called insecurity, and what happened in Imo State, we operated a caretaker committee, but it got to a point that it became necessary that we democratise local government. We conducted a very transparent election. We have councillors and all. The local government system is running on its own, and we don’t have problems with our local government authority in terms of revenue and administration. The only thing which I have let go is that because we updated our payroll system, some local governments were not solvent enough to fund primary health centres and local teachers by the meagre size of money they received, according to the indices of revenue mobilisation of…commission. What we are doing now is to intervene from the state. I am very confident that if the local government works well and those mandated to manage local governments are doing well, it means the state is doing well because there is no state without local government. If we are better at the local government, then we are better at the state level. In like manner, if every state in the country is good, federal government is also good. As a matter of fact, the word autonomy is stretched because neither federal government can work without state government and state government cannot work without local government. Most of the functions and activities of these three governments work together, they are interwoven. The doctrine of separation of power is also part of it. At the local government, you have a legislative council. At the state, you have the House of Assembly. Federal government has a National Assembly. The constitution is very clear on responsibilities. All of us swore an oath to defend this holy book called the constitution, which is what we are doing. We should also support the local government to succeed as much as supporting the federal government to support the states to also succeed because at the end of the day, it is the welfare of our people that is important. For me, it is a good development and I encourage all my colleagues. From what I know, we are all doing that.
Coalition is building up, it appears that you have started campaigning for Tinubu’s second term. Do you feel threatened?
On coalition, the meaning of democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. The meaning of politics is that while some agree, others won’t. What is a coalition? We are practising partisan democracy, not coalition democracy. Partisan democracy means you have to belong to a political party before you can contest in an election. When you think that your party is not alive and you are thinking of switching, you have to come out of the Intensive Care Unit, ICU, before you can now do something. They don’t change a winning team. I started by saying that here. You have seen where we met Nigeria.nYou have seen where we are going, where we are now. We know where we are going. At the end of the day Nigerians will judge, but it is still a long time now. We have more than two years as a government. If you want to go into a struggle for how you want to win an election, Nigerians gave you the opportunity to rule for four years, and you are barely two years in. That would be a total distraction. I know that this government is focused. APC is also focused. And our eyes are open. We will not let anybody remove anything in our hand, because we are not sleeping.
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•Nigerians will judge whether they want coalition or APC’s continuity •I summoned courage to revive infrastructure, tackle insecurity in Imo By Dapo Akinrefon Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, in this interview with select journalists in Lagos, spoke on how he has been able to transform the state through infrastructure. During the session, the governor […]
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