Why I want to be Imo gov – Sen Ararume

Senator Ifeanyi Ararume has said that failure of successive governors in Imo State to satisfy the yearnings of the people is driving his ambition to become governor of the state.

Ararume, who is the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), told politics editors in Lagos, yesterday, that those governors also failed to meet his own aspiration and deal with the challenges confronting the state.

He said having observed “how low quality of life in the state had degenerated,” he had decided to intervene to provide the people the new lease of life they deserved if they elected him governor.

The APGA candidate, who represented Imo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly from 1999 to 2007, maintained that all sectors in the state had decayed due to bad governance, lack of planning or non-implementation of existing plans.

Saying education was not truly free in the state and its quality was “zero”, Ararume assured on “invigoration of the sector for a wholly free and qualitative education”, and the training and motivation of teachers for productive results if elected governor next year.

He also said medical centres in the state were not functioning, alleging that in one instance of neglect, medical equipment imported by a former governor, Achike Udenwa, between 1999 and 2007 to serve the healthcare needs of the people in the state were left packed in crates to rot.

He promised immediate attention on all health institutions in the state.

“We shall offer free medical services to pregnant women during and after birth,” he said.

Disclosing that he had completed the provision of two new factories and a mall as his contribution to the economic development of the state, the APGA candidate said he would focus on the ease of doing business to attract investors and provide employment.

“My own new ventures will provide, at least, 1000 jobs,” he said.

Lamenting that the state was ranked 34 out of 36 in the country on ease of doing business, Ararume said he would vigorously pursue his vision of bringing the figure down within the first five months, as he worked hard to industrialise the state.