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Author: Njamanze Fidel
Posted to the web: 4/23/2011 7:20:28 AM

Ohakimâ's Empowerment Application Form (Per Ward): A Real orFalse Bait?

 

 

Written By Njamanze Fidel

 

 

As the count down to the Imo state governorship and StateHouse of Assembly elections draw close some political parties have come forwardwith mouth-watering promises so as to gain overwhelmingly the votes of theelectorates. This move is to reelect the incumbent governor, state houseassembly members or to vote them out and usher in a new governor, houseassembly members from opposition political parties in Imo State.

 

 

One of such political campaign promise is the EmpowermentApplication Form (per ward) that is being circulated across the 27 localgovernment Areas in Imo state which is given to prospective electorates by thePeoples Democratic Partyâ's house to house campaigners with the  aim of getting their votes on the 26 of April2011.

 

 

I do know that Imo people have not forgotten so soon whattranspired when the Ikedi Ohakimâ's administration advertised to provide 10,000 jobsto Imo indigenes. The question now is has the governor fulfilled that promiseforthrightly  not minding that majorityof those who applied for the job with their hard earned money to by scratchcard are yet to be employed? Is there any similarity from this Empowerment ApplicationForm per Ward and the vehemently criticized 10,000 jobs?

 

 

The form has the following outlines under its biodata, dateof birth, sex, marital status, occupation, address, Local Government Area(LGA), phone number and email address. Under its empowerment category, you willsee farmers loan; 100 persons, widows loan; 50 widows, students scholarship; 20students, youth empowerment; 10 keke/tricycles and government employment; 10graduates, 20 non-graduates and 10 women. When you add the above figures andmultiply it by the total number of wards in Imo Statewhat will you get? No doubt, the total number of people to benefit from thisempowerment scheme will

 exceed the 10,000jobs which Ohakim said his administration will provide. What does this tellyou? Are we not about to be hoodwinked by the political deceivers of Imo statekleptomaniac politics? 

 

 

If one may ask, why the PDP led administration in Imo Statedid not introduce or share this form when it assumed the administration ofaffairs in 2007? Why is it now that the Governorship and State House of Assemblyelections are very close that they remembered to distribute it amongprospective and non prospective electorates whom they have faith and hope thatwould vote for the Peoples Democratic Party? Whether this latest political gameplan of the PDP in Imo State will fly, remainsonly a matter of conjecture.  But what Iam sure of is that most Imo people are not naïve. Our governor Governor IkediOhakim seems to have made enough money within a period of four years and thatis why he said university education is not for the poor or everybody. What aninsensitivity to the plight of the averagely rich and poor!  He has as a matter of fact; increased thefinancial burden of majority of our parents who have their ward in Imo State University. Will you votefor him (Ohakim) if you are in the position of such parents whom the former hasmade their burden heavier?

 

 

The People of Imo State should vote wisely at this crucialelection which will make or mar commendable governance.

 

 

Njamanze Fidel a political activist andcommentator write from Ihite, Imo State