[quote author=Ofodirinwa post=133871597]

very nice. I'm abroad but can't get a good gauge on Uzodinmma's performance because everyone i know at home hates him with a passion lol.
How would you rate him as a governor?

I will rate him 50/100

50 out of 100 is a failing mark though lol
thank you

The Important of RAIL for Imo State's development.

We are reaching an Impass and it must be said now and become a focus for future generations. Imo State needs a rail connection from Onitsha to Aba that goes through Owerri. Here's why

1. All economic development is based on access and flow of markets. If you have access to sea, you will be richer than someone who does not. If you have access to river, you will not be as rich as the one with access to see, but you're above the one who does not. After river is rail and after rail is highway. After highway is street. after street is foot path. A community of all footpaths will never be richer than a community with paved road, and one with paved road and not access to rail will never beat one with access to rail. Why?

Because these different avenues can handle and encourage different volume of trade. If Owerri is linked to Aba and PH by rail, refineries worth billions will be built here. If not, they must go to PH or Aba. For this reason, Owerri cannot match Aba and PH in commercial activity and therefore development.

Rail increases are volume of trade to a city/state with SEA access like Lagos, Enugu, Aba, Kaduna, Abuja and PH. Most major Nigerian cities would be villages if not for rail access.

2. Owerri's money is in tourism and leisure. Can you image the volume of business the city would do if people can get on a train and arrive in Owerri after 20 mins, then leave by the end of the day? Tourists from Onitsha, Aba, PH, Enugu would flood in in droves.


3. Living. Owerri excels at lifestyle and modernity in comparison to surrounding towns. if there is a situation where a person can live in Owerri (spend their income in Owerri) but work in PH, Aba, Onitsha, then the city will become a major commerical hub

4. If i want to locate a factory in Owerri, Orlu or any city the rail will cross and I need resources from any part of Nigeria, I could get it by rail instead of road with it's potholes, go slows, kidnappers, checkpoints, bribes, car trouble etc. I can get it at high volume as well as sell our own at high volume. If somebody is making cars in Owerri and they recieve an order for 5000 cars to South Africa, you can send that in 1 day. Otherwise, this order is not even answerable.

5. Ease of life. A person from Anambra or Abia can land at Owerri airport, enter train, and reach their destination across the whole region.


The next thing Imo state needs is a rail connection that will like Owerri, Orlu, and Onitsha. Owerri should be aim towards being the transport hub for the entire Old East region. It already has the busiest airport, rail will take everything to the next level. It is expensive but is worth any price because that is what will put Owerri on par with PH (which we're arguably going to surpass soon), Aba, and even Lagos

Ofodirinwa:
The Important of RAIL for Imo State's development.

We are reaching an Impass and it must be said now and become a focus for future generations. Imo State needs a rail connection from Onitsha to Aba that goes through Owerri. Here's why

1. All economic development is based on access and flow of markets. If you have access to sea, you will be richer than someone who does not. If you have access to river, you will not be as rich as the one with access to see, but you're above the one who does not. After river is rail and after rail is highway. After highway is street. after street is foot path. A community of all footpaths will never be richer than a community with paved road, and one with paved road and not access to rail will never beat one with access to rail. Why?

Because these different avenues can handle and encourage different volume of trade. If Owerri is linked to Aba and PH by rail, refineries worth billions will be built here. If not, they must go to PH or Aba. For this reason, Owerri cannot match Aba and PH in commercial activity and therefore development.

Rail increases are volume of trade to a city/state with SEA access like Lagos, Enugu, Aba, Kaduna, Abuja and PH. Most major Nigerian cities would be villages if not for rail access.

2. Owerri's money is in tourism and leisure. Can you image the volume of business the city would do if people can get on a train and arrive in Owerri after 20 mins, then leave by the end of the day? Tourists from Onitsha, Aba, PH, Enugu would flood in in droves.


