By Jennifer John
As part of activities marking his three years in office celebration, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has enumerated the achievements of his government and declared that it surpassed the expectations of Imolites.
He asserted in his broadcast to the Imo people, as part of activities marking the celebration.
Uzodimma posited that the difference between 2020 when he ascended the seat of power and 2023 (Three years after) was clear in the areas of roads and other infrastructure, reformed and motivated civil servants.
He mentioned some challenges that confronted his government from inception, including; the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and politically motivated and sponsored insecurity.
He made bold to assert that in the face of the challenges, he was undeterred and rather confronted the challenges Headon, adding that instead of giving excuses with the challenges, the government still performed beyond expectation in the areas of; Recovery and restoration of the common wealth, rebuilding of physical infrastructure, securing of the cities, improved health service delivery, quality education, growing of the state economy.
He enumerated other areas his government has performed creditably well to include transparency in governace through quarterly stakeholders engagement forums and phone-in interaction with Imo people on all radio stations in the state, which he said has restored the trust of Imolites in government.
According to him, World Bank and other reputable international donor organizations awarded over $30 million to the state for running an open, transparent and accountable government, being the first time the state was getting such lifeline from the World Bank.
Speaking on his effort in human capital development, the governor said his government has intensified action to get the youths engaged in productive ventures through such programmes as the “Skill Up Imo Project, aimed to train and engage over one hundred thousand Imo youths in different skills, disclosing that so far over twenty thousand youths have been trained and unveiled with start-up kits for their own trades, as more than thirty thousand others have been empowered through different cash transfer programmes, in collaboration with the federal government.
The Imo number one citizen said another way his government has been creating gainful employment for the youths is through the resuscitation of moribund industries, including; Adapalm, Imo Standard Shoe Industry, Avutu Modern Poultry, Nsu Ceramic Tiles, adding that with the new Imo Industrial Policy he recently launched, the state was on the march to economic greatness.
According to the governor, through collaboration and goodwill, the federal government has given an approval for the dredging of Oguta Lake-Urashi River to the Atlantic Ocean and building of a River Port at Oguta Lake, adding that his government had earlier attracted the citing of a Naval Base in the same Oguta.
He enumerated higher institutions in the state which have been given a facelift to create opportunities for willing youths in the education sector to include; K.O. Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, Imo State University of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, Umuagwo, Imo State Polytechnic, Omuma, Senator Ben Uwajumogu College of Education, Ihitte Uboma, as well as the foremost Imo State University, Owerri.
Also enumerated by the governor as achievements in the education sector was the take over of Alvan Ikoku College of Education by the federal government and upgrading it to Federal University of Education.
Among numerous achievements in the health sector, including one health centre each in the 305 political Wards in the state, the governor was particular about the conversion of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri to University Teaching Hospital for the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
Other achievements, three years in office enumerated by the governor included rehabilitation of the dilapidated and abandoned governor’s office, practically rebuilt governor’s lodge, building of brand new Executive Council Chambers with State of the Art equipment and a befitting Banquet Hall, rebuilding of the dilapidated and abandoned House of Assembly complex, also equipped with State of the Art gadgets.
He said his government also restored the dignity of the judiciary by providing the Judges, befitting SUV vehicles, clearing all salary and pension arrears owed them by previous administrations.
Speaking about the civil service, he said with the reforms and incentives he has introduced to the civil service, the state’s civil servants could correctly be described as one of the most motivated and highly rewarded civil servants in the country.
He listed some of the largesse to include free transport, befitting official vehicles to the Permanent Secretaries, training and retraining of all civil servants, “13th month salary payment during Christmas, regular payment of salaries and pensions, lifting of embargo on promotion that has been on for over ten years.
On road construction, Uzodimma described it as one area his government that has surpassed expectations, as according to him, the government has constructed over one hundred roads across the state; many completed and commissioned, with others at various stages of completion.
He used the opportunity to appreciate Imo citizens, religious leaders, traditional rulers, members of his team, civil servants for their unalloyed support to his government, even in the face of persecution and intimidations.
