By Chinedu Opara
When Gov Hope Uzodinma appointed Comrade Izuchukwu Okebaram, bora, as development area coordinator, not long ago, it elicited a wave of plaudits. Imo people from across party lines hailed the step as one in the right direction.
They said the governor did well by putting square peg in square hole. Obviously, what led those who felt the appointment was meritorious to say so, was the past leadership trajectory of the appointee.
The thinking was that since he discharged and acquitted himself well in past offices entrusted to him, going forward, he will leverage his past experiences to shine in his latest assignment.
That was a well considered opinion rooted in truth and facts. As a former Imo State branch chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, he etched on the sands of time achievements which, the union members up till today, opine will be difficult to surpass.
He changed the ugly public perception and accompanying bad image which, hitherto trailed the union before he became chairman. Prior to his emergence, members of the union mostly behaved as thugs. They always fought amongst themselves over control of parks, and when they were not fighting themselves, they turned their angst on members of the public.
Comrade Okebaram ended that ugly era. Very much aware that it was the winner takes all mentality and policy of his predecessors that gave rise to rifts in the union and parks, as soon as he took office he banished that discriminatory system.
He brought every interest together on a round table and shared jobs in such a way that all were carried along. That inclusive policy quickly ended the numerous conflicts and bickering that held the union hostage for decades.
As a core unionist he not only carried every single member along, he also protected and defended all irrespective of their political leaning. While he remained loyal to the government and converted majority to align with him in doing that, he refused to clampdown on the few who refused to see things from his own Prism.
Of course, that policy sometimes don’t go down well with the powers that be, but always, Comrade Okebaram had a way of making them see reasons why those members should not be victimized. And so it was that throughout his time not one single member no matter how small was victimized or sacked.
Before him no chairman achieved that feat and since he left office the ugly syndrome of dictatorship and discrimination have returned in full force. Reports of workers being victimized and sacked have started making headlines again. Just as it is regularly being alleged by the members themselves that suffering and smiling is the new order in the union.
Since his appointment as Ugiri Development Area coordiator, the ex boss of NURTW has been busy replicating those ideas and policies with which he took the union to enviable heights in the management of the area. Fortunately, those ideas and policies he implemented back then, aligns completely with the objectives behind the creation of development areas by Gov Hope Uzodinma.
In a nutshell, the idea behind them is to drive good governance down to the doorstep of every Imolite. Since assumption of office giving effect to that directive has been the sole preoccupation of Comrade Okebaram and his members.
Against the backdrop that development can only come through government and citizens partnership, the management of the development area has been busy building bridges of partnership and inclusiveness these past few months. They have engaged almost all the community leaders and stakeholders in their jurisdiction. So far meetings have been held with community presidents general, youth presidents,women presidents and staff of the secretariat.
And to practically demonstrate good governance the coordinator only last week employed the eight women leaders of the ruling APC in the eight autonomous communities in the area. Side by side with all these, he has also returned life to the development area secretariat with complete renovation of the complex and regular motivation of staff.
Sincerely speaking, the coordinator of Ugiri Development Area is tailor made for the job. He is doing so well in bringing good governance to his people and in the process bringing about improved perception of the present government. Of course, when people think good of a government, becoming part of it is quite easy. If the excellent job going on now is sustained, soon Ugiri Clan and Isiala Mbano as a whole will become fully 3R compliant.
NIGERIA NEWSPOINT
