Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved the immediate promotion of civil servants who have suffered stagnation for years in the hands of previous administrations.

The Governor gave the directive on Wednesday at the  Imo State Executive Council Meeting of November 23, 2022,  which he presided.

At a recent meeting the Governor had with civil servants in Imo State the workers had complained bitterly that they have not been promoted for years now.

Governor Uzodimma had assured them that he was ready to rectify the situation as a way of encouraging them to put in their best in the interest of the State as his government does not joke with reward system.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the Exco Meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba said that “in line with the Governor’s promise to look into the promotion arrears of Civil and Public Servants in Imo State when he announced the Health Insurance Policy for Imo workers, he has graciously approved immediate promotions of the Civil and Public Servants to clear the arrears/backlog that have existed since 8-10 years.”

He added that the promotions are with immediate effect.

“Again, the Exco noted that in fulfilling the promises to Imo people that construction works on Imo roads will speed up at the commencement of dry seasons, the contractors handling these projects have moved in as promised and currently the MCC/Uratta – Toronto junction road is being asphalted and the same thing is going on in the rural areas in addition to other roads  under construction in the State.”

Furthermore,  Emelumba explained that Government has approved and paid counterpart funding for Livestock production and other resilience support programmes which is a World Bank Programme aimed at empowering rural dwellers who are engaged in different livestock activities.

“What this implies, is that Imo rural livestock farmers will no longer have cause to complain in leveraging such opportunities as their counterparts in other States of the federation.”

Emelumba who was joined at the briefing by the Commissioner for Livestock, Anthony Mgbeahuruike, Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs, Prince Henry Okafor, the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser,  Oguwike Nwachuku and the Chief Political Adviser/Head Bureau for Political Affairs, Enyinna Onuegbu,  said that “His Excellency’s resilience and dexterity as Governor of Imo State has been recognized by the World Bank and he is to receive ‘Award of Excellence’ on SEFTAS because of the Imo State Openness and Transparency in Budget Implementation.”

He added: ” The Award of Excellence is because the Imo State Budget in the last three years has been open and even translated into local language for the people to participate and access. Besides, the Governor is the first Governor to have gotten the World Bank Award and this has gone a long way in showing that the Governor is running a government that is accountable and responsive to the needs of the people.”

The commissioner equally said that “His Excellency has also been recognized by the United Nation for ‘Peace Award’ given to 10 prominent Nigerians for their contributions at ensuring peace and peaceful coexistence in the country.  The recognition is also based on his efforts at ensuring inter-ethnic and inter-religious coexistence in Nigeria and  this award will be given in Geneva on a date to be announced soon.”

Apparently noting that Imo State under Governor Uzodimma has become a destination point for critical national engagements, Emelumba said the Council also observed that the Best of Nollywood Award will be taking place in Imo State on December 3, 2022 in Owerri “and this shows that Imo is gradually returning to the Tourist Destination of the Nation.”

It was on that score that Government has directed that all courts in the State must resume sitting on Mondays and any other day, and that “all Government establishments should ensure they open their offices to workers and for services.”

“There is nothing again like sit-at-home on Mondays in Imo State.”

Emelumba equally recalled that before the commencement of the Executive Council meeting Governor Uzodimma sworn-in two new Commissioners who were also assigned portfolios.

The newly sworn in commissioners are: Prof. Johncliff Chike Nwadike (Ministry of Education) and Dr. Martins Eke (Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals).

The Governor reminded them that ‘’to whom much is given much is expected.’’

“Imo is at a cross roads and needs to be saved from the hands of evil men before they do what we may not understand,” the governor told them.

He urged them to deploy the best of their strength, talent and competences to serve the Government and people of Imo State and thanked them for making themselves available to be part of the Shared Prosperity Government.

He enjoined them to synergize with their colleagues to develop Imo State and congratulated all the Commissioners who have been assigned to Ministries before now, reminding them that he considered their capacity and antecedents in their fields of endeavour in assigning them portfolios.

“I have no reason to doubt your ability to deliver,” he said and urged the Commissioners not to relent in their assigned duties  as “the success or failure of the Executive Council is measured by Imo people’s perception and how they see you.”

In his acceptance speech on behalf of his colleague, Prof. Nwadike who is also the  Commissioner for Education thanked the Governor for finding them worthy to be part of the Executive Council and promised that they will put in their best in the service of the State.

He also pledged their loyalty to the Governor.