Decentralised Imo – A Panacea For Targeted Economic Development

With an estimated population of about one million people across the 3 local government areas, Owerri is densely populated at slightly above 12,000 persons per square kilometre. This is by far above the African urban population density average of 64 persons per square kilometre. By global standards, a population density of 12,000 persons per square kilometre is classified as a thriving urban centre which Owerri lacks in substance, depth and design. The resultant effect is stifling traffic and human congestion at the city centre, aggregation of household and commercial waste with consequent environmental degradation which contributes to global warming with far reaching economic and public health ramifications.

Although Owerri has considerably more infrastructure compared to Orlu and Okigwe zones, the infrastructure is insufficient and unsustainable. The capital city is no doubt busy with a bustling night life, numerous hotels and evolving small businesses and emerging tech hubs, but there is limited room for growth. There is a compelling case to decongest the urban centre and strategically relocate state government ministries and parastatals as well as several state-owned educational institutions to strategic local governments within the 3 senatorial zones. This will compel people, particularly government workers and students who make up the greatest number of inhabitants, to move away from the state capital and motivate the government to take infrastructure development and governance to communities beyond the urban centre. Other States with similar demographic challenges as Imo may be able to utilise a variation of this template to address their unique developmental aspirations.

While Ministry of Health can be moved to Ikeduru LGA, Ministry of Agriculture can be sited at Ehime Mbano while Education Ministry can be located at Orsu, with their respective commissioners resident in these localities, and in touch with the people’s developmental aspirations and realities. This can serve as a similar template for the relocation of schools to various LGAs, leaving Owerri as an administrative capital, centre for technology and tourism. With this strategy, government workers will be dispersed, and government will be compelled to advance development outside the periphery of Owerri township.

There will be a domino effect in housing development, decongestion and development of commerce and agriculture. Land in Owerri will no longer be outrageously priced and communities across Imo State will begin to see the dividends of democracy. Is this logistically difficult? Yes, it will no doubt be difficult but not impossible with commitment, planning and targeted infrastructure investment. This visionary proposal has Constitutional and infrastructure development implications, including housing, transport connectivity, security and network connectivity. These are not simple tasks, and I must acknowledge these complexities. However, this ambitious proposal is not impossible and would require gutsy leadership and commitment to rural development. It would require support of all arms of government, particularly the legislative arm to make this vision a reality. Concentrating power within the enclave of Owerri may have served a purpose in 1976 when the population of Imo State wasn’t up to 2 million. The current reality is compelling, and the shifting paradigm calls for a different way of thinking and advancing the State’s developmental priorities.

Overcentralisation of resources at urban centres and consequent neglect of communities outside the metropolis has continued to encourage urban migration with increased pressure on available infrastructure. Promoting balanced regional development priorities is important and there is no better time to stimulate this radical policy conversation. I am surprised no politician wanting to lead Imo, or technocrat is keen to champion this conversation, but there is the urgency of now, and we can no longer afford to leave other localities behind to appease those who have stakes in Owerri municipality and adjoining sister local government areas. It is imperative to advocate for infrastructure spread beyond our capital cities and that time is now.