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GIVE PEACE A CHANCE. By: Prince Eze Ugochukwu

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.  —Albert Einstein

These wise words spoken by Albert Einstein emphasize the need for innovation and new perspectives in problem-solving. This quote suggests that the solutions to our problems cannot be found by using the same approach that caused the problem in the first place.

When the incursions from unknown gunmen reared its ugly head in Imo State as was the case in all the South East states, there was hope that in the face of a common enemy, there would be cooperation from all the critical stakeholders.

In Imo State, the matter was made worst when those opposed to the administration openly backed the gunmen. Officials were sought out and systematically slaughtered. With meticulous organisation, lists of government appointees were handed out to bandits who then targeted, killed and burnt their properties. Also targeted were the supporters of the government.

A new perspective in problem-solving was required. A new way of thinking was needed. The government adopted consensus building as a strategy. To a very large extent, consensus was reached on how to tame the mayhem. Unfortunately, the opposition political class refused to cooperate with the government, notwithstanding the best intentions of the administration.

The Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma held well-coordinated stakeholders meetings with leaders from each of the twenty-seven local government areas in Imo state. The discussions centred around the questions; what is the rationale behind this barbaric killing of women, youths, widows, and old men? What is going on? What is the way out?

The roll call included the who is who from each local government. Late Ambassador George Obiozor led the Oru East delegation, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh led the Mbaitoli delegation, Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu led the Ihitte Uboma delegation, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was the leader of the Ikeduru delegation, Chief Tony Ezenna(Orange Drugs) led the Ideato North delegation, Barr. Eze
DuruIheoma (SAN) led the Ideato South delegation, and former Governor Ikedi Ohakim and Professor Maurice Iwu led the Isiala and Ehime Mbano delegation respectively. And so it was with the remaining local government areas.

Even the clergy were not left out. Led by the then-Catholic Archbishop Obinna of the Owerri Diocese, the men of God under the auspices of the Christian Association of Nigeria also interacted with the Governor in the quest for a collective solution to the then-raging insecurity.

On a much broader platform, the Imo State government equally held quarterly stakeholders meetings where a cross-section of the population added their voices in the search for peace.

Following therefrom, it was determined that insecurity in Imo State was politically contrived, coupled with the hijack of the agitation by criminal elements masquerading as unknown gunmen.

All the stakeholders agreed with the proposed decision that no one should block or obstruct the implementation plans for peace. It was agreed that security agencies must be supported to carry out their constitutional duties of protecting lives and properties.

In selecting another alternative solution to the conflict, the state government granted an amnesty to all armed non-state actors. As part of the implementation process, traditional rulers were mandated to receive repentant persons who will then be rehabilitated by the government after surrendering their weapons.

The government went further to establish a new Ministry of Digital Economy and e-government designed to upscale the training of youths in 21st-century digital and technological skills and empower them to earn a living. So far 5,000 youths have graduated. They were equipped with the requisite tools and funding. Another batch of 15,000 youths has begun their cohort 2 training at over six designated training centres across the state. This has helped in the war against insecurity through the gainful pre-occupation of the youths.

However, in all these processes of problem-solving, the political opposition in Imo State refused to participate. Shockingly, they set up a panel to penalize a few of their leaders who joined the search for peace. Elder statesmen like Eze Duruiheoma, Osita Nwaneri, Ambrose Ejiogu, and Peter Mgbenwelu were summoned to show cause why they must not be punished. They were all hounded out of their party.

Up till today, the people of Imo State have remained deeply worried as to why the old men were not allowed to join other stakeholders to meet and talk peace. After all, they were only looking for solutions and wanted to join hands with their governor to see what they can do to help.

The opposition who coveted power launched thousands of attacks on the governor using radio, television and social media. Leaders of the opposition openly claimed that they will make the state ungovernable. According to them, they will not rest until Governor Uzodimma is forced out of power by whatever means.

Eventually, peace returned to Imo State. The government was able to secure the state and life gradually came back to normal.

