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.
Chief 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.
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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.
