Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has accused his predecessors of destroying the foundations of governance in Imo State, saying he inherited a state plagued by collapsed infrastructure, a broken civil service, and near-total institutional failure.
According to Uzodinma, roads across the state were impassable, public offices were in disarray, and government operations were reduced to informal meetings in guest houses and bush bars, painting a grim picture of what his administration met on ground.
While rolling out his achievements after 18 months in office, the governor recalled that prior to his inauguration, the Imo State Government House was a shadow of itself, lacking both the physical infrastructure and the administrative coordination required to govern effectively.
“I speak when only one governance demand accountability, I am not used to speaking to the stream, however we must revisit the past to appreciate the present, too often memory fails and people forget, that is why in brief review of where e started it’s necessary to put today’s progress and achievement in perspective.
“When I reassumed office I was confronted by two pressing issues , widespread infrastructure decay and the near total breakdown of state institutions.
“Most roads were either impassable or outright layed traps, governance were paralysed, the civil service often referred to as engine room of government has lost its form and function, even the government house had been reduced to a laughable caricature with official business often conducted in bush bars or guest houses,” he said.
Uzodinma, who made the remarks while presenting his achievements from one and a half years into his second term at the State House of Assembly, presided over by Speaker Chike Olemgbe, also recounted how opposition forces tried to undermine his efforts after losing to him in the November 2023 gubernatorial election.
In his words, some disgruntled politicians, who were still wailing from their defeat at the polls vowed to make the state ungovernable by releasing over 1830 inmate from Owerri custodial centre, to disrupt his efforts.
“They went to great length to keep their promise, soon after that unprecedented act of violence erupted in different part of the state. their act injected dangerous element into the society, and embodied criminal network across the state and neighbouring state.
“Suddenly we were confronted by a full scale of break down of law and order, banditry surged, communities were attacked and public infrastructure became under siege.
“Law enforcement officers and private citizens were not spared, the impact of this far reaching act of violence were enough to destabilize and derail any administration but we remained resolute our belief were simple that light will always overcome darkness.
“In response we mobilised every available arsenal to confront the crisis, security, humanitarian, financial and institutional,” the two-time Imo governor added.
Uzodimma, however, noted that despite the setbacks, his government has remained focused and committed to restoring Imo’s dignity.
He said the current achievements in infrastructure, institutional reforms, and governance are the results of confronting those early challenges head-on.
Among the achievements mention by the governor was the restoration of financial transparency, with the elimination of payroll fraud and a digitalised wage system that now provides real-time verification of civil servants.
This, according to him, was in contrast to previous years, when no one could credibly account for how many workers or pensioners existed in the system, a loophole that bred systemic corruption.
The governor said the administration had also addressed the plight of pensioners by clearing backlogs and improving welfare.
Workers are benefitting from free transportation, payment of arrears, promotions, and improved infrastructure, including the provision of 305 newly renovated primary schools and similar upgrades in secondary schools.
He noted that Imo has become the first state in the South East to extend the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years, while also funding five tertiary institutions and recently receiving a new Federal University with a ₦30 billion takeoff grant from the Federal Government.
In the area of healthcare, general hospitals across the state have been rehabilitated and equipped, while civil servants have been enrolled in the Imo State Health Insurance Scheme.
“We have signed an MOU with reputable foreign technical partners general electric for the manufacture of medical equipments to equipp all our hospital to maintain and service them, as part of this partnership they will also provide expatriate medical doctors, nurses and midwifes for an initial period of 18 months to support our hospital and medical schools with the skilled manpower they need.
“So that within this 18 months it is expected that our own home grown doctors would have perfected the professions, ” he noted.
On infrastructure, Uzodimma said Imo now boasts one of the most extensive and impactful road networks in Nigeria.
His government, the governor added has constructed more roads than all previous administrations combined since 1999, including strategic projects like the Mbaise–Umuahia Road and modern bus terminals across the state.
As the administration pushes forward with reforms across health, education, and infrastructure, Uzodimma emphasized that none of these gains would be sustainable without security.
According to the governor, although it’s a work in progress, his administration have steadily held international and local conferences to maintain peace in out societies.
“In partnership with our communities, we have established a vigilante unit from every community, drawing trusted member from within, this grass root approach will strengthen our reach, deepen our community confidence.
With support from federal security forces and local units, Uzodimma expressed confidence that Imo would never return to the dark days when terror prevailed.
He further urged those still sponsoring unrest to desist, warning that no political ambition is worth the blood of fellow citizens.
