By Temilolo Atolagbe

A physician based in Canada and Nigeria, Dr. Emmanuel Ogueri, has commended Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who recently won the 2024 Vanguard Governor of the Year for Good Governance (Infrastructure) award, for the giant strides of his administration designed to foster peace, sustainable economic growth and social equity in the state.

Reacting to Uzodimma’s revolutionary initiatives, Ogueri, a development enthusiast, also praised the governor, who is chairman of Progressives Governor’s Forum and Chairman of South-East Governor’s Forum, for transforming and repositioning the state, adding that Imo people have never had it so good in recent history.

Ogueri in a statement, yesterday, said: “Uzodimma has really given Imolites hope of better things to come. He has spruced up the state, starting from Owerri, the capital of the state, to all the senatorial districts or zones. His excellent performance in the past five years stands him out and that is why accolades have been coming from everywhere.

“The governor is not called Road Master or Infrastructure Wizard for nothing. He has changed the face of the state in terms of road construction, among others. If you haven’t been to Imo in the last couple of years, you will be pleasantly shocked by the great transformation, particularly the high quality of the projects.

“Uzodimma has constructed and reconstructed more than 120 roads, dualised the popular Owerri-Orlu Road, Owerri-Okigwe Road and Owerri-Mbaise-Obowo-Umuahia Road, among others. Of course, Uzodimma’s road revolution has added value to the economic development of the state even as Imo is connected to all the neighbouring states of Abia, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.

“He has also made a remarkable difference in urban renewal, provision of night landing facilities at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri and rehabilitated the Owerri Water Works which had been abandoned for  decades.

“He has also arrested the devastating erosion menace that made people abandon their property in some parts of Owerri.

“Uzodimma has also invested heavily  in human capital development and social services. For instance, more than 40,000 youths have been trained in the area of digital technology by his administration. Of course, this will boost the economy of the state.

“In education, Uzodimma has done remarkably well. He met one university when he became governor in 2020, but increased it to three. By so doing, he created opportunities for students of Imo State origin to seek for admissions. His administration is funding three universities, one Polytechnic and one College of Education. And with his collaboration with the federal government, Alvan Ikoku College of Education was upgraded to a university.”

“On assumption of office, Uzodimma  embarked on the rehabilitation of 305 health centres across the state, instituted free mobile clinics in rural areas, and revived the dying Imo Specialist Hospital, Umuguma and Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu. He built three brand new general hospitals at Ohaji, Oguta and Omuma, and rehabilitated and equipped the existing ones across the state. He also revived and achieved accreditation for Schools of Nursing and Midwifery. 

“He introduced health insurance scheme making medical care more accessible and more affordable for the masses. Today, thousands of Imo citizens – civil servants, pensioners and those in informal sectors – are proud beneficiaries of the great novel idea.”

“By and large, the needed difference has been made in the Imo health system, with the existence of two teaching hospitals, and the training and continuing graduation of medical doctors,” he added.