Okey Ezeh, a seasoned banker and Imo State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is hardly enthused at the slow pace of development in the state. He, thus, seeks opportunity to take the state to where it belongs, given its enormous endowment in human and material resources. He has blueprint and strategies to accomplish the mission, if elected governor. These and others, are issues he addressed in this incisive interview with EMEKA ALEX DURU and DANIEL KANU.
What is really the drive behind your aspiration?
My aspiration is borne out of the fact that Imo State, since its creation in 1976 has not been able to realise its great potentials. Imo is a place endowed with rich human capital and natural resources. Most people forget that Imo is an oil producing state. In Imo State we have 103 oil wells in 12 locations. Imo has one of the highest natural gas reserves in Nigeria. Imo has solid mineral endowment, we have agricultural produce, we can boast of having some of the best soil to grow oil palm, produce cassava, yam, etc.
We have perhaps, the purest white clay endowment, in the world, we have limestone. Name them! But when you look at the population of 4.8 million people in a landscape of about 5244 sq. kilometer, what you see is poverty and deprivation. So, what it means is that there is a missing link. We have not had the leadership with the requisite skill set to harness these opportunities and translate them to meaningful livelihood for the people.
This is what drives me because I think that the opportunities are there for Imo to be a model state. Imo does not deserve to be a state that is dependent on monthly federal allocation.
As at today, Imo is 77 percent dependent on federal allocation. I think somebody needs to move in there and reverse that trend. This is what drives me.
What makes you think you can accomplish this?
I believe that I have the skill set. I believe I have the character. I believe I have the competence. I have the credibility, given my private sector experience and excellence.
All my life I have been in the business of creating value. I am not the usual career politician. I just want to step in to take the state to an enviable height where it is supposed to be.
I have imbibed global best practices in management, in human resource administration, in credit, in corporate governance, in all the indices of management of men and resources.
I think part of the problem we have had in Nigeria is that for too long we have had people who are career politicians, who don’t understand what it means to create value. They are like people who gather around the table all armed with knife. They are interested in cutting the cake, they don’t understand what it takes to bake the cake.
So this is a paradigm shift that we must introduce into our politics. We must look for young men and women who have imbibed global best practices in management, in administration and translate that from the private sector to governance and once we do that you are going to witness great changes in our polity.
You talked about Imo having huge human and natural resources. We know about the human resources but Imo has largely been seen and known as a civil service state….
(Cuts in) That is the problem. We have not been able to think big to harness the potentials. All the years, what we have always done is taking the line of low resistance. Low resistance in the sense that you have a governor who sits in Douglas House (State House) and every month he calls the Accountant-General and asks: ‘how much is the allocation this month?’
It’s like the governor traditionally has been like a cash officer doing disbursement. That is what they have done all the years. Even when we have taken loans, for example the bonds, it is never for regenerative process.
All over the world if you are looking to regenerate your income earning capacity to kick start production, you put money in productive sector. But in our own part of the world, we have invested even our scarce resources in consumption, we invested in wild elephant projects rather than in things that are regenerative.
You can imagine what will happen when you take a bond and channel those funds to where they should be able to have a bandwagon effect on your income stream. If it enhances your ability to increase your revenue, then you can begin to expend resources on other things that the people can benefit from, either in the long run, in the intermediate term or in the short run etc.
It is not proper not to invest in production because if you ignore it and begin to put the money on free education, road construction or even in building hospitals etc., you will not be able to generate revenue.
If you invest in production and channel the funds creatively, you will generate the needed revenue and then you go back and do all your projects and you will not run into debt crisis, or constant borrowing.
But do you agree that Imo is essentially perceived as a Civil Service state?
People perceive Imo as a Civil Service State essentially because we abandoned the agricultural sector. Historically, Imo was known to be an agrarian enclave. We have been practicing subsistence agriculture. There is always this problem of misplaced priority.
Can you believe that Eastern Nigeria way back in 1954 made 54 million pounds from the export of oil palm produce? If you convert that which was made 64 years ago, using the annual UK inflation rate which is about 5. 3 percent, it amounts to about 1.4b pounds today. Convert that to Naira and you get about 750 billion.
That was what Eastern Nigeria got from only palm produce in 1954. Look at the population way back in 1954. You could imagine that by 1954 oil palm produce was still at its elementary stage.
