Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has charged Imo people,
particularly traditional rulers and landlords, to make it a point of
duty to ensure that they know those who are living in their midst or
those they regard as their neighbours.
He said experience has shown that most landlords are careless about
the identity of those living in their houses and advised that
henceforth landlords and traditional rulers would be held accountable
for the ills of their tenants and neighbours.
Uzodimma spoke on Tuesday when he received in audience the leaders and
stakeholders from Ikeduru and Ngor Okpala local government areas.
He noted that the security situation in Imo today and the efforts
being made by government to return the state to a peaceful one demands
that all hands must be on deck to solve a common problem.
The governor therefore urged all traditional rulers, landlords and
leaders who own property in their localities that they rent out to
tenants, to ensure that they know who such tenants are as well as what
they do as means of livelihood.
“It is not enough for you to give your house to a tenant but you must
have the knowledge of what the tenant does. Your tenant goes out at
night and comes back in the morning and you don’t care to ask where he
goes to everyday at night. Some of you don’t even know you have been
living with hardened criminals. Henceforth, I challenge you all to
show interest in who your neighbour is and what he does,” the Governor
said.
In continuation of the interface between Government and the
stakeholders of local governments in the state, Ikeduru and Ngor
Okpala LGAs had their turns on Tuesday with foremost Igbo politician
and businessman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, leading his Ikeduru people
while Sir Eustace Eke-led Ngor Okpala people to the Sam Mbakwe
Executive Chambers for the meeting.
Iwuanyanwu said Governor Uzodimma has kept his social contract with
the people by interfacing with them on what their expectations from
government are, noting that no governor had thought it necessary to do
so.
“Imo people should be happy they have Hope Uzodimma as governor. Hope
Uzodimma is one politician I celebrate because of his humility, good
character, industry and bridge building spirit,” Iwuanyanwu said and
urged Ikeduru people to support his administration.
Iwuanyanwu said Ikeduru LGA appreciates all that Governor Uzodimma has
done for the people, particularly the choice of Prof. Placid Njoku as
his Deputy, as well as other tangible and intangible things the LGA
has benefited from the government of Governor Uzodimma.
Other prominent Ikeduru LGA stakeholders who were at the meeting
include Chief Charles Amadi (Charvelon), Dr. Uzoma Obiyor, Dr. Teddy
Oguike among others.
The highpoint of the visit by Ikeduru LGA was the presentation of a
Cheque of N100 million by Akarachi Foundation from a son of the local
government in appreciation of Governor Uzodimma's youth empowerment in
Imo State.
Ngor Okpala people also turned out in their numbers with Chief TOE
Ekechi, Prof. BG Nwogu (Commissioner for Science and Technology),
Barr. Enyinnaya Onuegbu, Barr. George Eke, Chief Blyden Amajuruonu,
Dr. Ethelbert Okere, among others, in attendance.
They all lauded the good works the Governor is doing in Imo State and
solicited, not just more support for him, but pledged their loyalty to
his administration.
On Monday when Governor Uzodimma received Ehime Mbano and Nkwerre
local governments, he also harped on the need for Ndi Imo to
collectively rise to the occasion of returning peace to the state by
keeping watch over what happens in the midst.
It was an opportunity Governor Uzodimma used to reassure the people
that the abandoned Nsu Tiles Ceramic Industry will soon be brought to
life.
The Government of Rochas Okorocha reportedly carted away the equipment
bought for the Industry but the governor assured that the equipment
had been recovered and will soon be returned to the site in Nsu, Ehime
Mbano to facilitate the take-off of the Industry.
After listening to complaints on the state of rural roads handled by
contractors of Rural Access and Mobility Projects (RAMP), the Governor
said that his government is engaging the contractors and RAMP
Implementation Unit to discuss the projects.
He promised that if at the end of deliberations they could not agree
he will invoke his powers as the Governor of Imo State to cancel the
contracts and re-award them to new contractors who will be willing to
deliver on the projects.
To the people of Nkwerre, the Governor directed the Leaders of the LGA
to set up a small Technical Committee that will put their several
demands together for his immediate and future attention, assuring that
the ones that are in the budget of 2021 will be immediately attended
to while the ones that are not in it will be considered for future
attention.
He commended the people of Nkwerre for their peaceful disposition,
especially in the challenging period of insecurity.
He equally enjoined the traditional rulers to ensure that peace reigns
in their communities because “they are a symbol of authority”.
In their different presentations, the people of Ehime Mbano Local
Government led by Prof. Maurice Iwu and that of Nkwerre led by Nze
Edwin Asugha, commended the Governor’s style of leadership that was
instrumental to the several achievements he has recorded in a very
short period.
They pledged their unalloyed support on behalf of their people to the
Governor and urged Imo people as a whole to back the Governor on his
people- oriented programmes.