When the Imo State Commissioner for Environment,Dr. Iyke Njoku was announced chairman of a seven man Taskforce on Refuse Evacuation in Owerri Capital city, reactions from political observers and analysts, particularly those who know him very well were of the view that he will move the refuse evacuation with a reverse gear. They went extra-mile to question what he has to offer as Commissioner for Environment.Their views will be subject of discussion in the next episode.
Interestingly; the radio discussion on Ozisa FM anchored by a popular presenter Nonso Nkwa has proved analysts and observers right. It is disheartening that a taskforce which came into existence to proffer solution, unfortunately have done more harm than good by allowing the heaps of refuse in the state to turn into mountain of refuse.
If medical personnel will come out to educate them about the dangers of their reluctant action against the health and lives of the citizenry they will truly know that they deserve severe penalty because within this short time they allowed refuse to rapidly increase in the state, many people have moved from a healthy life to unhealthy life due to their deliberate attempt to abandon refuse disposal.
Nothing exposes a hidden agenda, weakness, or failure like time and season. You can pretend for a long time but cannot pretend forever. In the case of the seven man committee, it took just a short time to expose them because they promised to offer what they don’t have. Time and season exposed them within a short time because when they came on board the people expected them to swing into action and hit the ground running at the speed of light with dramatic change and monumental impact in refuse evacuation but unfortunately they ended up moving refuse evacuation with a reverse gear. Any unbiased observer will notice that the regime of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma inherited huge refuse dumps within Owerri Municipal and Owerri Capital Territory, simply because the past regime abandoned official duties and faced Supreme Court case. It was not in doubt that the past regime stopped paying attention to refuse evacuation. When the present regime came on board, refuse was gradually and strategically evacuated and the people felt the impact. Critics may say it was slow , but can never deny the fact that it was steady and with gradual improvement. If there were lapses it needs positive adjustment for positive advancement. According to Late Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa, it is better to repair than to replace. From the operational methodology of the present handlers of refuse disposal in the state, they have performed abysmally low and below expectation. It will be better to reverse to the former handlers because these Taskfoce on refuse disposal led by the Commissioner for Environment is doing refuse dispersal, enough is enough because they moving the environment are with a reverse gear. Time and season have proved that the interest of the Taskforce was financially motivated. Why are they moving with a reverse gear? If you go to Mbonu Ojike by Mbari Street by UBA Bank, mountain of refuse will welcome you, if you go to Naze Junction, you will see refuse dump occupying the road with boldness, if you go to Area H, near Udenwa Estate by Saga Suit the mountain or refuse at that junction is an eloquent testimony that the Commissioner for Environment and members of his Seven man Taskforce deserve condemnation and not commendation. That of Orji is something else.
Surprisingly and shockingly,immediately the radio program has ended where Impolite expressed great dismay at the abysmal performance of the taskforce,they hit the road to do a street show of nonsense.
From all indications it does appear that the Commissioner does not know the true meaning of a taskforce, it may be possible because in this part of the world we have illiterates masquerading as political leaders without any leadership quality. For educative purposes; a taskforce is a group of people who were brought together to do a particular job with an aim to achieve: A taskforce is a team with specific assignment or agenda and a specific time frame. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines task force as a temporary grouping under one leader for the purpose of accomplishing a definite objective, while Longman; defines it as a group formed for a short time to deal with a particular problem. It is very unfortunate that a man was brought to proffer solution with a strong believe that he has the capacity to do so but he performed below expectation simply because his action and approach to issues have proved that indeed he does not have the capacity to deliver on the assignment he claimed he can do better. It is straight-up terrifying that as a leader he doesn’t understand the overall direction to a better refuse disposal as well as the reason for the taskforce job in a time like this.
Leaders who can’t see it, probably won’t find it: Leaders without vision will fail. Leaders who lack vision cannot inspire teams, motivate performance, or create sustainable value. Poor vision, tunnel vision, vision that is fickle, or a non-existent vision will cause leaders to fail.According to a popular maxim the ‘truth is bitter but it must be told’ without mincing words, Honourable Commissioner for Environment and his taskforce on refuse disposal have failed Imo People. Their action questions his leadership qualities and ability to bring the required improvement on refuse disposal.From a general perspective Imo people have seen what Macdonald Ebere did when he took over as ENTRACO GM, every sincere and unbiased mind will score him high. Now that Dr Iyke Njoku has taken over the task of refuse disposal with his seven man team, Imo people have also seen how things are moving with reverse gear even to a point it became a topic of discussion on a radio station Osisa. According to late Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa; “it is better to repair than to replace” From all indications it will be better to return the job of refuse evacuation to the original handlers because they are better than what we have seen under the Seven man Taskforce led by Hon. Njoku in the state. From the words of the founder of Living Faith Church World Wide, Also Known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, he said in one of his tapes, Pray that God will bring your way people who look at you eye ball to eye ball and tell you the truth no matter how bad you feel because the truth is always bitter but we cannot shy away from it. Your excellency in terms of refuse evacuation, without mincing words, the past is better than the present, they past team of refuse evacuators deserve both financial and moral motivation, above all they commendation and not condemnation. Available statistics have proved that the present team evacuating the refuse are not an improvement from the past. Imo people have seen the past and the present, observers and analysts are of the view that the present have failed woefully they should be disband because through negligence of duty they have done more harm than good to jeopardize the health status of Imo people.
Madumere Emma,Esq.SA Media to GM ENTRACO.
