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Douglas
House, Owerri: Between Imo Govt and people�s right to
information
By
Ben Duru
One
of the things, which have baffled and will continue to baffle Nigerians
for many years to come, is the attitude of those elected into office
towards information dissemination as it concerns their movements. There seems to be no end to the
demands of the electorate for the enforcement of their rights to know the
activities of those they elected into offices.
The problem of elected officials
jetting out of their home states without any slightest information to
their constituents has become a source of concern for many, and,
oftentimes, has heightened rumours linking most of them with fatal
accidents, death and other untoward incidents.
In Imo State, the issue has created
so much bad blood among government officials and the people that it would
seem that apart from the Information and Culture Commissioner, Chief Chris
Okewulonu; and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Bright Nwelue,
no one else has deemed it proper to offer explanations on official
trips.
Take for instance, the Governor,
Chief Achike Udenwa. In most
of his official trips abroad, the electorate always have information on
them from other top officials.
The trend has generated
apprehension so much that during one of the governor�s trips overseas,
rumour mills had it that he was down with stroke and that informed why he
was hurriedly flown abroad.
It took the Information machinery of the government to battle the
rumour mill to no end as the people were only interested in seeing the
governor return hale and hearty to be convinced.
Then it came to the turn of the
Secretary to the State Government.
It was gathered that the SSG, otherwise called �father, father� was
flown abroad for medical attention and that after two weeks in an American
hospital, he gave up the ghost.
In spite of the efforts of some House of Assembly members as well
as the Government House officials to convince the people to the contrary,
people refused to believe.
The talk about the demise of the SSG was such that even the sight
of those very close to him elicited sympathy.
Even though all these were mere
lies, it must be noted that what gave rise to them was the information gap
created by their otherwise clandestine movements outside the state.
Truth
is that Imo indigenes residing outside the country have rationalized that
some of the governor�s trips
abroad were invitations based on the efforts to assist in the development
of the state.
For instance, the take-off of the
Imo State University Teaching Hospital at Orlu came into effect after the
governor had travelled to the United States and dialogued with Imo
citizens based there. Through
the efforts of the Imo Trade Representative, Hon. Ike Ibe, Udenwa has been
able to traverse the United States appealing to the people and in turn
receiving containers of books, medical equipment, computers and
accessories. This makes the
Imo University Teaching Hospital to rank among the best in the
country.
But that is as far as those who are
close watchers of government activities can say. Otherwise, almost all the
governor�s trips have been that of secrecy. The last but one trip the governor
made was not made known to the people of the state. However, at the airport, questions
were put to him and he revealed that he had travelled outside the country
for a minor surgery and that it was very successful.
It beats the people�s imagination
that the chief executive officer of a state, one who is holding the
mandate of the people, one in whom the people have handed over their lives
and security, could leave the state without even the slightest information
as to where he is going and what he is going to do. This is aside from the fact that
he is travelling on the bill of state�s treasury.
It is believed that such attitude
brings to mind the attitude of the people during the military era when a
military administrator could jet out of the state and stay away for
several months and when questioned, his answer would be �did you appoint
me to the office?� It is most
unfair for a chief executive to go for a surgery without allowing those
who elected him into office the privilege of
knowing.
This has continued to be the weak
point of the present administration, which has done almost everything
within its strength to make life better for the people. In fact, the story of Imo State
would never be complete without acknowledging the giant strides Udenwa has
made to bring hope and peace to the state.
These
are in the areas of road rehabilitation and reconstruction. This
administration is also known to have embarked on the construction of one
of the best teaching hospitals in the country at the Imo State University.
Also, the Alvan Ikoku College of Education has received tremendous support
from the administration.
It is hoped that government would
look inwards and begin to see the people who put it into office as having
the right to know the whereabouts of the man that they put into office to
protect them.
�Postscript: It has been
discovered that the building, which before now is identified as Lord
Lugard House, was actually constructed by Sir Douglas. A research on those who governed
the area during the colonial period revealed that Douglas built the house.
It is the same house the present Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, and his
family, is taking refuge after the main Governor�s Lodge was razed, no
thanks to NEPA.
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