I’ll industralise Imo if I become governor, says LP candidate, Achonu

Sen. Athan Achonu, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Nov. 11 Governorship Election in Imo, has pledged to industrialise the state if he is elected governor of the state.

Achonu made the pledge when he hosted newsmen on Thursday in his residence in Abuja.

He said that arrangements have been concluded with some power generating companies to generate power for the state to boost his government’s industrialisation plan should he eventually emerge as governor.

“We have mapped out six industrial layouts, two per geopolitical zone, with focus on job creation through industrialisation, and that is why I am focusing on power generation,” Achonu said.

He said he was encouraged by the bill signed into law by the federal government which now permits states to produce and generate electricity from their own sources, noting that states now have every reason to pursue their industrialisation goal.

“I have concluded plans with Afreximbank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support industries.

“I have a licence to operate a refinery; I will activate it or encourage people to take it over in order not to distract me while in office.

“Orlu is a Pharmaceutical zone, I got banks to do a pharmaceutical park in Okigwe so that investors can come; I told the owner of Orange Drugs about it a long time ago.

“I am bringing all these ideas into play to create job opportunities,” Achonu said.

According to him, security of lives and property will be top in his agenda, while Local Government Areas (LGAs) will be given autonomy to manage their funds and resources.

Achonu noted that insecurity heightened in Imo since governors allegedly hijacked the local government (LG) system.

“I have been championing LG autonomy since Obasanjo left, till today. We will organise LG elections in six months if we are elected into office; I will lead by example.

“I have been consistent on LG autonomy in so many interviews that I have granted, and I believe that criminality came in since the LG system was hijacked by governors, as they allegedly pocketed their funds.

“If you are a councilor elected by the people, there is no way a criminal will enter your territory that you will not notice or be informed.

“That is why I am advocating the establishment of vigilante groups for local governments.

“So, the first bill I will send to the House of Assembly is for every LGA to have a vigilante group which we will supervise through oversight functions by the House.

“The vigilante groups will work with the Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and so on, in securing lives and property,” he said.

Achonu said that God had kept him alive to succeed Gov. Hope Uzodimma in the forthcoming election, saying that he would never be a stooge or placeholder for any politician.

“I am going to defeat Uzodimma in his Local Government; I can guarantee you that. I don’t have any fear. I started fighting war at the age of nine (Boys company), so, I am not afraid of anybody.

“I have my strategies and I can’t reveal them to avoid countermeasures.”

He noted that another major challenge his administration would face if elected as governor would be the huge debt profile of the state, in addition to salary and pension arrears of many workers and retirees in the state.

Achonu, however, assured that he would ensure a realistic policy that would fashion out ways of offsetting the backlog of salaries and pensions of workers and pensioners to give them a new life.