By Kenneth Uwadi
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari will pay a visit to Imo State the Eastern Heartland on Thursday 9th September 2021.
The governor of Imo State Chief Hope Uzodinma made the disclosure at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri on Saturday.
Already and in keeping pace with visits of this nature, the State government under the leadership of the Amiable governor has since the last days or so been putting finishing touches in the city of Owerri and environs to ensure that the visitor is satisfied with the state of things in Imo.
Instructively the President’s visit from a bird view calculation will no doubt put to rest the issue of verifiable projects which the government has put on ground since coming to office.
Annoyingly, while the euphoria of the news of the President’s visit has continued to generate smiles, a dark side of the visit is that even after the Governor has appealed to the opposition to join hands with him in giving the President a rousing welcome, reports have it that opposition who believe that political rule in Imo is their preserve and birth right have turned Aso Rock into their second home feeding Government officials black lies and persistent blackmail on why the President should be advised to cancel the trip citing security matters.
I give Kudos to Governor Hope on security. If not for a governor like him situation would have been bad in Imo. Now against the desire of the undertakers who had wished the state to be in shambles, peace is in the state and the stage is therefore set with visits of this nature for Imo to reap the full benefits of good leadership, and with a leader like Hope, no doubt bridges will be built and infrastructures from the centre would found home in Imo State. Uzodinma has already announced that the President would commission “significant projects” while in Imo.
He listed roads constructed through federal government/World Bank intervention and Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management (NEWMAP) projects. Imo has been able to attract additional support from Mr. President on the management of some ecological problems in the state.. I join other Imolites to say nno onye isi ala anyi Muhammadu Buhari.
Uzodinma has been able to prove to cynics that the office of the Governor is not about propaganda, not about fake news, not about ranting, not about dishing out stupid policies, and not about shouting hoarse to win the ears of the president rather he is moderating governance, ensuring at least that government policies were unhurting and friendly to the people.
We ask, why is Uzodinma’s profile rising so steadily in the Nigerian political waters, the answer is simple, he comes across as a great visionary leader with unusual capacity to think ahead of issues and events. His postulations have often unfolded with scientific precision making him not only the man with prophetic political statements but one who stands out in the crowd as a man who means well to his society.
Perhaps an area that the Uzodinma”s administration must also be applauded is that of Resource optimization which had seen the administration utilize all available resource optimally and for the benefit of the citizenry while also plugging leaking holes. To date all earnings accruing to Imo state including investments and Liabilities are public knowledge while white elephant projects which gulp money unnecessarily have all been yanked off the shelf, saving Millions of Naira.
The internally generated revenue which has seen better figures and proper accounting lately is one more achievement the administration enthroned to make the state self-sustaining and less dependent on Federal allocation.
Not also forgotten as an achievement of the Uzodinma’s administration is the general sense of belonging given to people from several tribes who have made Imo State their home. It is difficult as I write to know who is Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa in Imo State.
Apart from the above, these people have unfettered access to the Governor and several Government officials even as they are non-indigenes. In this area therefore, the administration have scored well as one detribalized administration which sees no black or white, no Igbo or Yoruba or Hausa but a people bound by collective will to improve their environment under a nondiscriminating principle. Also, public governance especially as regards to co-operation of the three arms of government have also is taken as a serious issue by the government thus rather than deploy state resources to buy support of the legislature as is the case elsewhere, the administration rather uses the policy of co-operation and not confrontation and most times that of seamless assimilation all aimed at providing good governance in the land of Hope. We need not say more.
-Kenneth Uwadi lives in Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State.
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