By Harriet Ijeomah
A frontline aspirant for the Imo State governorship seat, come 2023, Attorney Charles Onyirimba has called for the restructuring of the country and focus on wealth creation by the federating units as opposed to concentration on revenue from oil which has lost value and no longer yields much.
The renowned Attorney who has lived, studied and worked in more developed climes expressed dismay that Nigerians have for so long promoted, tolerated and celebrated a defective political structure that culminated in the weakening of the state and local governments to the extent that they could and can still not be alive to their responsibilities to the people.
The frontline governorship aspirant who by his antecedents and track record is passionately committed to comprehensive human capital, infrastrural and socio-economic development of the state and her people posited that, “if elected governor of Imo State, come 2023, “I will by the grace of God, ensure that we commit to a new development agenda with focus on wealth creation rather than wealth distribution from Abuja to the states.
We will undertake far reaching reforms to attract resources, including financial resources and build bigger, stronger and more dynamic sub-national economies. We must expand the frontier of private sector activity beyond the realm of the oil sector and build a new Nigeria of our dream without oil.”
The erudite scholar of internaltional repute and seasoned manager of men and recourses’ noted that, “if oil alone could not sustain Venezuela with the largest proven oil reserves in the world, it will not save Nigeria, hence the need to explore alternative measures of generating revenue.”
He further noted that, it is regrettable that, “many states and local governments survive by consuming more resources than they can generate internally – thanks to the generous handouts from the federation accounts. We must change the narrative by being more creative” “This is my dream for our dear state Imo if I, by the grace of God elected Governor, come 2023 I want to leave a legacy that will be positively judged by posterity.
“We will as a prelude, equip and create enabling environment for our youths to prosper and flourish, initiate programs and policies aimed at nipping poverty in the bud, regig our health and education sectors and boost the morale of civil servants who are the engine room of every government through prompt payment of salaries, pensions and other statutory emoluments. By so doing, the peoples confidence will be restored to the system.
“This is my vision, hence I set up the Imo transformation agenda aimed at transforming all aspects of the state and its mechanism for the overall interest of all.”