3. Living. Owerri excels at lifestyle and modernity in comparison to surrounding towns. if there is a situation where a person can live in Owerri (spend their income in Owerri) but work in PH, Aba, Onitsha, then the city will become a major commerical hub

4. If i want to locate a factory in Owerri, Orlu or any city the rail will cross and I need resources from any part of Nigeria, I could get it by rail instead of road with it's potholes, go slows, kidnappers, checkpoints, bribes, car trouble etc. I can get it at high volume as well as sell our own at high volume. If somebody is making cars in Owerri and they recieve an order for 5000 cars to South Africa, you can send that in 1 day. Otherwise, this order is not even answerable.

5. Ease of life. A person from Anambra or Abia can land at Owerri airport, enter train, and reach their destination across the whole region.


The next thing Imo state needs is a rail connection that will like Owerri, Orlu, and Onitsha. Owerri should be aim towards being the transport hub for the entire Old East region. It already has the busiest airport, rail will take everything to the next level. It is expensive but is worth any price because that is what will put Owerri on par with PH (which we're arguably going to surpass soon), Aba, and even Lagos

Fantastic contribution as usual! The problem is that a lot of idle noise drowns out rational thought in most government houses in the southeast..........especially in the past! The current crop of governors appears to be the best thus far in the present republic! I want to ask a question if the governors of anambra, IMO, and Abia can raise 500 million dollars by equity and loans...which sector should we invest in first.........a brand new power plant near the IMO gas fields and transmission lines power the 3 states or increase the power generation capacity of geometric power in Abia and send power to the other states or like you said do a rail line connecting Onitsha to aba via Owerri!

Instead of you imo people to vote a visionary leader to develop imo state, you are here making useless wishful thinking that will never happen. How can someone going to Anambra will choose to leave Anambra international airport and go to imo airport to land? Since 1999 till date, imo has been voting crooks, leaving out all the well educated indigenes that can easily turn the state around. Imo state should diversify its economy. Building a bunch of hotels is not tourism. Tourism is beyond just building hotels. There must be something the visitors will tour. Imo state should endeavour to get it right in the next poll by electing a good and educated leader.

Ofodirinwa:
The Important of RAIL for Imo State's development.

We are reaching an Impass and it must be said now and become a focus for future generations. Imo State needs a rail connection from Onitsha to Aba that goes through Owerri. Here's why

1. All economic development is based on access and flow of markets. If you have access to sea, you will be richer than someone who does not. If you have access to river, you will not be as rich as the one with access to see, but you're above the one who does not. After river is rail and after rail is highway. After highway is street. after street is foot path. A community of all footpaths will never be richer than a community with paved road, and one with paved road and not access to rail will never beat one with access to rail. Why?

Because these different avenues can handle and encourage different volume of trade. If Owerri is linked to Aba and PH by rail, refineries worth billions will be built here. If not, they must go to PH or Aba. For this reason, Owerri cannot match Aba and PH in commercial activity and therefore development.

Rail increases are volume of trade to a city/state with SEA access like Lagos, Enugu, Aba, Kaduna, Abuja and PH. Most major Nigerian cities would be villages if not for rail access.

2. Owerri's money is in tourism and leisure. Can you image the volume of business the city would do if people can get on a train and arrive in Owerri after 20 mins, then leave by the end of the day? Tourists from Onitsha, Aba, PH, Enugu would flood in in droves.


3. Living. Owerri excels at lifestyle and modernity in comparison to surrounding towns. if there is a situation where a person can live in Owerri (spend their income in Owerri) but work in PH, Aba, Onitsha, then the city will become a major commerical hub

4. If i want to locate a factory in Owerri, Orlu or any city the rail will cross and I need resources from any part of Nigeria, I could get it by rail instead of road with it's potholes, go slows, kidnappers, checkpoints, bribes, car trouble etc. I can get it at high volume as well as sell our own at high volume. If somebody is making cars in Owerri and they recieve an order for 5000 cars to South Africa, you can send that in 1 day. Otherwise, this order is not even answerable.

5. Ease of life. A person from Anambra or Abia can land at Owerri airport, enter train, and reach their destination across the whole region.


The next thing Imo state needs is a rail connection that will like Owerri, Orlu, and Onitsha. Owerri should be aim towards being the transport hub for the entire Old East region. It already has the busiest airport, rail will take everything to the next level. It is expensive but is worth any price because that is what will put Owerri on par with PH (which we're arguably going to surpass soon), Aba, and even Lagos

Ofodirinwa:
The Important of RAIL for Imo State's development.