It is therefore surprising why this same opposition has resumed its feast on insecurity in a volatile election season. People are now wondering why the existing harmony should be disrupted furthermore.

The Governor has done well despite all the ambushes laid against his administration. He has delivered on most of his agenda to reconstruct, rehabilitate and recover the state. It is no wonder, therefore, that another insurrection is being hatched by the same forces that are hell-bent on gaining access to power by all means.

The promotion of a peaceful environment as a prerequisite for economic development is imperative. We must all oppose the systemic cooperation between the opposition and armed non-state actors.

It is most disturbing that criminal activities are linked to the interests of the political opposition in Imo State not only as a source of their  gaining power and influence but as a way of disrupting the programs of the government.

Concerned citizens have started to condemn these actions of the opposition in the strongest possible terms while reiterating the need for a peaceful Imo state.

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Imo State Public Enlightenment

11th November 2023 Governorship Election – An Appraisal

By Prince Eze Ugochukwu.

Come 11th November 2023, Imo people will go to the polls to vote in the scheduled gubernatorial election.

However, from all indications and analysis, the people don’t appear to be the slightest bit interested in any candidate not named Hope Uzodimma. It looks like a one-person race for one simple reason; only Hope Uzodimma have credibility with the majority of the Imo electorate.

The question is, how do we know which side of the divide the people are? A simple answer will suffice. Imo people are upset and furious about how other politicians chickened out in the fight against the unknown gunmen and bandits that troubled the state. Imo voters loved Uzodimma’s performance in office by huge margins following his deft handling of the insurgents.

Many pundits are conclusive when assessing the guber field. Virtually
all the opponents of Uzodimma are underwater in their approval ratings as they hover around an awful 20 per cent or even less. Uzodimma is thought by a majority of voters to be an achiever and should win again, with as many as 80 per cent of voters thinking he ought to serve a second term.

Despite the opinion of his opponents, the Imo electorate do not hate Uzodimma — to the contrary, most citizens approve of him and they frequently rally around him when he is under attack by the opposition. So attacking his character and his record in office has not dented the accolades pouring in support of the governor.

The biggest problem with the Governor’s opponents is their unacceptability based on their behaviour during the period of insecurity in the state which alienated the voters. They never stood up in defence of the people in any remarkable way whatsoever.

Most of the Governor’s opponents are running the race with one single agenda, which is condemning his handling of the security situation. But unknown to them, the determined confrontation of the bandits is the governor’s major strength with the people.

Governor Uzodimma’s bravery, intelligence and skill in proffering governance and developmental solutions are quite appealing to the people. They do not see anyone else as capable of replicating that feat.

Uzodimma already has a track record of success and has blazed the trail by showing the way in revamping the infrastructural decay in the state.

Right now, Uzodimma is unarguably the candidate best positioned to win as he is the one sufficiently acceptable to the voters. No other candidate will certainly be able to forge a coalition of enough votes to beat the incumbent governor.

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

FROM OUR ARCHIVE: Lest We Forget.

THE MONOPOLY OF EVIL – But God Came Down

Prince Eze Ugochukwu

In one of the most aggressive pursuits of evil ever seen in the annals of history, some people sat down and designed a deadly conspiracy to turn Imo State into a killing field.

From all indications, it appeared they were tutored in the Adolf Hitler school of political thought,; which is the adoption of violence as an instrument of political prominence, relevance and domination.

Hitler’s Nazi gangs routinely beat up and tortured political opponents, vandalized, looted, and destroyed government offices. Sometimes, individuals were murdered, which effectively gave Nazi paramilitary units control of the German streets.
They even burnt down the German parliament, the Reichstag. Not even individuals holding political office at the local or national level were safe from such violence. 

The Hitler experiment is exactly what they executed in Imo State. Hiding under layers of deceit, the opposition and their armed squads, unleashed mayhem on Imo State to damage the integrity of not only Governor Hope Uzodimma but his entire administration.