Then, we did not have the high yield genetically modified specie of seedling we have today. Technology was not able to deliver the kind of advantages we have today.
By 2018 we have all manner of improved seedlings. So you can imagine what would have happened if we had maintained that same trajectory. If we had continued, we may have increased and improved upon it and grown that production 10 fold.
Assuming we didn’t have oil and had focused on it, it would have been a life and death issue, a survival issue for us and we would have focused wholly on it.
People talk about oil palm produce in its crudest form. We are not talking about the derivatives we get from the oil palm. The stem of the oil palm when torn to pieces, lumbered and run through hot processes, can be used to make furniture. The chaff from oil palm when melted at high temperature, produces industrial lubricants. Those lubricants used for machines are residues from the oil palm and much more.
There is what is called glycerin. Most of the things used for manufacturing confectioneries, soap, margarine, butter, even the husk used in making animal feeds, etc. are got from oil palm.
So just looking at the oil palm and you can see its huge revenue stream.
Incidentally, the same Imo State was part of the Eastern Nigeria that a great leader like Michael Okpara built a lot of palm estates. We have palm settlements in Igbariam (Anambra State), Ohaji and in many other areas. I tell you that if all these are properly harnessed, you can’t imagine the huge revenue that will accrue from just one product. And still we have an ill-motivated, poorly trained civil service, which should not be so.
Let’s look at your blueprint, which your supporters refer to as Imo Marshal Plan (I MAP) and how you intend to go about it
You know that every government the World over, is majorly entrusted with creating the enabling environment. I will tell you that in Imo for instance, at least, since the advent of the present administration, you can’t talk of ease of doing business in the state.
Go to Lagos and see how fast it will take you to do a search or access any information that you need for investment. You simply go to Alausa and without wasting time you have the information you need.
Go to Imo State and you want to get an information, for instance how much a plot of land is sold at different locations of the state. Somebody will tell you in the office to come back, perhaps in three weeks’ time.
They may probably begin to look for a ladder they will use to climb to where the files are. Even when you come back they will tell you that the ladder has not gotten to the place the file is kept, that they are looking for a longer ladder that will get to the place.
What I want to point out here is that it is so cumbersome to do business in the state, given what is on ground. The bureaucracy is ridiculous, still on antiquity level. And that is not how it is supposed to be. The world has gone beyond that.
Take for instance during the festive period like Christmas, the entire civil service is shut down for celebration and that is the time our brothers, sisters and friends in the diaspora are coming home. If you know the business cycle you should understand the mindset of the consumer. They are not just home to celebrate Christmas rather the visit also has business angles. Everybody knows that most of the important family decisions are taken during this Christmas period. It is the time families come together and critical decisions including business concerns are also made. It may be time for some of them to buy land or to know how much a plot costs in Owerri. Then you want to make an enquiry at the appropriate ministry and they tell you they have closed for three weeks for celebration. You shut down the entire bureaucracy! It’s funny.
Government has not made any conscious effort to widen or increase its tax base. When the people know that you are working, that you are fixing things in their interest, that you are doing things to improve their lot, to stimulate their businesses, they will pay their taxes willingly.
If people know that what you are doing is for their benefit, you don’t need to set up gangs for revenue drive, to harass the people to pay their tax.
So, to answer your question, there are two different approaches needed. The first approach is that we have to stop the bleeding in Imo. We have an irresponsible fiscal regime. Imo earns an average of N3.2 billion every month, it has a scandalous IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) figure of between N450 and N452 million which is atrocious.
Let’s do a peer group comparison of the South East states. Enugu comfortably generates N1.5 billion IGR, Anambra comfortably generates N1.3 billion, in its last verifiable figure, but I learnt that Governor Willy Obiano has waved his magic wand and it’s now getting to N1.7 billion, Abia N1.2 billion, Ebonyi N78 million, but Imo – oil producing state with huge mineral resources, educated workforce, is making just about N450 million.
Do we have Internal Revenue Board in Imo? No we don’t. Who collects this revenue? Gangs affiliated to various families with sectional, parochial interests. Some report to this family, some to that in-law or relative etc. The resources of the state do not get to the coffers of the state. A great state like Imo cannot be generating N452 million IGR.