We are reaching an Impass and it must be said now and become a focus for future generations. Imo State needs a rail connection from Onitsha to Aba that goes through Owerri. Here's why

1. All economic development is based on access and flow of markets. If you have access to sea, you will be richer than someone who does not. If you have access to river, you will not be as rich as the one with access to see, but you're above the one who does not. After river is rail and after rail is highway. After highway is street. after street is foot path. A community of all footpaths will never be richer than a community with paved road, and one with paved road and not access to rail will never beat one with access to rail. Why?

Because these different avenues can handle and encourage different volume of trade. If Owerri is linked to Aba and PH by rail, refineries worth billions will be built here. If not, they must go to PH or Aba. For this reason, Owerri cannot match Aba and PH in commercial activity and therefore development.

Rail increases are volume of trade to a city/state with SEA access like Lagos, Enugu, Aba, Kaduna, Abuja and PH. Most major Nigerian cities would be villages if not for rail access.

2. Owerri's money is in tourism and leisure. Can you image the volume of business the city would do if people can get on a train and arrive in Owerri after 20 mins, then leave by the end of the day? Tourists from Onitsha, Aba, PH, Enugu would flood in in droves.


3. Living. Owerri excels at lifestyle and modernity in comparison to surrounding towns. if there is a situation where a person can live in Owerri (spend their income in Owerri) but work in PH, Aba, Onitsha, then the city will become a major commerical hub

4. If i want to locate a factory in Owerri, Orlu or any city the rail will cross and I need resources from any part of Nigeria, I could get it by rail instead of road with it's potholes, go slows, kidnappers, checkpoints, bribes, car trouble etc. I can get it at high volume as well as sell our own at high volume. If somebody is making cars in Owerri and they recieve an order for 5000 cars to South Africa, you can send that in 1 day. Otherwise, this order is not even answerable.

5. Ease of life. A person from Anambra or Abia can land at Owerri airport, enter train, and reach their destination across the whole region.


The next thing Imo state needs is a rail connection that will like Owerri, Orlu, and Onitsha. Owerri should be aim towards being the transport hub for the entire Old East region. It already has the busiest airport, rail will take everything to the next level. It is expensive but is worth any price because that is what will put Owerri on par with PH (which we're arguably going to surpass soon), Aba, and even Lagos

Only the FG has the authority to connect two states (Trunk A) by rail or road, however, I might be wrong.

Ofodirinwa:
The Important of RAIL for Imo State's development.

We are reaching an Impass and it must be said now and become a focus for future generations. Imo State needs a rail connection from Onitsha to Aba that goes through Owerri. Here's why

1. All economic development is based on access and flow of markets. If you have access to sea, you will be richer than someone who does not. If you have access to river, you will not be as rich as the one with access to see, but you're above the one who does not. After river is rail and after rail is highway. After highway is street. after street is foot path. A community of all footpaths will never be richer than a community with paved road, and one with paved road and not access to rail will never beat one with access to rail. Why?

Because these different avenues can handle and encourage different volume of trade. If Owerri is linked to Aba and PH by rail, refineries worth billions will be built here. If not, they must go to PH or Aba. For this reason, Owerri cannot match Aba and PH in commercial activity and therefore development.

Rail increases are volume of trade to a city/state with SEA access like Lagos, Enugu, Aba, Kaduna, Abuja and PH. Most major Nigerian cities would be villages if not for rail access.

2. Owerri's money is in tourism and leisure. Can you image the volume of business the city would do if people can get on a train and arrive in Owerri after 20 mins, then leave by the end of the day? Tourists from Onitsha, Aba, PH, Enugu would flood in in droves.


3. Living. Owerri excels at lifestyle and modernity in comparison to surrounding towns. if there is a situation where a person can live in Owerri (spend their income in Owerri) but work in PH, Aba, Onitsha, then the city will become a major commerical hub

4. If i want to locate a factory in Owerri, Orlu or any city the rail will cross and I need resources from any part of Nigeria, I could get it by rail instead of road with it's potholes, go slows, kidnappers, checkpoints, bribes, car trouble etc. I can get it at high volume as well as sell our own at high volume. If somebody is making cars in Owerri and they recieve an order for 5000 cars to South Africa, you can send that in 1 day. Otherwise, this order is not even answerable.