In their quest, they placed little or no significance on the survival of innocent persons and businesses in Imo State. As far as they are concerned, everybody and everything can go to hell and burn to ashes as long as Hope Uzodimma is obliterated and eliminated.

An ungodly alliance of evil was midwifed, promoted, appeased, encouraged, and targeted at making Imo State ungovernable.

First, they started by going to embassies to protest.  They followed up with street protests here in Imo State. Not satisfied, they aligned with armed non-state actors to inflict tears and sorrow on government appointees including the Governor himself whose house was burnt down including vehicles. Assassinated were all those guiding his country residence.

As all these were transpiring, these same monopolizers of evil embarked on a well-choreographed media onslaught against the Governor to the extent that he was accused of all manner of negative things.

But the truth is that the media blitz was aimed at covering their involvement and complicity. The houses of Uzodimma’s Commissioners were burnt down. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity were all victims.

The APC woman leader, youth leader and Ward Chairman in Orlu local government were brutally killed and their dismembered body parts were displayed at the market square. Their only crime was sharing covid19 palliatives provided by the Governor to the people of Orlu to cushion the effects of the ravaging pandemic.

From there, they went on to start frightening statesmen and community leaders. Professor George Obiozor the President General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide and a strong supporter of the Governor had his country home burnt. All the memorabilia he gained from decades of serving Nigeria as an ambassador were destroyed in one fell swoop.

The next was the turn of Traditional Rulers and many were brutally murdered for merely attending meetings called by the government.

The Chairman of Ideato North local government area had his throat cut off and his head dismembered from the rest of his body in full view of cameras.

In all these, Imo State was left to stagnate. Schools were forced to close. Our children were rendered virtually useless as they lost a year’s promotion consequent upon their inability to take their WAEC examinations.

As the tourism capital of Nigeria, hotels in Owerri were deserted due to a lack of patronage. Fun seekers and holidaymakers all ran away and embraced alternative locations in Asaba, Port Harcourt and Uyo. As businesses closed, Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) meant to fund government projects and programs nosedived.

It was so terrible and devastating.

Undaunted, His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodimma stood his ground.

He granted amnesty and reached out to leaders of faith-based organisations to intervene. He met and beckoned Imo Stakeholders to intervene. He sponsored regular prayer meetings through the auspices of the Christian Association of Nigeria to seek the face of God.

In the end, Uzodimma succeeded to the chagrin of his traducers. God came down to save His people.

The deployment of a watertight security cordon around the state yielded considerable success. The pushback against the enemies saw the restoration of normalcy across the state.

By August 2022, Imo women became confident enough to resume their August meetings. The wife of the Governor, Lady Chioma Uzodimma fearlessly crisscrossed the state in solidarity with all Imo women.

Traditional Rulers became emboldened and celebrated their New Yam festivals in colourful manners. In honour and admiration,  the entire people of Mbaise and Ohaji bestowed the Chieftaincy titles of Enyi-Oma and Omemma respectively on Governor Hope Uzodimma.

And the rest became history. The forces of evil were defeated by God himself and Imo came back to life as a destination of choice for conferences, seminars, retreats and workshops.

The Nigerian army held its annual conference in Owerri. The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria went to Orlu the epicentre of the violence for their annual conference. The police senior officers retreat berthed in Owerri. Both the Institute of Charted Accountants of Nigeria conference for the South East zone and the National Accountants of Nigeria conference were held in Owerri.

And now, the Guild of Editors conference is taking place in Owerri.

The hotels in Owerri are back enjoying patronage. Food and drink vendors are pocketing profits and businesses are bouncing back all courtesy of the commitment, doggedness and Christian faith of the Imo State Governor,  Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma.

And we say, to God be the Glory.

Prince Eze Ugochukwu is Special Adviser to Imo State Governor on Public Enlightenment.