So to address the rot, you must stop the bleeding. When you have an accident victim and you take the individual to the hospital, the first thing the doctor will do is to stop the bleeding, stabilize the person, and put the person in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). It is after that, that you start talking of what else that needs to be done.
We must stabilize Imo State from the hands of financial vampires. Then the next thing to do is to look at your expenditure base. You get N3.2 billion, you spend N4.8 billion, and you don’t need to be a Professor of Economics to know that it is a recipe for disaster. Elementary economics will teach you that either you are increasing revenue or you are cutting cost. If you cannot increase revenue you cut cost to stay afloat.
There is prodigality, profligacy at its worst in Imo governance. Somebody is squandering what he is not earning, what he does not have. According to the present government in the state, they say N2 billion is personnel cost, then an average of N2.5 billion to N2.8 billion as overhead. What is overhead? Overhead here is: Long convoys, chartering of private jets, hosting foreign dignitaries that has no relevance to our investment as well as other frivolous spending. It’s not rocket science but I can say that in 30 days I can bring about a sanitized fiscal regime. It is doable when you know what to do. We make sure that our IGR, at least takes care of our recurrent expenditure.
You mean you can do that in just 30 days! How is that possible?
You see, overhead you can control. Personnel cost you can say is for personnel but first and foremost you must do a staff audit. In this time and age, Imo still runs antiquated bureaucracy, people are still paid with Cheque.
Where does that still happen in the World now? If you have not done bio-metric enrollment for your workers how do you even know those you are employing, those that are out, those to be remunerated?
After the staff audit, then, there is a retinue of hangers-on in political office that you need to cut. Government is too unwieldy. You have various political offices. Imagine an office like Commissioner for Happiness! And through all these awkward creations, money goes down the drain.
Let me tell you, if Imo is properly managed our IGR profile cannot be less than N1.2 billion to N1.5 billion. That is the way to go for the future. You must ensure you are not getting deficits every month, at least you must balance the books.
Your party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is in the opposition in Imo and given the so-called incumbency factor in our politics, how would it be possible for you to move against a candidate of the ruling party in the state?
Let me answer you this way by going back to the basics. Which party has been winning elections in Imo State, historically? It is APGA. So, if you are talking about incumbency, it is flowing from APGA.
This present administration came about by subterfuge. Originally, Governor Rochas Okorocha came into power using the APGA platform. So whatever that may have happened in his second term and all of that…he was riding on the back of an incumbency that was obtained by chicanery but originally through APGA. So historically APGA has always been the party in power. It is the party with the grassroots, the party in the heart of the people.
Make no mistake, APGA is not just a political party or a vehicle to conduct election which you use to get power, but it’s a religion to an average Easterner. It is a party enshrined in the heart of every Igbo man and women. So, it’s the party to beat.
And now that Nigerians have discovered that all other alternatives have failed, they are looking towards APGA for solution. People talk about the Third Force. You don’t need to look far. The Third Force is APGA because they are the ones that are consistently delivering quality governance.
Look at Anambra as a template. People may say that is the only state we have. Imo was stolen from us and you can see what has become of the state since then. After it was stolen from APGA, Imo became a market place for bad governance. Its leadership has become the poster boy of directionless in governance. Where do you have dividends of democracy in full measure, running over? It’s in Anambra.
Many people are now joining the governorship race in Imo using APGA thereby making the party the beautiful bride. How possible do you think you can get the ticket in the midst of these entrants?
That’s an interesting question. Well, one is not afraid of those joining the party. When you leave a certain ship and in this case your political party for another one (party) what have you done? You are testifying that there is something positive, that there is a unique or superior selling point in where you are going to. It means that for most of us that God has used in various ways to contribute to the growth of the platform, it inspires us, it encourages us the more. If nobody is joining you it means there is something wrong where he was. That more people are joining us, is the biggest commendation we can get. It means that there is something the party is doing and doing well. I must commend the leadership of the party at all levels. They have done exceptionally well.
The party is resurgent, increasing by the day. You can see the vibrancy as we have the momentum right now, not only in the South East or Middle Belt but in the entire country. I can tell you that APGA will spring a surprise all over Nigeria in 2019. For us in the party, we don’t feel it’s proper to shut the door on anybody because we believe the more the merrier. We welcome all well-meaning politicians and candidates who see a superior proposition in the APGA brand.
