Any war will cost Igbo N3trn assets – Rochas Okorocha

Gov Rochas Okorocha

The Imo State Gov­ernor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has said that any form of war will cost the Igbo N3 trillion both in proper­ty and in assets, insisting that Ndig­bo are being deceived by the Indig­enous People of Biafra (IPOB), that they will actualize Biafra.
Governor Okorocha spoke when he gave 16 newly recognized traditional rulers in the state their respective staffs of office and cer­tificates of recognition, regretting that even when the cloud is gath­ering storm over IPOB activities, those who should be talking like traditional rulers, leaders and pas­tors have kept mute.
He also hinted that pension­ers in the state will be paid their ar­rears in full, next week, adding that his administration would contin­ue to take steps that would ensure that pensioners are paid as at and when due.
His words: “On IPOB, the cloud is gathering storm; nobody is talk­ing even our traditional rulers, Pas­tors and leaders. This is bad for our people.
“If you will remember vividly that few years ago, during the Civ­il War, it was a similar story. That was how it all started. At that time, we believed that the Ohafia warri­ors will be able to fight and decimate the North”.
“Now we are being deceived that IPOB will drive away Nigeria and give us Biafra. Even our Pastors, men of God and some leaders in the rural areas, nobody is speaking out against this action and the song of war is coming gradually like a de­sert encroachment.
“We fought the war and it was believed that the Igbos will learn from it but they still went ahead developing the resources of other regions”.
He noted that, “There are five million Igbos living outside the shores of Igbo region. Any form of war will cause the Igbos over 3 tril­lion naira loss in properties and as­sets.

“No sane person will spread  the message of division and war because it does not benefit the Igbo in any way. I urge you traditional rulers to speak against it and edu­cate your people on the true state of things. Igbo need to build bridge of unity across the nation”.
He added “One of the challeng­es I have in my government is the is­sue of pension and it is not my in­tention not to pay pension.
“I have decided to pay with the help of the Paris Club refund of 7.1 billion naira, our pension is about 9 billion naira.
“I want to clear this pension. Last time I saw the pains of our pensioners; some of them, especial­ly those from level 1 – 7 were paid full pensions”.
According to the governor, “Now I am making frantic efforts to make sure we pay all the pensions we are owing, 100% of their money.
“As I am doing this, I will like to seek the help of the Community Government Councils in identify­ing the fake pensioners; I still don’t believe that Imo State will be the only state in Nigeria paying 1.5 bil­lion naira as pension where states like Lagos pay 250 million naira.
“What I am paying as pension is more than what 15 States put to­gether pay as pension. Something is wrong. I am partnering with a Chinese Company now to solve this problem”.


Source: Breaking Times