The Chartered Institute of safety Professional of Nigeria (ISPON) Imo state chapter, has advised the Executive Governor of Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to declare a state of emergency on Imo roads and the health sector.
In a press conference organized yesterday at their wetheral road office Owerri, the Chairman of the Institute Dr M.U Dike, who is also a senior lecturer with the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), said that the roads and the health sector are disasters waiting to happen, adding that eight years of Ex-Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s administration had recorded total negligence of safety ethics, which is why the roads in Imo have become death traps, so also for the health sector.
He emphasized on the need for the present Imo state government of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to appoint core professionals in these two areas. “As an institute, we are aware and convinced that the Governor knows the importance of these two areas having been supportive in the institutes chattered status as an act of the National Assembly, when he was a Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives”, he averred.
Dr Dike argued that the past administration was a failure because it appointed non-professionals to man some of these positions leading to a total collapse of these key areas of government.The Institute is of the opinion that appointment to these two core areas will henceforth be based on experience and not patronage, as doing otherwise will be life threatening to Imo people.
Continuing, he said, “we are happy that Ihedioha is engaging the services of professional bodies like Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE).We advise that the Governor appoints commissioners from among certified and registered doctors and engineers”.They also condemned the choice of a lawyer to lead ministry of health and a non-graduate to lead ministry of works by Okorocha, which is why Imo is where it is today.They stated that, there is no functional health facility nor motorable good road anywhere in Imo state.
Speaking further,Dr Dike stated that as a body empowered by an act of National Assembly to regulate safety in Nigeria, they are worried about what the effect of the decay and attendant hazards witnessed in the state, will result to, if such blunder is repeated.
Finally, he advised as a temporary measure, that “those concerned should identify the black spots on the roads and place corresponding road signs while we wait on government to begin massive rehabilitation and reconstruction”.
