By Collins Ughalaa KSC

Inauguration ceremony or swearing-in ceremony is a momentous occasion that marks the official beginning of a leader’s journey towards serving and transforming the lives of his people. Uzodimma, the dynamic and visionary leader, will be taking his second oath of office with a stronger determination to continue his good stories of progress and development for Imo people.

On Monday. January 15, Imo people will, therefore, be witnesses to the momentous occasion when their governor is sworn-in to begin his second missionary journey as governor of Imo State. Uzodimma was declared the duly elected governor of Imo State on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, and was quickly sworn in the following day in keeping with the judgement of the Supreme Court. The judgement did not give room for fanfare, as the governor was sworn-in and resumed duties immediately. He took the gauntlet, and today, despite all the challenges and man-made obstacles he encountered, all is now a success story.

Satisfied with the governor’s sterling performance in his first term, Imo people on Saturday, November 11, 2023, renewed his madate for a second term when they voted for him again in a record-setting electoral victory, scoring 540,308 votes. The swearing-in ceremony on Monday, therefore, means just more than a fanfare for Imo people, but an opportunity to be witnesses to the beginning of yet another glorious era, an important ceremonial gesture signifying the official start of the governor’s second term, an opportunity to gather and offer their blessings on the mandate they freely gave on November 11.

The swearing-in ceremony provides the people the opportunity to see their governor make a public commitment to his renewed mandate, duties, responsibilities, and obligations.

The governor had, during his New Year message, assured Imo people that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that his achievements in his second term would dwarf those of his first term. Assuring that his second term will be characterized by action and prosperity, the governor expressed confidence “that the promised glorious dawn is close enough.

Thus, I appeal to the good people of Imo State to be patient because the year 2024 will surely herald that glorious dawn, and I am confident that the pains of 2023 will begin to wane in 2024…As outlined in the 2024 budget, Imo is going to witness a tremendous improvement in infrastructure and development in all facets of the state this year. I want Imo people to rest assured that my performance in the second tenure, which begins in January 2024, will dwarf the achievements of my first tenure. Read my lips and hold me by my words.”

Uzodimma, in his first term, shocked Imo people with a plethora of problem-solving policies and programmes. The governor recognised that his government would not do much without a vibrant civil service. In order to revive the civil service, he introduced a lot of reforms, ending bad and unproductive practices, created a conducive work environment by undertaking a thorough renovation of the state secretariat, empowered the Permanent Secretaries by providing the working tools required, including brand new vehicles. The governor also introduced free bus services for all the civil servants in the state. The busses would pick them at their various locations and drop them back at the close of work. This gesture was the first of its kind. The governor introduced the payment of the 13th month salary, and he has been religious with it since December 2020. Furthermore, the governor introduced free medical services for civil servants and built a clinic at the secretariat. Perhaps the elephant in the room – the promotion of the civil servants across the board – has continued to excite Imo workers. The last time the civil servants were promoted was about 14 years ago, and this amounted to not only lowered morale but stunted growth in the civil service. The governor also digitalized the civil service and began an era of prompt and regular payment of salaries and penaions, to the extent that with a touch on a button, you can know the nominal roll of the state’s civil service. The reforms, therefore, not only put smiles on the faces of the civil servants but revived and reinvigorated the service itself.

The governor did not neglect the youths. From the start of his administration, he has always had the youths at heart, and empowering them became one of the cardinal policies of his government. One of the outstanding youth empowerment programmes of the government is empowering thousands of Imo youths with start-up capital to start a business. The governor has also invested a lot in supporting activities and has, at the last count, trained and empowered over 20,000 youths with digital skills through the Skill-Up Imo Project. All these put Imo youths not only on the path to self-development but also gives them the opportunity to contribute their quota to the growth of the state economy.

All these may appear intangible to many, but they are nonetheless very important achievements, and they put smiles on the faces of the people. But, the governor did not neglect tangible projects. Some of the most remarkable projects littered across the state include three brand new general hospitals located at Umuokanne in Ohaji-Egbema LGA, Oguta Amaeshi in Oguta LGA, and Omuma in Oru East LGA; brand new University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences located in Umuagwo, Ohaji-EgbemaLGA, and brand new Imo State Polytechnic, Omuma. Others include the upgrading of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education to Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, upgrading of the Federal Medical Centre Owerri, to the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH) Owerri, renovation of healthcare centers, renovation of classroom blocks, recovery of moribund institutions, stolen public assets; the rehabilitaton/reconstruction/dualization of 55km Owerri-Okigwe Road and the final resolution of Ekemele Junction, Akabor in Ikeduru LGA which was a nightmare to motorists and residents alike for over a decade, and hampered economic activities. The 74km Owerri-Orlu Road and the

Owerri/Egbu/Mbaise/Obowo/Umuahia Road had also become nightmares and hardnuts to crack by successive governments, but the governor has done them all.

Imo people cannot forget the biggest economic programme ever undertaken by any governor in the entire Southeast: the dredging of the Oguta Lake and Orashi River, leading to the creation of a sea route through the Degema Council Area in Rivers State to the Atlantic Ocean. When completed, “the Nigerian Navy will be better equipped to protect our coastlines, thereby curbing crude oil theft and illegal bunkering and other criminal activities that appear to have taken advantage of the difficulty of the terrain for the operational use of naval platforms,” said former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who commissioned the dredging project. Going down memory lane, the former Vice President added: “As far back as 1914, the British, understanding its strategic importance in connecting the hinterlands to the coast, utilised this route to facilitate the smooth export of products such as palm oil, timber, and coal, from Oguta and its neighbouring regions.”

Apart from enhancing security along the waterways, the dredging project, with its attendant oil and gas free trade zone, is capable of turning around the economic fortunes of not just Imo State but the entire Southeast and end the agelong wrong belief that the Southeast was landlocked. “Today, we aim to revive this once vibrant and economically strategic channel, furthering job creation and sustainable growth in Imo State and the entire Southeast-region. By enhancing coastal connectivity and facilitating seamless transportation, the project will promote trade and investment, spur growth in multiple sectors including shipping, manufacturing, and agriculture, and offer numerous opportunities for the people,” said Osinbajo.

As Imo people turn out en masse on Monday to celebrate their governor, they have continued to express joyous ecstasy and commend the governor for his foresightedness and political pragmatism. Therefore, as the governor is inaugurated on Monday, the people are in jubilation because they are going to witness the governor make a solemn pledge to enhance good governance, broaden and deepen the economy, enhance social services and youth empowerment programmes, deepen infrastructural development, enhance education and healthcare systems, and much more.

Collins Ughalaa, Special Adviser (Public Communication).