Before we proceed to outline Governor Okorocha`s impact in the area of city beautification, it would be pertinent to go back to memory lane to recall that city beautification in the past was majorly planting of grass and flowers under the Clean and Green Initiative of his successor and the concentration was only within the municipal but City Beautification programme under Governor Rochas inline with his Imo My Pride Agenda has touched all the three Senatorial Zones in the State.
Looking around Owerri Municipal today, one may be forced to ask where are the grasses planted by the former PDP regime? Those things are no more because they have no sustainability value, may be it was temporarily designed not to last long.
However; a case study of the city beautification programmes of the governor as captured in his Imo my Pride project revealed a significant, dramatic and innovative transformation of the environment. No matter how you hate him or try to deny the truth about his city beautification projects , any unbiased observer in the state can boldly identify and testify about the significant improvements the governor has made in environmental transformation through his strategic and impactful city beautification projects.
For instance the relaxation centre he constructed before the Government or behind Dauglass House Souvenir with Water Fountain beside it, is a beautiful sight to behold, there is a second Water Fountain beside the Rock View Hotel, they are all fantastic and strategic beautification projects carried out by the governor to give the state environment a face lift so as to improve its tourism potentials.
A visit to Government house through the main entrance gate creates a good image and impression about the state and her people. In the past it was not so because the past regime neglected it and it turned a comfort zone for criminals due to total abandonment. To God be the glory that toady the entire atmosphere has totally changed, it is now a beauty to behold and it has turned into a choice place of relaxation and mutual interaction by old and young who regularly visit the place. The Water Fountain and Relaxation Centre near government House is indeed a beautiful background to take pictures. This same place has put food on the tables of some Imo people, as photographers are now making brisk business there through their wait and get pictures. Young people go there to take pictures, because of the beautified environment, some musicians who released new albums recently have used the place,
Also at Orlu Road Junction there is a double water fountain there one is called Freedom Water Falls, erected beside the Freedom Square , the second one is opposite it. The Freedom Roundabout there was also constructed by the Rescue Mission Regime of Governor with the image of a man with broken chains, signifying a freed man .He also constructed the foot bridge around the same place. All these as strategic city beautification programmes carried out by the governor within the Orlu Road Junction have brought dynamic improvement in tourist activities in the state and have significantly upgraded the environment.
The Governor has proven to be a visionary leader with better ideas through the numerous improved environmental transformation programmmes he carried out simultaneously in the three Senatorial Zones of the state. He improved on the areas his predecessor planted grasses along the road by replacing some of them with interlock and German floor. His regime has also maintained some of the grasses where necessary through the services of Rescue sweepers and Gardeners
The difference between his work and that of his predecessor is the durability value of his City Beautification programmes as seen in the solid projects he has executed in the state.
The projects have potentials to strategically attract tourists and improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state. The irresistible attraction and attention he has created with the Imo State environment is now more appealing to visitors, including youths in the state who are delighted to visit the place every cool evening for relaxation and discussion with loved ones. All his city beautification programmes are geared towards environmental transformation of the state with the sole aim to elevate its outlook.
After looking at various city beautification projects carried out under Governor Okorocha, any unbiased observer can truly testify that indeed there is an paradigm shift in environmental transformation courtesy of his numerous projects like; the water fountains, the land scalping, remodeled Government Roundabout with the names of the 27 local Governments in the state and bible as a symbol signifying that the state is a Christian State, Emmanuel College by Wetheral Road with horse signifying strength, the foot bridges at Orlu Road Round About and Emmanuel College, what of the Children`s Park, Freedom Square, Heroes Square and others too numerous to mention are all living proofs of his lasting city beautification projects.
Based on records with indisputable facts the city beautification projects carried out by the Rescue Mission regime of Governor Okorocha, have more durability value. It is now crystal clear that he has shown capacity to make a difference in environmental transformation. Through the uniqueness of his creative ingenuity, he has moved Imo State out from the old poor era of only planting grass and flowers as city beautification projects to a glorious era of positive change. Indeed the innovation dynamism and diversification he showcased in executing the projects are in line with the 21st century trend, indeed they are eloquent testimonies of his impressive improvement and a total paradigm shift from the old method.