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

INSECURITY IN IMO STATE

••••• That Opposition Negative Revisionism

Prince Eze Ugochukwu

“In its very essence, negative revisionism is harmful because it misleads people to believe in narratives that are largely based on questionable/contentious/manipulated facts, a product of a false analysis of data, and/or directed towards white-washing and myth-making”

On numerous occasions, the opposition in Imo State has issued accusatory press releases targeted at portraying the Imo State Government as deliberately killing its citizens. This is negative revisionism at it’s worst as it is a whitewash, very far from the truth, and entirely misleading.

Bereft of any governance policy agenda, the opposition has latched unto their own contrived insecurity as their sole campaign slogan.

Before we forget and fall prey to the harmful misleading narrative from the opposition, we must bear this truth in mind always, “The attacks, often linked to the unknown gunmen have led to the abduction and killings of several persons, mainly government officials and officers of various security agencies. Beyond abduction and killing, the facilities of the various security agencies and those of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been repeatedly attacked across the region.

Instead of supporting the government and security agencies to curb insecurity; instead of making suggestions on how to combat insecurity, the opposition has clandestinely rooted for the culprits in the guise of government and Governor Uzodimma bashing. But who God has blessed, no man can course.

The Imo opposition has deceptively ignored the narrative that the entire South East zone recorded “cases of arson on security facilities and the killing of security operatives. Snuffing precious life out of innocent residents has also become a common thing. The officials themselves are not safe. The unknown gunmen set public institutions on fire; they seize arms and ammunition belonging to security officials and kill them in the process”

Yet, the opposition in Imo State has never for once condemned these atrocious acts. Rather all they do is attempt to curry political favour to gain mileage, which unfortunately for them, they are not making any headway. Rather, the very people traumatised daily by their connivance with evil has continued to reject them. Even their own members and supporters are running away.

Is it not callous for the opposition to blame the Governor for insecurity knowing fully well that the home of the Governor and properties were burnt down? They never sympathized with the Governor who is equally a victim of crime.

Also when both the headquarters of the Imo State Police Command and the Correctional Service Centre in Owerri (Prison) were attacked, the Imo opposition remained mute as if they never happened.

Again when the throat of the Sole Administrator of Ideato North local government was cut off, the opposition did not condole the bereaved family. Our elder statesman, Late Ambassador George Obiozor had his country home burnt, the opposition kept mute and refused to attend his funeral shortly afterwards. What sort of human beings are these?

Must the quest for political power destroy our shared humanity?

Sadly the Imo opposition is being driven by an insatiable quest for power, which involves spinning a narrative around untimely death and wanton killing of innocent citizens in their pursuit of political power.

How can a normal human being craft his quest for power using the blood of the innocent? What type of power is the opposition looking for that will make them dwell solely on the blood of the innocent?

What are the linkages between the opposition and these killings that will make them continuously feast on the carcass of dead Imolites. If a witch cries in the night and a child dies in the morning, we do not go to the soothsayer to ask what killed the child. The witch should not be left out if suspects are taken for questioning. There appears to be irrefutable linkages and this is terrible.

Meanwhile, His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma has continued to garner accolades for delivering good governance to Imo people.

Nobody can deny the fact that Governor Uzodimma stands as the Rock of Gibraltar against the enemies of Imo State. He has pushed back against the purveyors of violence.

The truth is that insecurity in Imo State is politically motivated and contrived. It is exacerbated by those with political interest to remove Governor Uzodimma from office applying every known and unknown force.

Governor Hope Uzodimma is not responsible for the insecurity. Rather he needs peace and harmony to govern and implement his programs. The manipulated stories from the opposition are meant to destroy Imo State and should be ignored.

But the Imo opposition must not forget the adage that “Those who run to embrace war, don’t often realise that war is death”

Eze Ugochukwu is the Special Adviser to Imo State Governor on Public Enlightenment.

Imo State Public Enlightenment

Saturday 27th May 2023.

Port Harcourt Stands Still As Eminent Igbo Citizens Gather For Governor Hope Uzodimma

Thousands of Igbo citizens living in Rivers State turned out at the Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Saturday, to receive Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.

