Gov Uzodimma: Marshalling Imo's Golden Era, Chart Into FG Laudable Agenda

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Commissioner for Trade and Investment in Imo State, Comrade Simon Ebegbulem, in this follow-up piece, highlights on the Vanguard Newspaper INFRASTRUCTURE Governor of the Year Award bestowed on His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma (Onwa), alluding it among other factors, as being for the consistency of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration under ONWA, and to his far-reaching infrastructural, development and service delivery 

The most recent award by the reputable Vanguard Newspaper group, of Governor of the Year Award (Infrastructures), bestowed on His Excellency, Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma (ONWA), testify to the veracity of what patriotic Imolites celebrate in having him at the helms of affairs of the state, at this most challenging times, in our annal of history, both at the national and sub national levels.

That governor Uzodimma has seamlessly keyed into the clarion call by the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), that states (sub-nationals) have a big role to play in the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigerians, has been further attested to by all and sundry, loudly and most unequivocally. The Imo crowd that besieged the venue of the award, in Lagos, is a true reflection of how appreciative the people of the state are to the governor, in the discharge of his duties.

The link between the achievements of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and how very much his programmes have continued to contribute in endearing his people to overall national politics in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized, which efforts will doubtlessly aid in ensuring he produces a successor that will be generally accepted by the people of the state. A successor that will continue his good works and not anyone who will draw Imo backwards. Vowing to ensure that Imo continues to be in safe hands,  Governor Uzodimma had told Imolites that the infrastructural decay you "saw yesterday, you will never witness again."

Governor Uzodimma has not only situated Ndi Imo in the forefront of national politics, he has also feasibly placed them in prime positions and unsurpassed heights at the Federal levels of administration, ably led by the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR). And, today, the people of the state are enjoying the synergy between the Federal Government and the state government, under the leadership of Onwa Oyoko (Governor Uzodimma).

This time around, the Vanguard Newspaper INFRASTRUCTURE Governor of the year Award accorded His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, further reiterates our conviction that honour is better served to the most deserving. Our governor last Friday, in Lagos, stood tall among the select, to receive the Vanguard Newspaper Governor of the Year Award (Infrastructure), to the delight and admiration of all. The annual event serve to honour eminent Nigerians who have made significant contributions to national development and social progress.

Few hours after the epochal event, Governor Uzodimma, during a media parley, was to highlight the daunting task he met on ground at the assumption of office in January 2020, and which, by all reckoning, he has all but surmounted, through dint of hardwork, unwavering focus, dedication, determination and his 'can do it' spirit. And, anyone who had followed the infrastructural decay suffered by Imolites before the coming of Governor Uzodimma will readily puncture the recent criticisms coming from the opposition as regards the befitting Award bestowed on the governor. In a candid and far-reaching interview, granted in Lagos,  Governor Uzodimma used the opportunity to remind his critics the extent of rot left behind by his predecessors, including the trail of destruction, staggering debt profile, deep institutional decay and daunting state of insecurity. He described the scenario thus: “A classic case of how things fell apart.” 

He disclosed that the financial health of the state was in dire condition when he took over, "with a mind-boggling debt profile of N292 billion left by his predecessors."

“When I became governor of Imo in 2020, there was a total breakdown of both public and critical private infrastructure. There was no clean drinking water, roads were impassable, the Government House was uninhabitable, and even the State Secretariat was in ruins,” recalling further how former governor Emeka Ihedioha could not reside in the Government House during his seven-month tenure as governor. 

The governor disclosed how he started life as governor from a guest chalet asserting: “From that humble beginning, we initiated a comprehensive infrastructural audit and prioritised key roads such as the Owerri-Orlu Road, Okigwe Road, and the Owerri-Umuahia Road. Today, these roads speak for themselves. In total, we have completed 120 solid road projects in just a few years.”

Governor Uzodimma further lamented the inherited debt profile of the state before he came into office and regretted how the situation severely limited the state’s capacity to access funding from International partners, including the World Bank, disclosing that in 2021, the state was unable to provide a N500 million counterpart funding for a World Bank project owing to insolvency. Adding that“The Debt Management Office (DMO) wouldn’t even let us borrow,” .

Rolling up the sleeves and ploughing headlong into what was at hand, His Excellency,  through fiscal discipline, prudent spending, and systemic reforms, was able to turn the ugly tide, announcing that the state’s debt has now been reduced to under N100 million, "making Imo State solvent and ready for International engagements."

A most notable and major highlight of the Uzodimma administration is the leap in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). “In 2020, our IGR was less than N400 million monthly. Today, it has grown to almost N4 billion, thanks to automation, the Single Treasury Account (TSA) system, and elimination of middlemen in revenue collection,” the Governor proudly stated.

Elsewhere, and commendably so, under his watch and leadership, the state's Civil Service has been overhauled and professionalised. Governor Uzodimma said that since 2020, salaries have never been delayed, and workers have enjoyed steady increments: from N18,000 to N30,000 minimum wage, then to N40,000, and now N70,000, with plans to review teacher salaries and other critical sectors.

Added to these, Imo State civil servants and pensioners now enjoy free medical care under one of Nigeria’s most robust health insurance schemes, with the state government paying premiums.

The governor didn’t mince words while addressing the origins oft insecurity in the state, asserting that it was politically engineered by disgruntled elements and election losers who hoped to trigger anarchy and emergency rule. “There was an orchestrated plan to destabilize Imo by election losers and separatist groups like IPOB and ESN,” he said.

Bemoaning the realities of the peculiar economic challenges, Governor Hope Uzodimma pointed out that none of the seven oil-producing companies in Imo State had offices within the state. 

“They come from Lagos and Port Harcourt, exploit our resources and leave. I made a local law mandating them to open offices and employ locals,” adding however that when the oil companies complained of the absence of high-end accommodation, he began a public-private rehabilitation of the old Concord Hotel, Owerri, which will be relaunched by November as the Concord-Hilton Hotel.

Governor Uzodimma rued that despite Imo State holding the highest gas reserves in Nigeria, it is without any petrochemical or fertilizer plant. “When 45 percent of Bonny LNG’s gas comes from Imo and we get no dividends or development in return, then something is terribly wrong. South Korea has 22 refineries but produces no oil. We must rethink our economic model,” he asserted.

Reacting to the seeming coalition against the second term bid of President Tinubu, Governor Uzodimma dismissed the fears, noting that "You don’t change a winning team. Most of the people opposing me in 2020 are now with me. About 79 percent of them. APC is focused, we are working, and we are not sleeping. President Tinubu will recieve the support of Majorityof Nigerians and he will be re-elected for a second term".

On the ongoing political moves by different groups in the state regarding who succeeds him as governor come 2028, Uzodimma pointed out that focus should be on the more work that is to be done, rather than early political maneuvering ahead of 2027. 

“We still have two years to govern. That’s a distraction. Let’s work first,” he said.

Under his watch, the 3Rs administration has delivered no less than 120 roads across the three senatorial zones of Imo State, repositioned its financial profile, invigorated industrial capacity and the ease of doing business, all in verifiable terms. So for many Imolites, Uzodimma's Award as INFRASTRUCTURE Governor of the Year is well deserving, and we urged him to continue to make Imo proud despite criticisms, which is considered healthy, in any true democratic dispensation.

Ebegbulem, a veteran journalist, is former Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Imo State.