The application of western technology in the development process of developing nations is now a sine qua non and a desideratum which not only acts a catalyst and a propeller but also a veritable pillar.
Apparently conscious of this, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and incumbent governor of Imo State prior to his inauguration on 29th May this year had embarked on economic and diplomatic visits to the United Kingdom and Germany.
While there, the governor fondly called by his chieftaincy title (Omekahuruanya) the great achiever interacted with development / investment partners and donor agencies and upon return met with the World Bank, the French Development Bank (AFD), the UK Department for International Development and the German Embassy who all expressed, their willingness to partner with his administration to get the Eastern Heartland (Imo State) out of the woods and thus make it the peal of the southeast.
To be sure, not a few indigenes of the state are worried that the state had over the years not leveraged on multi-lateral development assistance on account of her inability to comply with some basic requirements such as payment of counterpart funding and lack of transparency in the administrative process. Interestingly, the positive perception of the Rebuild Imo government of Chief Emeka Ihedioha has attracted the interest of International Development partners in partnering with the state to achieve its strategic development plan. Not done yet, the government also led a small team of government officials and private sector entrepreneurs on an investment trip to Russia where he held meetings with the AfriExim bank – the leading pan African trade financial Institution that had since pledged support in the form of a robust credit line for prospective investors in the state. That the state under the leadership of Chief Ihedioha is now being viewed as open and good for business is evidenced on the visit of a team of prospective investors to the Imo modern poultry, Avutu, Obowo council area who showed keen interest to revamp the project established by the late Chief Sam Mbakwe administration. There is no doubt that if fully operational, the poultry would provide over 2000 jobs, catalyze local economic growth create job opportunity ties for the teeming unemployed graduates, increase the revenue of the state. To add impetus to his industrialization drive the governor has engaged the transmission company of Nigeria and the Enugu Electricity Distribution company to complete the Oguta 33KV line from Egbu which is expected to be completed in no distant time. This will unquestionably supply reliable electricity to the Oguta environs while freeing the old Oguta 33kV line to make available more electricity for the new Owerri areas. The governor is emphatic that “only a reliable and adequate power supply will guarantee the industrialization agenda of our government trough our intervention, further work has commenced at the 132 and 33 KVA such stations located at Ideato & Aboh Mbaise respectively with a view to completing them by the end of this year” the governor was quoted as saying. It is equally gratifying that the state government has set up a power and Rural Electrification Agenda (aka 1-POREA) to evolve strategies to remove barriers to adequate exploitation of the power generation potentials. The state government has also empowered I-POREA to take advantage of the State’s supply to some areas of the state where they were non existent in the last seven to eight years. This included the replacement of 79 failed transformation across the state, completion of electricity supply to Inyishi Aluminum Extrusion Company and its environs as well as the Oguta 33KV line electricity project. Lamenting that for years now, the state had been the ugly bride in the area of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country, the governor disclosed that his administration has designed a framework for implementing the necessary reforms to improve the position of the state on the World Bank Ease of doing business ranking. Furthermore, the government has concluded plans to inaugurate the Imo State Enabling Business Environment Council(ISEBEC) which is expected to draw up, implement and oversee agenda for business process reforms. To crown it all, the governor, conscious of the indispensability of effective and all season motorable road network has awarded contracts for the construction of 14 critical roads across the state. These include: Naze Federal Polytechnic Road, Ihiagwa-Obinze road, Ahiara Junction Okpala Road Aba Branch Ahiara Junction road and the Imo State Teaching Hospital Road, the Umuowa Old Orlu Road MCC – Toronto Road, Mgbidi Oguta Road, Ogwoghoranya, Avutu with a spur at Avutu Poultry farm Road and the Douglas- Emmanuel College –Naze Junction road. Also slated for reconstruction are the Assumpta Port Harcourt Road, Okigwe Okpara Road- police station, Road, control post world Bank-Umuguma Road, Okigwe Road – IMSU Bishop Court Roundabout Road and the Concorde Bondevard Ring Road-Zuma –PH Road with a flag-off of 7 of these projects.
