By Dr. Chuks Osuji
It is an incontrovertible fact that a good planning is bound to result in a good measure of achievements.
Evidently, every good and solid building must be predicated on a solid foundation. As the saying goes, “one who fails to plan has planned to fail.”
Given the circumstances through which Governor Hope Uzodinma came to become the Governor of Imo State, the general perception has been that he was taken unawares. But from the perspective of recent happenings, he has been proving that all along the line, based on his networking and permutation of his strategic options, gradually, he has been demonstrating some elements of prior preparedness to be Governor of Imo State.
Two things can support this assumption. Firstly, he has decided to adopt many Emeka Ihedioha’s well grounded policies in many areas. For example, ordering all well meaning contractors back to work so that most of the roads contracts would be completed before the heavy rainfall begins.
In the area of critical man power, he decided to retain one or two experienced and knowledgeable specialists in Ihedioha’s Administration. For example, he retained quite a number of such experts in their field of professionalism. One of them is Chief Paschal Egwim, who was handling Due Process and Procurement Bureau. A man of vast experience in procurement matters in shell where he retired, immediately picked up by Jonathan’s Administration.
This single recognition and retention of Chief Egwim shows that Governor Uzodinma is determined to ensure that in areas of Due Process, there will be no leakage in Policy Formulation, Monitoring and Implementation.
When it comes to the appointment of key critical persons, Governor Uzodinma was not found wanting. For example, he appointed a highly experienced and knowledgeable person as Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmos Iwu. In his new appointment as SSG, Chief Cosmos Iwu is on a familiar ground. Having worked as SSG under Gov. Ikedi Ohakim, he must have had grip of intricacies of Network of Administrative Policies. We all expect him to give Administrative and Objective Directive to the Governor.
As SSG, he must be able to untie the intricacies of bureaucratic niceties.
From his background, one can say that indeed, it was a good appointment.
Another well thought out appointment was that of Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, who is the Chief of staff to the Governor.
In fact, in our Democratic setup, a Chief of Staff, according to Alexander Hagg, Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon, said, “Chief of staff is the Prime Minister of the President or the Governor. He is the Gate keeper to the Government House and to the Governor. He is indeed the General Overseer to the Government House.”
A fine and refined gentleman, Barr. Nnamdi has been very loyal to Governor Uzodinma all along the line. He has been his most trusted confidant in all the Political Processes to which Governor Uzodinma is connected. He showed a lot of dexterous neutrality when he was the Chairman of PDP in Imo State. Then, he guided the primary to a successful conclusion despite the behaviour and rascality of some over ambitious persons.
Today, as the Chief of Staff to the Governor, without doubt, his cool headedness and firmness will be what Governor Uzodinma needs in his challenging job. In terms of loyalty and tenacity, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, whose father incidentally paid my exam fee, to enable me sit for Standard six examination in Port Harcourt in 1956 can be compared to Prince Eze Madumere in terms of loyalty, service and submission to Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Another key appointment made by Gov. Uzodinma, was the initial appointment of TUC Nwokonkwo as the Principal Secretary to the Governor, who many have come to appreciate and describe as a highly Fine Officer with simplicity and humility of the mind who knows the intricacies of the Government House.
Although replaced as the Principal Secretary few weeks on, posted to the Office of the Head of Service and replaced by Dr. Mrs. Chima Irene, Former Perm-Sec Ministry of Agriculture who is now the current Principal Secretary. A cool headed lady who cannot be stampeded into an irrational action, Dr. Mrs. Irene Chima, today, could be said to be, according to Wilson Churchill, “the keeper of Governors Conscience and File.”
Finally, with all these Fine Officers, it is expected that Gov. Hope Uzodinma has laid a solid foundation for the takeoff of a Solid, Progressive and Result Oriented Team, for which Imo people must expect a Good Governance.
As the saying goes, “The taste of pudding is in the eating.”