5. Ease of life. A person from Anambra or Abia can land at Owerri airport, enter train, and reach their destination across the whole region.


The next thing Imo state needs is a rail connection that will like Owerri, Orlu, and Onitsha. Owerri should be aim towards being the transport hub for the entire Old East region. It already has the busiest airport, rail will take everything to the next level. It is expensive but is worth any price because that is what will put Owerri on par with PH (which we're arguably going to surpass soon), Aba, and even Lagos

Hopefully, railway planners in the southeast understand that railway lines are built to pass through population and business hubs.

An Owerri-Orlu-Nnewi-Onitsha railway lines is necessary. But an Owerri straight to Onitsha railway lines is least profitable.

discusant:


Hopefully, railway planners in the southeast understand that railway lines are built to pass through population and business hubs.

An Owerri-Orlu-Nnewi-Onitsha railway lines is necessary. But an Owerri straight to Onitsha railway lines is least profitable.

PH-Aba-Owerri-Orlu-Nnewi-Onitsha would revolutionize the region
Owerri-Ontisha alone will do well because of the amount of movement between Onitsha and Owerri. Ontisha is the gateway to the rest of Nigeria

0bjpmb:
Instead of you imo people to vote a visionary leader to develop imo state, you are here making useless wishful thinking that will never happen. How can someone going to Anambra will choose to leave Anambra international airport and go to imo airport to land? Since 1999 till date, imo has been voting crooks, leaving out all the well educated indigenes that can easily turn the state around. Imo state should diversify its economy. Building a bunch of hotels is not tourism. Tourism is beyond just building hotels. There must be something the visitors will tour. Imo state should endeavour to get it right in the next poll by electing a good and educated leader.

Maybe you're being emotional, but it is already happening and has been happening since Adam

Ofodirinwa:


Maybe you're being emotional, but it is already happening and has been happening since Adam

What exactly is happening in Imo State?

Imo State is a sorry case. Someone actually needs to visit Enugu and understand what it means to have a governor.

The problem of Imo State is that decent people have left Imo politics to bad people. Just imagine the three major choices that Imo voters were presented with in the last election. I laugh when people say that Hope Uzodinma didn't win that election because he was clearly a better evil.

The days when men who had genuine businesses (like Frank Nneji, Tony Ezenna, Emmanuel Iheanacho, etc) showing interest in Imo guber elections are far gone. Only men with questionable characters are running the state and will continue to run it because the decent ones have stayed away from politics.

Know this and know peace ...

IMO, the only person who may stand a chance of genuinely rescuing Imo State is Ikenga Ugochinyere. If not, Hope Uzodinma will install his stooge at the end of his tenure and he will continuously waste the resources of the state while its neighbours grow.

SmartPolician:


What exactly is happening in Imo State?

Imo State is a sorry case. Someone actually needs to visit Enugu and understand what it means to have a governor.

The problem of Imo State is that decent people have left Imo politics to bad people. Just imagine the three major choices that Imo voters were presented with in the last election. I laugh when people say that Hope Uzodinma didn't win that election because he was clearly a better evil.

The days when men who had genuine businesses (like Frank Nneji, Tony Ezenna, Emmanuel Iheanacho, etc) showing interest in Imo guber elections are far gone. Only men with questionable characters are running the state and will continue to run it because the decent ones have stayed away from politics.

Know this and know peace ...

IMO, the only person who may stand a chance of genuinely rescuing Imo State is Ikenga Ugochinyere. If not, Hope Uzodinma will install his stooge at the end of his tenure and he will continuously waste the resources of the state while its neighbours grow.

Honestly bro this post is sentimental and bombastic for no reason and this sentimental bombastic mentality is actually worst for Africa than 100 hope uzodinmma. I'm talking about actual tangible action and it's benefits and fundamentally you're expressing an emotion. It's ok to express emotions but we keep treating emotions like political discussion.

