An environmental activist, Uzoka Chukwuemeka (Agundu) has written an open letter to the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma on the need to revitalize the Imo State Oil Producing Development Commission (ISOPADEC) alongside the oil producing communities in the state.
Chukwuemeka, in the letter captioned, “THE LEGACY OF SHARED PROSPERITY: A CLARION CALL FOR THE HISTORIC REVITALIZATION OF ISOPADEC AND OIL PRODUCING COMMUNITIES.”, noted that Gov Uzodinma’s legacies will be permanent through what he described as his “super infrastructural development in the oil and Gas zone of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta.
“I write to you today, not merely as a citizen but as an ardent observer of your transformative governance , a journey that has systematically rewritten the developmental narrative of Imo State. Through your Shared Prosperity administration, you have proven that visionary leadership can turn historical deficits into modern assets.
Your all time achievements speak a language that even critics cannot dispute. The urban renewal of Owerri, the massive dualization of the Owerri-Orlu and Owerri Okigwe expressways, the recovery of public assets, and the strategic upgrading of the Federal Medical Centre Owerri to a University Teaching Hospital are enduring testaments to your capacity. You have steadily built a legacy anchored on structural durability and institutional excellence as you roundup with golden touch Projects in the oil and Gas zone.
It is precisely because of this high standard of governance, Your Excellency, that I find it compelling to bring to your immediate, fatherly attention the fading heartbeat of a vital institution: the Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC)”.
According to him, “ISOPADEC was conceived by its founding fathers as an interventionist oasis. It was designed to cushion the severe environmental degradation, socioeconomic displacement, and ecological trauma borne by the oil bearing communities of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas.
Regrettably, Your Excellency, the commission is steadily losing its original mandate. The gap between the founding fathers’ aspirations and the current reality on the ground is widening. While the 13% oil deration principle was structurally designed to directly ameliorate the plight of these host communities, the impact on the ground has become faint.
There are those within the political corridors who will whisper in your ears that all is well. They will present polished reports and paint a picture of tranquility and satisfaction. I urge Your Excellency, in your characteristic wisdom, to disregard these voices of misinformation from some around you who want your administration to fail by not stating to you the true state of things in the oil zones of Ohaji Egbema oguta. Beware of this ‘FriendEnemies’ in your cabinet and circle. They do not speak for the market woman in Egbema whose farmland is depleted, nor the youth in Oguta whose waters no longer yield fish. Who needs jobs to sustain living . The reality is that the “goose that lays the golden egg” is in dire need of its governor’s direct, fatherly touch. Kindly extend your Majic touch to the oil and Gas zone . This is an SOS, distress call to a father.
The Vision: Mirroring State Wide Excellence in the Oil Zone is beckoning. Your Excellency, you have set a world class benchmark for infrastructure in the state capital and its environs. The quality of roads, the engineering precision, and the durability of your projects are exactly what the oil producing zone desperately craves.
We are not asking for mere palliatives or temporary handouts. We are appealing for you to extend the exact same standard of quality projects you are mounting across Imo State into Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta through a completely restructured and revitalized ISOPADEC and it’s people.
Imagine a legacy where the oil zone is defined by: Standard, dualized network roads connecting the oil bearing clusters to commercial hubs. State of the art , well equipped, Functional regional hospitals to handle specialized health challenges arising from environmental pollution.
Tech driven agricultural hubs and clean water infrastructure to replace degraded natural resources.
Well Funded ISOPADEC with capacity to Fund Super Youth, women Business Empowerment Programs that will revolutionize the next developmental Chapter in the oil and Gas producing Areas”.
Agundu, highlighted the benefits of revitalizing ISOPADEC to the Uzodinma administration adding that by initiating sweeping reforms in ISOPADEC funding model and deploying massive infrastructure to the oil zone is Generational Legacy beyond Human Comprehension. Your administration will secure historic, multi dimensional victories,
Strategic Gains that will be celebrated for Years to come in our Nation and beyond .
You will be remembered as the first Governor who broke the historical jinx of underdevelopment in Imo’s oil basin, crowning your 8 year tenure with an unforgettable monument of justice and prosperity.
Sir, Absolute Peace and Security with Robust local infrastructure , naturally disarms agitation. By directly engaging the communities through visible, quality projects, you guarantee a hitch free environment for oil production, which inherently stabilizes the state’s economy.
