Uzodimma: Good Governor That Loves Imo People

Good leaders also create an inspiring vision of the future like the Shared Prosperity Policy of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma administration.

The policy is a smart reengineering of the Igbo spirit of industry underpinned by immense creative capabilities for self -employment that will ultimately lead to unrestrained wealth creation.

Even before he was elected as Governor, Distinguished Senator Uzodimma CON, GSSRS, was prepared for the task ahead by conceptualizing best and practicable ways to tackle the challenges confronting the State with his 3R-Vision of Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.

Shared Prosperity policy is a deliberate effort to harness Imo productive energy for massive wealth creation through profitable economic enterprises that will put the State on an irreversible trajectory of enduring economic prosperity – a good example is – Skill-Up Imo – a digital project set to train and empower 300, 000  Imo Youths in digital marketing, web and app development, content creation, basic data analytics, graphics design, phone and other digital device repairs, programming, cyber security et cetera. It is real and ongoing in phases and only a good and caring Governor can do that.

The one Kindred one Business Initiative (OKOBI) is also an essential aspect of the Shared Prosperity policy and this paradigm of entrepreneurship, which is a novel initiative of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, is already eliciting significant interest.

Some kindreds have started with farming, livestock, manufacturing, etcetera.

Only a good leader like Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma that loves Imo people can have such big dream and continue to work conscientiously to actualize it.

As a lover of sports and particularly football,

Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma recently doled out N100m to Heartland Football Club players for winning the 2022/23 Nigeria National League (NNL) title and taking the club back to the Nigeria Premier League.

Recall that the “Naze Millionaires” defeated Kano Pillars 2-0 in the final match of the NNL Super Eight playoffs.

After more than 10 years of not attending pilgrimage, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma being a good leader with the fear of God and deep religious insight, sent 1000 Imo State Pilgrims to Israel and Jordan this year with about 80 per cent of the pilgrims, selected from the poor in the about 655 autonomous communities of the state.

Governor Uzodimma also sent 200 Muslims on pilgrimage to Mecca.

It is on record that Gov. Uzodimma recovered 800 hectares of stolen and appropriated land by some ‘powerful’ men of the past and returned all to the original and rightful owners – only a good leader can do that.

After decades of neglect, Gov Uzodimma came, saw the need and restored public water supply to Owerri. Today, the taps are running and the issue of lack of potable drinking water solved – only a good leader can do that.

Gov. Uzodimma is extending Owerri Capital Territory from 15-km radius to 18-km radius and gradually expanding the state capital to reach the hinterland for automatic urbanization of the rural areas.

As I am writing this piece, Imo State retirees from 2010 to 2011,  are receiving or have received cheques for their gratuity and more will follow – only a good leader like Uzodimma, who cares for the masses can do that.

Imo State Civil Servants and other workers including pensioners are receiving the best treatment and support from the caring Governor Uzodimma, who sees prompt payment of salary as an obligation and not achievement.

By the time the road revolution is finished, one will get to Owerri in 20 minutes, from any point in Imo State.

Gov. Uzodimma is arranging a mass transit scheme that will connect the three senatorial zones – Okigwe to Owerri  – Orlu to Owerri – Owerri to Mbaise area and extending to the border with Abia State.

The State Government has established a drug procurement programme in partnership with pharmaceutical giant – Pfizer, based in Germany.

The capital city of Owerri will serve as a distribution centre, ensuring that hospitals across the State have access to quality pharmaceutical products.

With these initiatives and collaborations, Governor Uzodimma aims to ensure that the people of Imo have access to modern and efficient healthcare facilities and services they deserve.

In the wake of the tense standoff between Igbos and Yorubas in Lagos during and after the presidential election in February, 2023, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma being a caring Governor that loves Nd’Igbo, used his good offices as Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) to broker a  peace treaty. Today Alaba International Market is no longer being destroyed and there is peaceful coexistence of  Igbos and Yorubas in Lagos State.

Imo is about the only State in Nigeria paying N40,000 minimum wage. Imo Civil Servants are also enjoying free medical services, free meal, free transportation to and fro the Secretariat, 13th-month salary, promotion and much more.

On security, the Governor said:  “Security is the business of every law-abiding citizen and all hands must be on deck for Imo to thrive.

“What I’m saying is that community security is what is going to become the security of the state. I cannot sit here in Owerri and police all the 655 communities properly but the 655 communities can protect the state because there is no community that does not belong to Imo state.

