SOUTH-EAST: Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Presidential Media Team inspect landmark projects in Imo State

By Soni Daniel

OWERRI — In continuation of the National Media Tour to showcase landmark projects of the federal and state governments across the South-East geopolitical zone, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors and members of the Presidential Communications Team on Wednesday inspected a number of strategic projects in Imo State.

The National Media Tour, an initiative of the Governor Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team, is aimed at providing Nigerians with firsthand information on the implementation of key federal and state infrastructure projects across the country, while promoting transparency, accountability and public awareness of ongoing development initiatives.

The delegation, which included members of the Presidential Communications Team and over 40 senior journalists, toured the completed 56-kilometre Okigwe–Owerri Road, the 36-kilometre Owerri–Obowo–Umuahia Road, and the ongoing upgrade and construction of the standard runway at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport.

Other projects inspected included the newly upgraded Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, now the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, as well as the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, which has been upgraded to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri.

Speaking during the inspection, the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Mr. Declan Emelumba, said the projects were dividends of the strong partnership between the Federal Government and the Imo State Government.

He noted that the expansion of the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport is designed to transform the facility into a major logistics and export hub, with eight modern warehouses for storage and cargo handling expected to boost agricultural exports, commerce and investment in the South-East.

According to the commissioner, several of the landmark projects were financed by the Imo State Government through the expanded fiscal space available to subnational governments following the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

“This is Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education. This place used to be Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, previously owned by the state. Now, the Federal Government has upgraded it to a university less than a year ago.

“What is important here is not just that it has been upgraded. It is a project that has been dear to every government that has ruled Imo State, but none was able to accomplish it because this is one of the oldest Federal Government Colleges of Education in Nigeria.

“I think they said there were about six in the country. Almost all of them had been converted to Federal Universities of Education. So every government in Imo struggled to get it converted but couldn’t realize it until the coming of Governor Hope Uzodimma. And this was realized less than a year ago,” he said.

Emelumba said the project had generated significant employment opportunities for Imo people and had also attracted TETFund projects.

The commissioner also explained that the enhanced funding had enabled Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration to accelerate infrastructure development while complementing federal interventions across critical sectors, including transportation, healthcare and education.

He pointed out that the achievements also demonstrated the shared development vision of President Tinubu and Governor Uzodimma, whose administrations are working in synergy to deliver sustainable development and improve the quality of life for Nigerians.

Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Mr. Tunde Rahman, emphasized that the successful execution of projects in Imo State, including the university upgrade and improvements to a federal teaching hospital, demonstrates the “beauty and significance” of a state aligning with the Federal Government for development purposes.

Rahman commended Governor Uzodimma for undertaking projects that support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially educational initiatives such as NELFUND, which ensures indigent students have access to affordable education, preventing them from abandoning their studies due to financial constraints.

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