ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF IMO STATE HIS EXCELLENCY, PRINCE EZE MADUMERE ON THE OCCASION OF THE FLAG-OFF CEREMONY OF CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM AT IKEMBA OJUKWU CENTRE ON THE 9TH OF JULY 2013.

To God alone be all the glory for a wonderful like this. Whenever people are gathered for success and good thing, for me, it is always a moment of joy.

For me, leadership is about inspiring people, motivating them to greatness by making them realize their potentials through provision of the necessary potential unlocking dividends and also making environment conducive for both collective and individual goals, while observing the right of others to succeed.

Protocol

As we have gathered here today to Flag – off the MDGs Conditional Cash Transfer program, which marks yet another important milestone in our quest to deliver democracy dividends to our people who gave this Administration the mandate to govern in 2011.

The Rescue Mission Administration of His Excellency Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha has since inception, placed high premium on partnerships that add value to governance and to the lives of our people.  The partnership between Imo State Government and Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs ably represented here shows strong determination to achieve the Millennium Development Goals before 2015 in the areas of Education, Health, Agriculture, Empowerment, Water and Sanitation.

The commitment of our administration led by Our ever loving Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, to redeeming education led to the declaration of Free Education to all levels.  In addition, massive interventions in educational infrastructure is significantly in progress, the construction of 305 Model classrooms across the State, the renovation of Primary schools, provision of school uniforms, books and sandals etc.

Indeed, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) projects have equally gone a long way in touching the lives of our people. Not only has the MDGs intervention provided safe drinking water, about 40 Primary Health Centres are under construction across our rural communities and are also being provided with basic medical equipment.  This policy is primarily aimed at addressing maternal and infant healthcare problems in our rural communities.   These interventions, amongst several others activities of the Imo Rescue Mission were done with the belief that no amount of investment in improving the lot of our people is too much.  Indeed, this remains the focus of any Government that truly seeks to bring development to the people and reduce poverty among them.

Today’s Conditional Cash Transfer flag- off ceremony is by no means exhaustive of the Rescue Mission administration’s efforts at reducing the poverty level in our rural communities. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the beneficiaries of this Conditional Cash Transfer which is anchored on poverty reduction.

Cash will be made available to 1,800 qualified beneficiaries selected across the 27 LGAs for investments/business/trade on the condition that they change their behavioural attitude in the areas of access to education and health. We expect all the beneficiaries to allow their children of school age to be in school during school hours and not hawking wares because Education is now Free in Imo State. This is merely a continuation and confirmation of our commitment to the rescue of our State, which we pledged on assumption of office in 2011.

The SSA-MDGs, Mrs Mma Nzeribe - Michaels, we commend you on your efforts and be rest assured of our continued support and readiness to provide the needed resources and counterpart funds that will further push the frontiers of intervention to effectively provide the basic needed facilities in our rural communities.

On behalf of His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha OON, on whose mandate I stand here today, I therefore, have the honour and privilege to flag-off the MDGs Conditional Cash Transfer Program for our people to the glory of God and mankind.

Thank you and God bless!