“For three years I’ve been busy fighting insecurity with your money.

“Those of you, who have been going about saying they want to be governor so there will be peace. What if they are not? So there will be no peace in Imo State.

“Ask yourself, how many of these leaders have come to the microphone to condemn the illegal killings in Imo State? To condemn the destructions in Imo State?”

As part of efforts to ameliorate the effects of the removal of petrol subsidy (which in the long run is the best thing for Nigeria but in the short term must come with some pains), Gov. Uzodimma, has directed the Ministry of Commerce and Industry working with Imo  Marketing and Commodities Board to open outlets in the 27 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of Imo State because the State Government has placed orders for food commodities that will flood the markets at highly subsidized prices.

According to Gov. Uzodimma: “I share in your pains; I share in your agonies; I am also worried about the near economic strangulation being suffered by our people and the high cost of living occasioned by the recent removal of fuel subsidy.

“People have come to kill and go to the media to say Uzodimma killed. People come to destroy properties; then go out and say Uzodimma destroyed.

“But there is a God of judgement.

“And why am I still sitting here?

“I think I’m sitting here because I’ve not offended God, and I’ve not gone against my agreement with Him. So you can plan from here to wherever you want, I can tell you; in one second, you will be stopped.

“We have brilliant young men and women roaming the streets without job. We have companies that want to come to Imo State and to the Southeast to establish businesses, and employ our children – this monster called insecurity and the sit-at-home ordeal are not allowing investors to come in because they need peace and they need enabling environment to be able to come and invest. We must have an Imo State first before we talk about who will be the governor.

“I did not tell God that when I come here I’m coming to take money and I challenge anybody, who saw or know where Hope Uzodimma has taken government money or government property to tell the world.

“Many people are coming with demands like; “I want land; I want this or that.”  While some have come with: “I’ll tell you a story,”  “There are places where government lands were being shared.”

“Some people have come to me saying we agreed with the former government – take half and we will take half.

“I don’t even need any, not to talk of half. I don’t need it.

“I want to keep lands. I want Road Safety to build their regional office in Imo. I want Customs to build their regional barracks in Imo. I want a fertilizer plant. I want a petrochemical plant and I want a power plant, and when government decides to bring these things, there will be need for land. So if we take all the land and build hotels and markets we are making ourselves poor. We must stimulate our economy to be able to have enduring prosperity.”

When some of the fringe candidates from the floundering political parties like People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Action Alliance, AA, Labour Party and others talk about redeeming Imo, resetting Imo, agenda this and that, I find it difficult to understand what they actually mean.

I see them as mere pretenders just out to deceive and mislead Imo people. They are not serious contenders because they have no clear programme for Imo State and cannot think outside the box.

They are eager and poised to waste the votes of some Imo People because they will not win.

Equally, they have no new ideas and are busy copying from Governor Uzodimma, who has done almost everything and needs the second term to consolidate his achievements for the good of Imo State and posterity.

The gubernatorial “featherweights” and pretenders are very busy feeding Imo people with lies and false claims.

They are failures and only desperately seeking public relevance through their unrealizable aspirations.

Some of them failed in the past when they occupied public offices and have been totally rejected by their people.

The gubernatorial “featherweights” think it is a jamboree but this one is different. It is a game for real men that takes a lot of nerve.

Where were they when Imo State was hijacked and “colonized” by members of one family and their cronies?

When one man “retired” all of them, could they do anything? If not for Uzodimma, who rose to the challenge and recovered the already appropriated power; Imo State, I mean all of us would have been in perpetual bondage.

Where were they when there was acid rain in Imo State and “locusts” were eating up Imo treasury?

They are deceivers and mere pretenders, who do not have the resources for electioneering and what it takes to be a good Governor – they are just loquacious, noisy and desperate pretenders indeed.

According to Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma: “Some men and women are wicked. Some want power at all costs and by all means, and the owner of the power, who is the Almighty God sits there and watches them.

“Power belongs to God and He gives to whom he chooses to give and there is nothing too difficult for God to do. So if you want power why not sit back and pray?”

Hello, good people, have you obtained your Imo Social Security Benefit Number? Please it is very important. Go and get it today.

God bless Imo State!

– Ben AHANONU is Special Adviser (CSDP) to the Governor of Imo State.