The colourful reception had men, and women, who are members of various Igbo sociocultural organizations dressed in beautiful traditional Igbo regalia singing and dancing in honour of Governor Uzodimma.

The rousing reception was a prelude to the award of the highest honour by the Rivers State Government.

The adoring crowd expressed joy with Governor Uzodimma for coming to Port Harcourt to interact with them. They praised the Governor for the road revolution going on in Imo State, plus his determination in confronting criminals and bandits disturbing Imo State.

Governor Uzodimma will today join the League of Grand Service Stars of Rivers State (GSSRS), which is the State’s highest award to distinguish personalities.

In the letter, Governor Wike acknowledged the valuable support of Governor Hope Uzodimma to the Government and the good people of Rivers State.

Imo State Public Enlightenment

Is Governor Hope Uzodimma Gradually Turning Imo Into A Welfare State ?

By: Prince Eze Ugochukwu.

The term ‘welfare state’ first emerged in the United Kingdom during the Second World War.

Immediately after the Second World War, the incoming Labour Party government in the United Kingdom introduced the Welfare State, which aimed to wipe out poverty and hardship in society.

A welfare state is a form of government in which the state protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, and equitable distribution of wealth.

Imo State under the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma is witnessing the effective mobilisation and efficient utilisation of state resources to improve the quality of life of its citizens.

When we say that a Welfare State, is aimed at wiping out poverty and hardship in society, three cardinal programs of the Shared Prosperity administration in Imo State readily come to mind to buttress the assertion. The first is the Skill-Up Imo project, and the second is the Imo State Health Insurance program, while the third is the Imo Cares Empowerment Program.

The Skill-Up Imo Project is designed to position Imo as a leading digital skills hub in the country. The target is to train 300,000 Imo youths in digital skills ranging from Data analytics, cybersecurity, digital marketing, web development, App development, content creation, Ui/Ux, programming, photo/ video editing, computer appreciation, Networking, CCTV installation and phone / digital devices repairs.

On the Imo Digital Economy Agenda, Governor Uzodimma said, “My administration through the Imo Digital Economy Agenda(IDEA) initiative will ensure that Imolites attain a higher level of digital literacy by the year 2026.”

So far, the program has graduated 5000 students in Cohort 1, who were trained in various digital and tech skills. The governor has equipped them in their various startup endeavours. He gave out almost 3000 laptops, car tracking kits and smartphones for some of the graduates, while some others with visual and hearing challenges were given a hundred thousand Naira each.”

Speaking about the program during the induction of another 15,000 youths for the Cohort 2 training, Dr Chimezie Amadi, the Commissioner for Digital Economy echoed the Governor stating, “The government has engineered a startup economy where young graduates have quickly embedded themselves into providing the government with tech services and also providing needed digital services for other businesses in the state”

Free access to healthcare services is another mainstay of a welfare state. In Imo State, the government established the Imo State Health Insurance Scheme, administered by the Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA), to improve access to quality healthcare services for Imo State residents.
Already, over 60, 000 residents have been enrolled for free Medicare in the state.

On this lofty program, the Governor said, “You could recall our policy of ensuring that our people have access to quality and affordable healthcare. This is part of our campaign manifesto to the people of Imo State. I understand the importance of a healthy population and workforce; this necessitated my desire to ensure that our state health insurance agency leaves up to its expectation to serve all segments of the population in our dear state, Imo. I will continue to support all efforts that will make healthcare affordable and accessible for the good people of Imo State”.

Another program associated with a welfare state is the allowance paid to people who do not have enough income to meet their needs and those of their families. The Imo Cares Programme of Governor Hope Uzodimma is one of such programs. As the Governor said,
“Assisting the poor and vulnerable in our society is also at the core of the shared prosperity agenda of this administration”.

The administration ofGovernor Hope Uzodimma has taken bold steps towards addressing pressing challenges of vulnerable citizens in Imo State as part of his Shared Prosperity Agenda.

