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By Ethelbert Nwachukwu
How time flies by so easily!
On January 15, 2020, Senator Hope Uzodimma was sworn in as the governor of Imo State to serve the constitutional four-year term.
It is like yesterday. It has effluxed with seeming rapidity, yet it followed the usual course. The four-year tenure is gone and another tenure is staring us in the face.
The purpose of government is to make life worth living for the generality of the governed. After four years in the saddle, Governor Uzodimma was re-elected overwhelmingly to serve the people for a second and final four-year tenure. This is a reflection of the peoples’ assessment of his government in the past four years and an indication that the governor lived up to his promise at the inception of his first tenure to leave Imo better than he found it. So, by the resounding victory he enjoyed in the last election, he is not leaving Imo yet. The people do not want him to. That is the beauty of democracy: satisfy the people and enjoy their support. This explains the celebration fever, which has enveloped the entire Imo in anticipation of Uzodimma’s second term inauguration and swearing in on Monday, January 15, 2024.
What is it that endeared Uzodimma to the people of Imo State? By matching his utterances to his actions, the governor earned the trust of the people. On several occasions, the governor had said he would not acquire any government land but that, if the need arose, he would follow due process and it would be public knowledge. He has also often said that he had not engaged in any inappropriate use of government funds. In this day and age of Public Information Act, with government records/documents and transactions easily accessible to the public, his activities would have been called to question if he acted contrary to his pronouncements. In the past four years, it is evident that he said what he meant and meant what he said. Through his openness, transparency, diligence and honesty in the conduct of government affairs, the governor earned the trust and confidence of the people. Another factor is the deployment of the community charter of demands procedure, which entails involving the communities in the determination of what is best for them, in the preparation of annual budgets. This gives the communities a sense of belonging and involvement in government affairs and could be said to have swayed the people to his side.
One of the very laudable achievements of the Uzodimma administration (which forms part of his Civil Service Reform) is the data-based pension and salary payments scheme. At the touch of a button, one can access the exact number of public servants and pensioners in the state as well as the monthly annual wage bill, inclusive of pensions.
This was made possible by the computer-based verification exercise carried out by the state government to weed out ghost workers and establish the actual strength of the Imo workforce, thus eliminating avoidable waste. This innovation as well as his free bus service, 13th month salary and regular promotion polices made him the toast of Imo civil servants who not only voted for him but also mobilized their kith and kin for the same purpose. They too are in a joyous mood for the forthcoming swearing in and inauguration of the governor and his deputy-elect
Even the naysayers will bear testimony to the complete transformation of Imo State, especially the state capital, from its former sorry state to a place where, on account of good network of interconnecting roads, motoring has become a pleasurable experience. The reconstruction and dualization of Owerri-Orlu, Owerri-Okigwe and on-going Owerri-Umuahia roads have shortened the driving time from one zone to another in the state by over 60 percent. All together, an estimated total of 1,000 kilometres of roads has so far been completed in Imo State by the Uzodimma administration. This is unprecedented and gives the Imo populace hope that in the governor’s second term there will be infrastructural explosion, especially of road construction.
The governors institution of a highly subsidized Imo State Health Insurance scheme targeting especially the grassroots population is a novel idea, which has brought affordable healthcare to the doorsteps of Imolites and reduced the torture hitherto experienced by the underprivileged who could hardly afford the soaring cost of healthcare in the country. The provision of necessary equipment for the optimal functioning of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, the upgrading of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, to Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, as well as the renovation of 305 primary health centres across the state have added the needed fillip to healthcare service provision in the state.
It is worth noting that the accreditation of the IMSU Teaching Hospital, which was suspended for lack of the needed facilities, has been restored and three batches of medical doctors have graduated from the school to the relief of their parents. These are but a few of the governor’s achievements in the health sector.
Uzodimma’s election as chairman of South-East and APC Governors’ Forum is indicative of how highly regarded he is at the top echelon of leadership in the country. He wields enormous clout and influence and as a consequence, attracted reasonable federal presence to Imo State.
The upgrading of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education to Federal University of Education is worthy of mention, so also is the establishment of a Naval Base at Oguta, which is expected to beef up security in the area through patrols on Oguta Lake and adjoining waterways.
The Imo State Government has also signed a memorandum of understanding for the dredging of Urashi River with expected maritime and economic benefits to the state.
The governor’s capacity to reach out to even his detractors and mend fences with them is transcendental and contributed immensely to the ease with which he won the governorship election in the state.
Indeed the governor, time and again, cautioned his aides not to make enemies but friends for him.
Uzodimma has lifted sports to an all-time high in the state. The abandoned Dan Anyiam Stadium, which was a ghost of its former boisterous self, has now turned into a tourist attraction of sorts. The roads are asphalted and the entire stadium beautifully lit up with solar energy-powered street lights and CCTV cameras mounted all over the place to take care of security in the stadium. Also, a state-of-the-art VIP stand has been constructed at the stadium. Equally in place in the stadium is an Olympic-size swimming pool and a world class boxing ring as well as a well equipped ultra modern gym, among other facilities.
On account of these facilities and other forms of encouragement by government, the performance of Imo State in National and South-east sports meets has improved tremendously. The State, for instance, surpassed Imo Sate sports records in the past two decades topping the South East with12 gold, 8 silver and 25 bronze medals at the last National Sports Festival in Delta State.
Governor Uzodimma has approached the security situation in Imo State with the care and caution it deserves. This mature approach is obviously responsible for the drop in security breaches in recent times.
A no less contributory factor to the joy awaiting the inauguration of the governor is the emergence of Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, an Anglican as the Deputy Governor-elect. Her choice reflects the denominational and gender balance long yearned for by the women folk and protestant denominations in the State.
Obviously Governor Uzodimma left impressionable foot prints in every sector of governance in Imo State and this, no doubt, is responsible for the pervasive celebratory mood preparatory to his inauguration. However, even despite the governor’s high rating, there is still need for improvement in the areas of youth unemployment, security, provision of rural infrastructure, etc.
With an unemployment rate of 48.7% (under State disaggregation) according to figures from the Federal Office of Statistics, a lot of attention requires to be given to employment generation in Imo State especially for youths. Research has shown that with a meaningful engagement of the youths, insecurity will be significantly reduced. The governor, in his second term, needs to give more attention to the SKILLS UP IMO INITIATIVE and other skills acquisition programmes for obvious reasons.
Provision of rural infrastructure like roads and electricity is another area that requires attention. The electrification of the rural areas for instance, harbours the capacity to excite the sprouting of cottage industries and generate employment for our youths.
The current seemingly calm security situation in the State could be misleading. The olive branch extended to the perpetrators of insecurity in the State to lay down their arms and enjoy amnesty and rehabilitation should be re-emphasized as a means of bringing them back to their senses.
The current waste management system in the State seems ineffective and needs to be reviewed for better results. In this connection, reputable management consultants could be engaged to fashion out ways of ridding the State, especially the State capital, of the nauseating stench of putrid heaps of waste materials littered here and there.
Luckily the Governor himself has, at different fora, expressed his determination to beat his own governance record.
Nothing less than that is expected of the governor in his second term in office.
Congratulations to Governor Uzodimma and Lady Chinyere Ekomaru.
•Nwachukwu is a Pubic Affairs Commentator
