Reacting to a recent media report credited to Governor Rochas Okorocha to the effect that he (Governor) has retired some politicians in the state including His Excellency, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, who was governor of Imo State between 2007 and 2011, the former governor says Rochas’ comments have confirmed that “he has completely run amok and requires an urgent psychiatric attention…”
Ohakim who replied via a press release signed by his chief press secretary, Collins Ughalla, described governor Okorocha’s comments as senseless saying that governance requires decorum and that rather than provide good governance which he said Imo people desperately need at the moment, Rochas embarked on retiring everything that is valued and cherished by Imo people including but not limited to the 10,000 jobs, 50% of civil servants and pensioners in Imo as well as the 46 development centres, 46 modern health centres and 1,395 water projects all built by Dr Ohakim administration across the state.
Continuing, Ohakim noted that Rochas in his bid to remain the only cock that crows in Imo state has also ‘retired’ the popular Ekeukwu Owerri market, Adapalm Ohaji, Orie Amaraku market that was demolished, Imo Transport Company (ITC), New market Owerri, IMSU teaching Hospital in Orlu among others.
The Okohia-Isiala Mbano-born ex-Imo Governor alerted that while Gov. Rochas would soon retire Nworie and Otammiri Rivers with small culverts he has put ton them instead of bridges, government properties such as IBC Quarter at Orji has since been retired by Okorocha and allegedly converted to Rochas Foundation College.
Ohakim challenged Gov. Okorocha to stop diverting attention through frivolous comments but to start paying pensions of retired Imo workers especially judges whom he disclosed were being owed about four years pensions.
The former governor also challenged Okorocha to fix the battered health care system in the state evident in what he called the geometric increase in death rate in Imo with a high infant mortality rate which according to him, sees 101 children out of every 1000 die before age of five years as at 2014, going by figures released by Budget the worst in the South East. He said HIV cases has also risen to 93,822 in Imo state, the highest in the South-East, and called on Gov. Okorocha to retire the challenges in the sector including hunger that is ravaging Imo people under him.
Ohakim also challenged Gov. Okorocha to pay the outstanding 16 mouths salaries of serving judges and end alleged familiocracy in his movement.