By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A
"Uzodimma Borrowed Over N53b In Less Than A Year"! That was the title of the reaction by Imo PDP via their New Media Office to a supposed statement of debts by respective states in the federation.
The statement went on with characteristic Imo PDP lamentation spree thus: "Imo State debt profile rose from N151. 31b to N205. 18b being an increase of N53. 87b just between October to December 2021"!
According to the Imo PDP alarmist: "This does not include over N30b received from the Federation Account for the State and LG over the same period of 3 months. Cumulatively between October and December 2021, Imo received over N80b"!
The actual grouse of the fully frustrated party is their question: "Can anyone see where N53b (which amounts to 10 months allocation from the federation account to Imo) in the State?"
The party's state and condition of confusion can be seen and not be imagined. According to Imo PDP, the state got N30b in three months as allocation from the federation account, but got N53b in ten months from the same federation account! Confusion nawa!
Governor Uzodimma has successfully turned Imo PDP into emergency government accountants and auditors, financial experts and analysts, turning and tumbling over figures with the facts!
I don't fish in strange waters. I don't know much about government financing, accounting and auditing.
But I know that the kind of people-oriented projects that Governor Uzodimma has been doing across Imo State, particularly in the past six months or thereabouts, are of high quality and should obviously cost much money.
Recently, in a national television interview, the governor stated that the 35km Orlu-Owerri Road alone has gulped N35b! And it's very believable, considering the quality of visible great work going on there.
Interestingly, similar good work is ongoing at the 57km Okigwe-Owerri Road. It won't be out of place if multiples of billions of naira have been put into the project.
The 12km Awo-Omamma - Okwudor Road is under construction. Just as many roads in Owerri Municipal Council, including World Bank, MCC etcetera.
Governor Uzodimma approved the construction of 135km of rural roads at the ate of 5km per local government area. That projects will cost billions of naira too!
That's for roads. The governor approved the renovation of all primary health care centres in the 305 wards of the State. That will no doubt cost a lot of money.
The governor pays salaries and pensions. He provided free staff buses for Imo workers. He provided free lunch programme for Imo workers.
The war against insecurity in Imo State costs a lot of money. Governor Uzodimma provided a lot of security vehicles to the security service in the State. He ensures they lack nothing that will enhance their herculean task, duties and responsibilities.
The point is that Imo PDP develops assorted cataract and glaucoma at the people-oriented projects that Governor Uzodimma is doing in Imo State.
Even when Imo PDP leaders and members drive on solid smooth roads, they still ask "can anybody see where Imo money is spent?"
Fortunately, the matter is before Ndimo and not Ndi Imo PDP! Ndimo who drive on good roads, receive treatments at the primary health care centres, enjoy safety, security and peace, etcetera can see where Imo money is spent.
Ndimo are happy that for the first time in decades a governor has emerged who utilizes Imo money for the development of Imo State and empowerment of Imo people.
And repeatedly, Governor Uzodimma reassures Ndimo that he didn't come to enrich himself and repeatedly swears that he won't steal a kobo from Imo State.
And to crown it all, Governor Uzodimma challenges everyone to be on the look out for anything that will implicate him for taking Imo money and make such available to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
He says he won't build or buy houses, hotels or illegally acquire land, because all he has come to do is to share prosperity through recovering, rehabilitating and reconstructing Imo State for the period he will be in office.
Truth is sharp and straight. Governor Uzodimma has spoken the truth about his vision and mission to Imo State. And Ndimo believe him because seeing is believing!
The borderline is that Imo money is in Imo State for Imo people, with Governor Uzodimma dispensing it with probity, transparency and accountability.
It's only blind opposition of Imo PDP that will continue displaying their frustration in repeated loss, defeat and failure to Governor Uzodimma and his APC that will continue looking for what was never lost! It's too late!
By God's grace, Imo State is being rehabilitated, reconstructed and recovered by Governor Uzodimma!!