When you get emotional instead of looking for how to install rail or generate more power you start looking for ridiculous meaningless concepts like who will 'rescue' you. Imo state is obviously growing, you can dislike the pace or nature of the growth. For example ppl that day there's too much dependence on hotels and Owerri don't like the nature of the development.

I'm tired of how we talk about everything as Africans. Everything is always all or nothing and all situations are desperate and emotional. Have you met all the men in Imo to know that only the ones of bad character are left?

Ofodirinwa:


Honestly bro this post is sentimental and bombastic for no reason and this sentimental bombastic mentality is actually worst for Africa than 100 hope uzodinmma. I'm talking about actual tangible action and it's benefits and fundamentally you're expressing an emotion. It's ok to express emotions but we keep treating emotions like political discussion.

When you get emotional instead of looking for how to install rail or generate more power you start looking for ridiculous meaningless concepts like who will 'rescue' you. Imo state is obviously growing, you can dislike the pace or nature of the growth. For example ppl that day there's too much dependence on hotels and Owerri don't like the nature of the development.

I'm tired of how we talk about everything as Africans. Everything is always all or nothing and all situations are desperate and emotional. Have you met all the men in Imo to know that only the ones of bad character are left?

Oga, stop talking about railway. It's not a priority in Imo State. Imo State needs to create jobs through agriculture, tourism and agro-allied industries through PPP arrangements. That way, the state can get those jobless armed guys who call themselves unknown gunmen off the streets.

Look how Presco is generating billions of naira in revenue through palm oil production in Edo State (it made #42 billion in 2024), but Hope Uzodinma çan neither manage nor expand Adapalm.

Imo State cannot afford railways. That's why only Lagos and Abuja are building such projects in Nigeria. Before you say loans, no organisation will invest money in projects if there's no convincing repayment plan.

By the way, I x-rayed the political outlook of Imo State and what the future holds for the state. It has nothing to do with emotions.

Ikengawo stop smoking weed

Ofodirinwa:


Maybe you're being emotional, but it is already happening and has been happening since Adam

Ofodirinwa:


Honestly bro this post is sentimental and bombastic for no reason and this sentimental bombastic mentality is actually worst for Africa than 100 hope uzodinmma. I'm talking about actual tangible action and it's benefits and fundamentally you're expressing an emotion. It's ok to express emotions but we keep treating emotions like political discussion.

When you get emotional instead of looking for how to install rail or generate more power you start looking for ridiculous meaningless concepts like who will 'rescue' you. Imo state is obviously growing, you can dislike the pace or nature of the growth. For example ppl that day there's too much dependence on hotels and Owerri don't like the nature of the development.

I'm tired of how we talk about everything as Africans. Everything is always all or nothing and all situations are desperate and emotional. Have you met all the men in Imo to know that only the ones of bad character are left?

Every evening, people from all parts of Imo state head to sleep in Owerri, either in hotels or in private homes. Why? Because there is no security outside Owerri in Imo state;
People flock to Owerri because that's where almost all institutions and social infrastructures in Imo state are kept.

Successively, Imo state has been having barely educated governors who would put the state's income into modern development of only the state capital. That has given rise to land speculation and land grabbing in the whole of Owerri zone going towards Rivers state. Even govt officials are involved. Buy land in a bush area of Owerri, use government to build road to the land. The land quickly appreciates in value. Before two years, the land can be sold five times its original cost.
Emeka Ihedioha quickly started with urban renewal of the other two major towns in Imo state. He left, those places were abandoned to decadence.

Governor Hope Uzodinma's media team shared the pictures of the two roads he commissioned.

1. DSS Road, which he renamed Ganduje Drive and invited him to commission it (1st and 2nd pix)

2. 18km Mgbidi-Oguta Road (3rd and 4th pix)

He didn't even care that Ganduje has a bad reputation. Like-minds attract each other other

SmartPolician:


What exactly is happening in Imo State?

Imo State is a sorry case. Someone actually needs to visit Enugu and understand what it means to have a governor.

The problem of Imo State is that decent people have left Imo politics to bad people. Just imagine the three major choices that Imo voters were presented with in the last election. I laugh when people say that Hope Uzodinma didn't win that election because he was clearly a better evil.

