By INNOCENT Igwe
The Managing Director of the Imo State Housing Corporation,Barr Raymond Ucheoma(TPL) says he remains focused on his responsibilities and expectations inline with Governor Hope Uzodinma’s mandate to the Corporation to give Imo people the housing solutions they deserve while protecting the integrity of government owned land and property records.
Barr Ucheoma who was speaking during an interview in his office said his primary concern since assumption of office Two months ago is to restore the eroded confidence of Imo people and investors in the housing sector using available technology,reforms and according to policy guidelines inorder to realize the core mandate of the Corporation to meet the housing needs of the people in the most affordable and sustainable way.
To this end he said,a number of ongoing measures were introduced in the areas of Infrastructural development, Accountability and Reform, Revenue Growth, Stakeholders Engagement and Staff training / capacity building and improved working condition to strengthen service delivery.
According to the Managing Director the corporation is rehabilitating decaying facilities and upgrading it’s dilapidated buildings,estate roads, drainage systems to restore the aesthetic and functional value of state managed housing communities.
He said the stubborn challenges of illegal transactions, faking of receipts,forging of allocation papers and other irregularities perpetrated before his coming have been uncovered and are being addressed thereby saving the Corporation from further financial and reputational damages and embarrassments.
The MD who is also a professional and registered Town Planner stated that he equally introduced a transparent revenue collection system that will significantly boost the corporation’s income for reinvestment in the housing sector as well as established constructive relationship with developers,estate executives and residents to ensure collaborative and sustainable urban housing solutions.
According to him the the technology driven revenue collection system is designed to block leakages and ensure proper accountability and it is expected to significantly boost IGR for Reinvestment into new housing developments and estate maintenance.
He pointed out that the ongoing reforms are hinged on the Governor’s 3R Agenda of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery as it concerned the housing sector adding that the Imo State Housing Corporation under his watch has zero tolerance for corruption as it will not only prosecute offenders but also ensure that the system becomes too transparent for fraudulent practices to thrive and urged the general public to verify all housing documents directly with the Corporation to avoid any regrets.
Barr Ucheoma said that those who visited the corporation recently would have noticed a world of positive difference in it’s overall physical impression from the enhanced perimeter fencing,new entrance gate and especially in the way and manner of doing business,conduct of staff, transparency in transactions,the accountability in vogue as well as an active and lively working environment stressing that he will not yield to any distraction intended to interrupt or erase obvious progress and recoveries the corporation has made thus far, which residents of the housing estates, stakeholders and other investors in the Imo real estate have welcomed and commended.
He assured that staff of the Corporation involved in fraudulent acts that caused embarrassment,loss of public confidence, loss of revenue and destruction of properties are being investigated for prosecution while other wrong doings by staff are being addressed and hinted that the reports alleging manhandling of some staff by him are mere distortion of facts laced with sentiments by those found to be involved in the fraudulent acts and other wrong doings.A typical example of corruption fighting back.
