Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodimma has read the riot act to members of two commissions – the Imo State House of Assembly Service Commission and the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission -charging them to commit their wealth of experience to deliver on the mandate given to them or consider resignation.
The governor said he gave the marching order because of the responsibility placed on their shoulders and that there would be zero tolerance for complaints.
He spoke at the New Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Owerri, while inaugurating the members of the commissions.
While the former speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly Hon Paul Emeziem heads the four-member Imo State House of Assembly Service Commission, Engr. Sam Nwire, former special adviser to the governor on Power, was inaugurated as the chairman of the eight-member Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Governor Uzodimma urged them to regulate the operations of both commissions and strengthen and bring sanity to their operations for the state’s economic growth.
The governor said the inauguration was another effort to rescue Imo State from economic slumber and make her rank with other states with better-regulated activities.
He said that when the House of the Assembly Service Commission is well regulated, it will positively impact the state, insisting that with the number of bills he has assented into law since his assumption of office, “there is no doubt that the House of Assembly has done very well in this administration.”
He, therefore, insisted that regulating the activities and operations of the House of Assembly has made it necessary to constitute the commission.
Speaking about the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Governor Uzodimma said that if the state wants a robust, sustainable economy, it must “start with power, which is electricity.”
He recalled that moving power generation and distribution from the exclusive list of the 1999 Constitution as amended to the concurrent list has allowed the states to source for their own power generation, distribution and transmission.
He said that Imo State is taking advantage of the constitutional alteration to gain her power and effectively accomplish the dream. Therefore, an audit of Imo State’s assets in the old power company will be needed, hence the importance of the commission.
Governor Uzodimma said that highly tested professionals formed the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
