Okorocha’s 100–man contingent returns, gov denies privatising parastatals, agencies

The state Government has announced that a good number of the 100 -man contingent, including industrialists and media practitioners, that travelled to Turkey, have returned to the state on Tuesday, at about 6 a.m.

The delegation had been led by the state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, to that country on what he called, fact-finding industrial trip, the second with such number in about one year.

According to a statement on Tuesday, signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, and made available to The Guardian, shortly after their return, the returnees would soon make public the outcome  of their journey.

The statement read: “This is to inform Imo people in particular and the Public in general that a good number of Imo-born industrialists and others including media Practitioners taken to Turkey on industrial trip by the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, have safely returned to the State.

The Imo Contingent that left the State for Turkey through Port-Harcourt airport on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 came back by 6am on Tuesday September 15, 2015 also through Port-Harcourt airport. And they had come back with good stories.

The governor had gone straight to Abuja to be acquainted with the Political developments there having been away for some days, but all those he took to Turkey have arrived Owerri with cheerful faces.

Expectedly, Imo people will be briefed in due Course on all that transpired in Turkey with regard to what prompted the trip in the first place.”

In another development, the governor has denied ever privatizing any state government owned parastatal or agency.

In a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor regretted the rumours peddled by some persons on such, urging them to desist.

In the case of Adapalm, rechristened, Imo Palm Plantation, it was concessioned, the same at Imo Transport Corporation, the statement noted, stressing that some were re-purchased after they were sold by some previous administrations in the state.

The statement said: “The Imo State Government wishes to State Categorically that the governor of the State, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha or the Rescue Mission government in the State which he presides over has neither sold nor privatized any government property or any government owned parastatal since 2011 when he came to Power, till now.

This explanation has become necessary following the falsehood being spread at the moment in some quarters that the administration has sold or privatized some government owned outfits.

Government’s Property or Parastatals could not be sold in the dark or without documents, and we Challenge those behind these false Claims to publish or make their facts Public.

The government had, instead, re-purchased some government’s factories sold by the previous administrations in the State from those who bought them including the Resin Paint Industry at Mbaise with the aim of injecting life into them and making them productive.

In the case of Adapalm and Imo Transport Corporation (ITC), what the government did was to grant some Companies Concessions to manage the two establishments and the action was taken in the best interest of the State and her people. And Concession does neither mean privatization nor outright selling.

Even at that, the government is at the moment reviewing the activities of the Companies granted the Concessions to manage Adapalm and ITC to see whether they could be allowed to continue to enjoy the Concession or not.

Governor Rochas Okorocha is keen in developing the State and has always acted in that regard.”