The days when men who had genuine businesses (like Frank Nneji, Tony Ezenna, Emmanuel Iheanacho, etc) showing interest in Imo guber elections are far gone. Only men with questionable characters are running the state and will continue to run it because the decent ones have stayed away from politics.

Know this and know peace ...

IMO, the only person who may stand a chance of genuinely rescuing Imo State is Ikenga Ugochinyere. If not, Hope Uzodinma will install his stooge at the end of his tenure and he will continuously waste the resources of the state while its neighbours grow.

High time Imo state begins to look towards renowned entrepreneurs and former bank executives to run for government house. I really don't buy the idea of going for politicians and professors, overtime they have shown to fail woefully in government. Let's emulate what is happening in Enugu, Abia and Anambra. All this packaged fraud called everyday politicians won't save our state. Imagine hope building roads connecting all the major cities in Imo state, but doesn't know how to use same as bargaining chip to draw local and international investments to the state. Imo state looks stagnant even though road construction is going on. No schools or hospital has been touched since his Inception into office. The hospitals built by rochas have been left to decay, what stops him from partnering with a health management firm, fund the rehabilitation of this hospitals and institutionalise health insurance for imo state civil servants, federal workers and private individuals who can afford paying monthly for health coverage. Imagine 1,000,000 people paying 500 naira monthly and can access the general hospitals in any of the local governments for minor health cases, meet a doctor, get treatment and drugs without having to pay heavily out of pocket, imagine the number of doctors, nurses, microbiologist, pharmacist etc that will be employed and paid. What stops him from partnering with private firms in developing an operational and revenue master plan for the OCDA's to generate a portion of their operational cost to see to the efficient planning, management and provision of necessary infrastructures like traffic lights, signage, cameras, road sweepers, building permits and town planning permits for Owerri, orlu and Okigwe and not having to wait for funding. The governor cant run the entire state at once, the work load is too much, delegation of roles is very important. We are so used to one man calling the shots in Nigeria, that's why everywhere is so stagnant. Bring in private people. Also what stops him from taking a cue from what Peter Mba is doing In Enugu, building new modern packs. Partner with a renowned transport management company, build new modern parks around Owerri, in orlu and Okigwe and see how government revenue will jump in one year. ITC should be rebranded, part of it shares sold to a private company to manage and make one of the new bus terminal it's hub, efficiency will improve same as revenue. Million dollars are lost yearly from not optimal Adapalm, while Rhizome palm in Rivers state is flourishing and yielding returns because of private company management. Oguta lake is wasting, even the hotel resort owned by government is an eyesore, whereas with private partnership, a grand hotel, holiday resorts and amusement part can be sited there. What about developing and planning the construction of a second mall, larger than the current Owerri mall at the west end of owerri city, the jobs and revenue. Do you know the level of employment and revenue this few critical investments will yield for the state? With this structure in place a new governor will only come to build ontop what is already on ground instead of starting afresh but we are so unlucky in having mediocre everyday politicians as governors. Roads alone don't attract investment, but a direct and intentional approach does. To cap it all, these agreements signed with private firms will be for periods of 20 to 30 years on either Build Operate and Transfer or Operate and Transfer models to ensure stability and consistency and less government interference unless in breach of contract.

We have millionaires and billionaires In imo state, government can develop special purpose vehicles in form of a public private enterprises, organise an economic summit gather signatories and funding from individuals and banks who want to invest at an agreed profit sharing and control model. This enterprise will be saddled with the aim and purpose of developing multi billion naira investments in agriculture, real estate, power, logistics and tourism hubs around Imo state instead of all this minut singular investment of people littered all over the place. The enterprises can take up control and management of Imo airport and airport city, Adapalm and future palm plantations, Oguta lake resort, new cities and town development and develop the necessary infrastructure to increase patronage and revenue while holding them in trust for Imo indigenes and the investors. It can also be listed on the stock exchange. All government needs to do is set the necessary funding and control modalities, back it by law for public trust.

When we see how fast and far developed countries have gone and we come back home and see how Nigeria and it's states are crawling, then electing mediocre governors who believe building only roads is the way to go for rapid development is a no no.