By CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI—IMO State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has affirmed that security remains a big challenge to his administration, even as former governor Chief Achike Udenwa, appealed to Okorocha to address the security challenge before it consumed everybody.

Okorocha and Udenwa spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting, as part of the first year anniversary of the administration.

Udenwa warned that the security situation had deteriorated to an extent that people no longer fancy coming home and urged Okorocha and the security agencies to change their operational tactics.

Meantime,  Okorocha said he had in the past year, saved N10.6 billion through re-negotiation of previous contracts, as well as earned millions of Naira from the new managers of Imo Palm Plantation, Ohaji.

“I recall that Concorde Hotel, Owerri, was leased out to a firm, by the past (Achike Udenwa) administration for 12 years but instead of making returns to government, they slammed a N450 million bill on the state”, Okorocha said.

He said government had ordered over one million school bags, uniforms, shoes, vests and other items for distribution to school children, noting that his commitment to free education was irrevocable.

“There cannot be any future for Imo State if there is no future for the children. We have equally introduced bursary to school children”, Okorocha said.