At the last count, the government has empowered over 25,000 Imolites under the IMO CARES PROGRAM which is a follow up to numerous other empowerment programs implemented by the Governor, including the massive financial windfall previously invested on 15,000 Imo youths.

Governor Uzodimma hailed the program as “another manifestation of the government’s genuine concern for the less privileged…”It is self-evident that the devastating effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the world’s economy has forced many countries to re-strategise on how best to save their populace from hunger and disease which are the direct consequences of the pandemic. Imo State being part of the global community is not immune from those challenges”.

In conclusion, it is true and obvious, and everyone would agree that Governor Uzodimma is imbibed with the ethical principles and core values of service, social justice to the vulnerable and downtrodden, , and the dignity and worth of every person no matter your standing in the society.

Eze Ugochukwu is the Special Adviser to Imo State Governor on Public Enlightenment.

Imo State Public Enlightenment

The Imo Labour Party Guber Quartet – The Circus Ringmasters.

• Athan Achonu
• Chibutu Isiguzo
• Ikechukwu Ukaegbu
• Basil Maduka.

By. Prince Eze Ugochukwu.

The ringmaster is a master of ceremony that introduces the circus acts to the audience. Where it exists,
a circus operate and provide comic relief and entertainment for audiences..

The Labour Party In Imo State is now a circus with four ringmasters. Four masters of ceremony of the absurd. Their circus show is crooked, bizarre and nonsensical leaving the audience bewildered.

The ringmasters are Athan Achonu,
Chibutu Isiguzo, Ikechukwu Ukaegbu , Basil Maduka. They all claim to be ticket holders for the November 11th Imo governorship election. What a charade.

The logic of absurdity is described as a decision-making anchored on irrational logic, leading to an irrational course of action and conclusion.

Now that the Labour Party has concluded their quartet of
governorship primaries which produced a foursome, the word absurdity best describes their illogical and unserious course of actions and it’s attendant bizarre conclusions.

And you can imagine the gibberish and mumbo jumbo that have followed therefrom. We are now reading so many unintelligible and accusatory press releases from both the winners and the vanquished alike.

The first cry baby was Dr. Sam Amadi. Hear him, “The Open Bazaar for delegates has commenced, contrary to the assurances that Labour Party is determined to avoid the path of ignominy that led to defeat for APGA in 2019 elections”

Then came Major General LKJ Ogunewe. He is shouting that there were fake delegates all over the place. He said, “These said fake delegates confessed to receiving 300 dollars each to vote for Mr Achonu…Many party chairmen who had been compromised by one of the contestants Mr Athan Achonu allowed non-elected fake delegates to enter into the election hall” Unquote!!!

A more comprehensive media report remarked as follows, “More trouble is brewing in the Imo Labour party as one of the major contestants for the gubernatorial ticket of the party ahead of the 11 November governorship election Retired Major – General Lincoln Ogunewe has claimed that he is the authentic winner of the Imo Labour Party gubernatorial primaries.

The retired Army General alleged that some local government chairmen of the party who had been compromised by one of the contestant Senator Athan Achonu allowed non elected delegates into the election hall.

He further alleged that these fake delegates had confessed to receiving $300 dollars each to vote for Mr Achonu during the primaries in spite of his protest “

Not to be left out, Athan Achonu has accused another of the aspirant as a solo champion saying that “The last aspirant organized and contested a primary against himself and won a hard-fought victory” against himself.

Regrettably, this same Labour Party want to govern Imo State with such discordant cacophony of voices.

Imo people are watching this appalling, sickening and repulsive dance of shame by the Imo State Labour Party and their quartet of candidates.

Thankfully God gave Imo people a servant- leader like Governor Hope Uzodimma who decided long ago that good actions are better than empty words. He decided to win through his actions, as opposed to mere noisy banters. “I do know, that leadership is not about early popularity contest, but about having the honest courage to do the right thing, for the right reasons, and for the good of the greatest number of people…”I have no doubt in my mind that in the fullness of time, history will vindicate me for not submitting to pressure and blackmail to do business as usual”, Uzodimma said.

