Imo State Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim has expressed dismay over the continued under development of Africa despite its enormous resources, and blamed the leaders for her woes.

Governor Ohakim bared his mind today (25/02/2008) while playing host to the external validation team of Nigeria’s Country Self-Assessment Report of NEPAD/APRM in the three cluster states of Imo, Abia and Ebonyi at the Concord Hotel Owerri.  Former President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Tijan Kabba was the key resource person of the team.

Chief Ohakim who described the exercise as a consolidation of steps taken by African Heads of State towards adoption of transparent policies, high political standards and practices, stated that the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) is a call for African nations to take human right issues and good governance more seriously.

The Governor expressed shock at the rate at which Africans troop outside the continent every summer when Africa has the richest tourism potentials in the world.

He equally pointed out some of the common practices that are not akin to Africa’s development and maintained that African leaders are the ones who must stop the wars that ravage Africa and elevate the dignity of the African in the eyes of the world through good governance.

While assuring the team of the State’s readiness to partner with them, Governor Ohakim observed that the New Face of Imo vision runs in tandem with the objectives of NEPAD/APRM. He noted that the New Face of Imo preaches transparency, accountability, rule of law and respect for human rights.

Chief Ohakim stated that his administration has been able to create a stable political environment, tackled corruption in the State, restored the state from filth as well as embarked on rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure among others.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the APRM Country Review Mission in Nigeria for the South East Zone, Prof. Shederack Gutto disclosed that more than twenty nine (29) African countries have signed into the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process and expressed hope that Nigeria will be the standard upon which others will be judged.

He pointed out that the team which has the former President of Sierra Leone; His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Tijan Kabbah was in the country to help improve on the quality and credibility of Nigeria’s own report which has already been prepared.

In their separate remarks, the Governors of Abia and Ebonyi State represented by Justice Obisike Orji and Chief Fidelis Mbam respectively assured the team of their readiness to comply with the tenets of the APRM and commended Imo State for playing host to the Country Review Mission to the South East Zone.

Also speaking, the Imo State NEPAD Co-ordinator, Barr. Kingsley Ononuju stated that country Review Mission (CRM) by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process in Nigeria was bound to create a lot of expections considering the uniqueness of the political system and the vast potentials of the State.

He placed on record the fact that Imo enjoys relative advantage in the South East Zone because of the prevalent peace and security in the State and commended Governor Ohakim for his purposeful leadership and good governance.The Country Review Mission (CRM) team had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Governor at the Executive Council Chambers where the former President of Sierra Leone Alhaji Tejan Kabbah congratulated Governor Ikedi Ohakim for his profound contributions to the development of the State.

President Kabbah stated that NEPAD is geared towards assisting African countries do things on their own in terms of development and urged the state to key into it.