But the caveat is that APGA is a disciplined, organised party with strong internal democratic tenets. We adhere to due process. It’s not a party that tolerates impunity. Those who come in thinking that it is a platform to contest for offices and then go to some other places or to do horse trading, will be thoroughly disappointed. The party is wiser than that. There are checks and balances to identify such elements.
There is this occasional impression that you are a young man that may not have had the temperament to manage Imo. Do you see your age being an impediment or an advantage in your aspiration?
When people say young, it’s laughable. Nigeria is the only country where you see a 45-year old man saying he is a youth; where somebody will appear in his 50s and say he is a youth leader. If you look at the UN definition of youth and its classification then talking about me as a young man shouldn’t arise. I am no longer a youth in that sense of the word. At least in the church I am a member of Catholic Men Organisation (CMO).
Yes I am below 50, no doubt, relatively young but I am not quintessentially a young man. But rather than that being a minus, it’s a plus because the work to be done in Imo requires one that is energetic. You have to be on your toes 24/7 except if you are looking for armchair governance.
The problem in Imo is so big that whoever is going to be governor will really give it the best shot. It’s going to be intellectually sapping, it’s going to be physically sapping. You will give it everything that you have. There will be no room for trial and error. There will be no half measures. There won’t be governance by proxy. I think I am equal to the challenge.
Talking about temperament, you need to go back and look at my profile. I have worked at the highest level of corporate private structure. So I understand what it means to manage men and resources at the highest levels in the most organised structure.
I am talking about the multinationals that are structured, that have imbibed and practiced the real corporate governance, international best practice, where people understand what the ethics are.
And that is part of our problem in this country. People are often beclouded with narrow objectives, so many conflicting interests in governance and that is why the country is running around in circles because people who fill in the sensitive positions more often than not don’t have what it takes to do it or perform.
I do not think anybody will be in doubt as to what value I will add to governance because I have all it takes to perform.
Who really is Okey Ezeh?
Okey Eze is a product of Federal Government College, Okigwe where I had my secondary education. I graduated from the University of Nigeria Nsukka where I had my first degree. I am a product of the old graduate recruitment scheme that multinationals used to hold in premier universities then in the graduating year. I was offered employment by four multinationals even before the ink of my pen could run dry after my final degree examination. I worked for a multinational bank where I put in 15 years. I also hold an MBA from the University of Benin. I have acquired rich experience in various aspects of banking, culminating in core competences in public sector infrastructure and telecom business.
In 2006 I set up a management, advisory and investment company. We advise about four multinationals.
From the political angle, in 2014 I made a conscious decision to intervene in the governance or in the political sphere of my people in Imo State. Like I said I saw that there was a yawning gap between where the people need to be and what they have attained and I discovered that there is a gap in the skill set required to take the state to the highest level that their potential can carry them.
It is the reason I am here because I know I have all it takes to do the job. That is the reason I joined APGA and ran for the ticket in my first attempt.
Ever since then I have remained in the party, helping to make the party a formidable one. Today our modest contribution is showing that we did well in building the party. I can tell you that this is a party that can freely deliver this country.
How do you see Nigeria in 2019? Do you think there is hope for the country?
The destiny of Nigeria is in our hands. Its future or lack of it is with us. If we refuse to follow the ideals of true federalism, if we refuse to restructure Nigeria, we will continue to have it bad. The biggest problem is structural. There needs to be a level playing ground. This will enable best hands show up to salvage the land. Nigeria is supposed to be a key player in world politics not just to be giant of Africa or leader of the black world.
The challenge is to create a system that will encourage or reward merit, patriotism and not mediocrity or one fanning ethnic or religious embers.
In a restructured Nigeria, there will be healthy competition as we had it among the regions. Different Regions will become economic hubs. The Regions will grow according to the comparative advantage that God endowed them with. Nigeria is presently configured in a certain way that certain people or groups, regions are disadvantaged. The man who enters for National Common Entrance in Yobe State and the one in Okigwe, Imo State, are admitted with different scores. What does that tell you? If you continue to perpetuate that kind of system that rewards mediocrity and discourages creativity and ingenuity, what you will probably have will be garbage-in, garbage-out, as they say.