Governor Hope Uzidimma is better than them. These other comic entertainers are not sophisticated at all.

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

RESTORING THE DIGNITY OF TRADITIONAL RULERS IN IMO STATE – •••••What Governor Hope Uzodimma has done.

Prince Eze Ugochukwu.

In years past, traditional rulers were held in high esteem in Imo State. They were respected and accorded all dignities their throne deserved. It was said that “Like the biblical King Solomon, they were seen as embodiments of wisdom and character, discharging their functions and delivering judgment with neither fear nor favour”.

Then came a time when their dignity and influence took a nosedive.
We saw here in Imo State how a particular administration through both deliberate acts of commission and omission endeavoured to whittle down the influence of traditional rulers where they ought to be given deserved recognition that befits our traditional heritage and values.

We equally saw in other climes where political leaders, particularly the governors, used their executive powers to demystify the aura and influence of traditional rulers, but not so in Imo State under the administration of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma as governor.

Long before coming into office as governor, Uzodimma who is from a royal family has always shown his deep appreciation of the custom and traditions of the people.
He has not allowed the power of traditional rulers to shrink and neither has he allowed them to be ridiculed.

Earlier in the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma, exactly in June 2020, the governor inaugurated the Imo State Community Policing and Advisory Committee to ensure that the communities are properly secured.
The Community Policing had HRH Eze Dr Emmanuel Okeke as the chairman. Other traditional rulers inaugurated as zonal officers were Ezes David Osuagwu, Thomas Obiefule and Goddy Okeke as Deputy Chairmen for Owerri Zone, Orlu Zone and Okigwe Zone respectively. This was the first clear sign that Governor Uzodimma sees the traditional rulers as partners in development and not adversaries.

In February 2022, the Governor issued staff-of-office to 51 newly elected traditional rulers in Imo State hitherto suspended by the immediate past administration. On that occasion, he charged them to jealously guide the tradition and culture of their people by always standing on the side of truth and justice in the discharge of their duties.

In times of crisis and anguish, Governor Uzodimma has stood firmly in support of traditional rulers. An example is when three traditional rulers from Njaba and Okigwe local government areas were killed by bandits. The deceased monarchs, were Eze Sampson Osunwa, Eze Edwin Azike, and Eze A.E. Duru Eburuo from Njaba local government, and Eze Paul Ogbo from Ihitte Ihube in Okigwe local government area.
Governor Uzodimma met with their families and assisted and consoled them while describing the death of the monarchs as a big loss to their families, communities and government.

More important was the official constitution of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers in April 2022. On that occasion, Uzodimma further declared his respect for traditional institutions when he stated, “Government cannot function without partnership with traditional rulers…You are responsible for coordinating community affairs in your various areas…The symbol of every community is seen at the Ezes palace…Find the courage to use the powers given to you, we cannot leave the state for anybody rather we would chase away the criminals”

The icing on the cake came in December 2022, when Governor Uzodimma showered traditional rulers with over Thirty-one (31) brand new official vehicles The Governor said the gift was to support the custodians of tradition as they continue to promote peace and unity in the society. Vehicles handed out to the traditional rulers include the 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser LC 300s, LC 200s, Fortuners and Prados.

The Governor could not hide his joy with the monarchs when he said, “As heads of the institution that upholds and nurture our traditions as a people, the Traditional Rulers have continued to play this important role in partnership with the Government for the development of our communities and sustenance of peace and tranquillity.” “The transformation of our dear State is not limited to infrastructural development, we must support institutions and custodians of our tradition as they continue to promote peace and unity in our society.”

In all ramifications, you cannot transform society through infrastructure alone, and encouraging those who carry the peace and unity of the society on their shoulders is worthy and admirable. Governor Uzodimma has excelled in restoring and maintaining the dignity of Imo traditional rulers.

