Due process, rule of law our priority – Imo SSG

Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

The Secretary to Imo State Government (SSG), Chief Uche Onyeagocha, has said that the priority of the Gov. Emeka Ihedioha’s-led government is to ensure due process and rule of law in governance.

This he disclosed in Awka at the Regional Meeting of Secretaries to the State Governments and Heads/Permanent Secretaries of the Cabinet Affairs Offices in the South-East geo-political zone held at the Golden Tulip, Agulu Lake Hotel. He noted that this was because of the realisation of the government that every part of the state was in ruins.

He said “The priority is to recognise that everywhere is in ruins and that is principally because due process was not followed. So, our priority is to ensure that due process and rule of law are followed in any aspect of governance in Imo State so that it will benefit all without any discrimination.”

Onyeagocha said the mood of the state now was that of relief because of the change of government, adding that the people were also full of expectation.

He said “Everybody is happy that there is a change in government in Imo State and everybody is full of expectation and very realistic for that matter.

“I would say we are working hard to ensure that the state is totally rebuilt and the government of Rt. Hon. Chukwuemeka Ihedioha, the governor of Imo state is determined to rebuild Imo state.

“A lot of things will be done according to proper legal procedure and with due respect to rule of law because that is the only way to move the state away from anarchy and ruins to good governance.”

On the Regional meeting, he said it was necessary for regional integration as it affords the states the opportunity to look at their shared common interest and how good governance was being implemented in each of the different states so as to learn from one another.

He further said that: “We have always had a common market, because the market in Imo imparts directly on businesses and life in Abia and Anambra and the same goes with the  business in Anambra and Abia impacting on livelihood in Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi. We have had common shared interest, so this is a good opportunity while talking about good governance to begin to bring our peoples opportunities together and see how we can improve on the styles that being adopted by each of the states to bring about good governance.

“I am very grateful to the office of the SGF and the development partners for finding this necessary because I think it is high time we bagan to talk about our budgets from a regional perspective rather than from an individual state perspective as there are too many things in one state that impact on the other.”