Nnamdi Obiareri, Commissioner of Information in Imo State, says the decision of Governor Rochas Okorocha to create a Ministry of Happiness is “a clear constitutional provision”.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Obiareri stressed that Section 192 (2) of the 1999 constitution as amended empowers state governors to create as many ministries as possible for the good of his people.
When Obiareri was asked whether the creation of a happiness ministry was the top priority in Imo State, he replied “exactly, the happiness of Imo people”.
“If you remember, the mantra of the government is ‘Imo must be better’. ‘Imo must be better’ recognises the fact that Imo people must be happy.
“Imo people must be made to be able to fulfill their purpose in life. The young school leavers who are out there on the street must be mentored.
“The young apprentices that we have all over the place, the 2005 youth millennials that have been created by this government, the women that have been empowered must be made to realise their purpose in life.”
Obiareri also clarified that the correct nomenclature of the newly created ministry is ‘Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment’, not ‘couples fulfillment’ as was widely reported in the media.
He also said that the fact that the ministry is being overseen by Ogechi Ololo, who is Okorocha’s sister, does not amount to nepotism on his part.
Explaining further, Obiareri said that Okorocha created the happiness ministry “in order to articulate and pursue plans and programmes to promote the happiness of the Imo people”.
“You can realise that what the Governor has done is to be able to give a clear umbrella portfolio to all the programmes that the government has put on ground to be able to achieve happiness in Imo State.
“That is a ministry that is newly created. The fact that the Deputy Chief of Staff, Honourable Mrs Ogechi Ololo, was put in charge of that ministry in a supervisory capacity does not and cannot amount to nepotism.
“What the Governor of Imo State has done in creating the ministry of happiness and purpose fulfillment is to be able to assist Imo people to realise happiness, which is the very primary essence of governance, and their purpose in life.
“Some people are happy for different reasons, some are also unhappy irrespective of the wealth and the economic stability around them. Most people are also unhappy because of ignorance.
“So the government of the day, acting under clear constitutional provision, created that ministry of happiness and purpose fulfillment in order to cater for that.”