Eze Ugochukwu is the Special Adviser to Imo State Governor on Public Enlightenment.

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

Imo Is Undergoing Sophisticated Transformation

Prince Eze Ugochukwu.

When he assumed office in January 2020, Governor Hope Uzodimma promised to build a new Imo State of Shared Prosperity.

A closer look reveals two distinct approaches in the Uzodimma transformation agenda viz infrastructural and human capital development.

Through the provision of durable and capital-intensive projects, the administration has administered services that are essential for modern life.

Programs such as water supply, good roads, modern security equipment, environmental sanitation and waste management machinery, are all meant to provide basic services that impact other sectors of economic activities and society as a whole. Wealth creation and social welfare crucially depend on these capital projects.

The three urban centres of Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe have been connected with durable and long-lasting motorways, while a new super highway linking Owerri to Umuahia is under intense construction. Not forgetting internal inner city streets within the capital city of Owerri.

All of a sudden nobody shouts that Owerri is dirty. You hardly hear that cry anymore. This is because of the tremendous amount of investment made in sanitation and waste management by His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma. New waste disposal trucks, additional manpower, waste bins and rapid evacuation processes are now in place, and more is being done.

Yes, good and basic infrastructure is transformative, but we cannot ignore the place of human capital development in the scheme of things.

“Human capital consists of the knowledge, skills, and health that people invest in and accumulate throughout their lives, enabling them to realize their potential as productive members of society”.

Governor Uzodimma has made great investments in people for greater economic growth while leveraging technology, to accelerate innovation among the youth.

For Governor Uzodimma, investing in people is an important strategy for development geared towards ending unemployment and poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

Within the three years of his administration, the decade-old problem of non-graduation of medical students was solved leading to hundreds of new doctors gaining their medical certificates, same for midwives and nurses.

The skill-up Imo project is another human capital investment by the Imo State Governor meant to take away 100,000 Imo persons especially the youths out of poverty through training in digital skills. Already, 5,000 youths have graduated in the first batch while a fresh batch is now enrolling in the scheme. Imo is the first state in Nigeria to establish a Ministry of Digital Economy and e-Government.

Notwithstanding enormous challenges and economic downturn which has bedevilled the global economy in recent years, the Imo State Governor has meticulously applied the lean resources of the state to bring sophisticated transformation to the people.

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

29th March 2023

THE LAST PHASE OF THE IMO STATE MEDICAL MISSION

• OPEN HEART SURGERY FOR INDIGENT CHILDREN

The Imo State Medical Mission today carried out open heart surgery for indigent children at the Regions Neuroscience Hospital Mgbirichi, in Ohaji Egbema local government area.

According to the lead surgeon, Dr. OC Nzewi, who is a consultant cardiac surgeon from England, two of the children aged 6 months and 12 years respectively suffer from congenital heart diseases with multiple holes in their heart.

He said that children suffer many kinds of heart defects, some are minor, while others are more serious while defects can occur inside the heart or in the large blood vessels outside the heart.

Amidst appreciation from the mothers, Dr Prosper-Ohayagha Success, the Hon Commissioner for Health, Imo State, explained that His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma is desirous of giving newborn babies and children the best possible beginning in life, because the earlier the children undergo the heart surgery, the higher the chances of them living a better and improved life. 

The Health Commissioner assured that the open heart surgery program for children will be a continuous exercise, ” this is just the beginning of better things to happen in Imo State” he declared.

A member of the medical team, Dr. Vijay Agarwal who is a consultant paediatric cardiac surgeon from Charak Hospital, India, thanked the Imo State government for giving opportunity to children to live, “Children are neglected, they cannot speak for themselves, and I thank the government of Imo State for giving me the opportunity to be part of this surgery team” he stated.

It will be recalled that from 30th January to the 4th of February 2023, the Regions Neuroscience Hospital has partnered with the Imo State Medical Mission in providing medical services to indigent citizens of Imo State.