Chime has Performed Poorly

By: Barrister Ray Nnaji, Chairman, Enugu State Chapter of PDP

What has it been like being on the opposition to the government of Enugu state in the past two and half years?

You know quite well that opposition has, in actual sense, put Governor Sullivan Chime on his toes. Our opposition has made him to, at least, do the little ones he has been doing because without these criticisms and the rest of them, I believe he would have been sleeping over the development of this state. And opposition is a way to sensitize some people that there are some bad aspects of the governance which a lot of people are given credibility. As a result of this, others will be gingered to open their eyes to what happens in their state.

There are observations in some quarters that more funds have come into Enugu state in the past two and half years of Chime’s administration than in the eight years of administration of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani. How would you react to this?

Yes, I am aware of the remarks. I even saw the papers containing the information, but I have not taken time to talk about the issue because I have not done my investigations on the figures being to be sure of the accounts. You know in issues concerning funds and figures one has to be sure of what one is talking about. It is a sensitive matter. But I know quite well that this government was lucky to have met a buoyant allocation. Whether it is almost two-thirds of what Chimaroke Nnamani got in eight years I don’t know because I have not been able to verify all the facts but I saw the details.

In the face of the whooping figures talked about, what is your rating of Chime’s government so far?

If what I have been hearing is anything to go by, I would tell you that Chime’s performance is not commensurate with the funds he has received, taken into consideration that, in Enugu city, he has done ‘a little fine job‘. But when you go to the rural areas, you don’t see anything there. And that is what actually gives me worries. And Chime has not performed well in other sectors, including education, judiciary, health, industries and what have you. So if the figures we are talking about are anything to go by, I don’t think that the work Chime has put on ground is commensurate with the funds he received.

How would you want this state to be run in the remaining part of this tenure (2009 t0 2011)?
One other aspect the governor has woefully failed is in the issue of human empowerment. So many people are complaining. So many people are complaining. Even if you are doing a lot of things, it is human beings that will enjoy those things. So many people are feeling so disenchanted because of the fact they have not been getting anything from the government. We want a situation whereby the government should be open, transparent and accessible. When you want to see your governor you see your governor. It is not a situation where you find it impossible to see your governor. Even in public functions, you find it difficult to have a glance at Sullivan Chime. That is not the best way to run the government.

How do you react to Chime’s government’s alleged indebtedness to the tune of about N50 Billion? This government reportedly took such loans from the banks, and they (the loans) are yet to be repaid.

N50 billion is a staggering amount. It is not a small money. If this is found out to be true, it is too bad that one has to feel sorry for the state because we know quite well that in the old Anambra state there was some debt which are still being deducted at source from the coffers of Enugu state. I don’t know whether those debts were exhausted before Chimaroke left office. And if they had not been exhausted, this N50 billion forms an additional burden on the state and its people. N50 billion! It is going to tell on the state terribly.

How?

It means that anybody coming as governor will be confronted with the task of paying debts alone. There won’t be development. It is going to be so difficult and that is why internal revenues will continue to be increased in the sense that it is the only way government can augment the financial allocations coming in. And when you hike internal revenues, then, the people are the ones suffering for it. It is the people that bear the brunt of it.

Interview conducted by KlinReports