President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated four projects in Imo State and promised the people of more federal government’s presence in the state.
The president, who spoke in Owerri, during his one-day visit, expressed delight on the projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodinma within a short time in office.
Buhari said, “Seeing is believing. I received an invitation to come and see what the governor wanted me to see. I have seen it now, justified by his integrity in making sure he is working very hard to get things that are necessary for the good life of the people of the state. I’m really impressed with what he has done.”
He emphasised the importance of infrastructure and security, saying Uzodimma was going through the same problem as himself at the center to ensure that infrastructure was in place.
“I am very pleased with what I have seen and I assure you that at the center, I will help Imo within the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I thank you very much for being peaceful and providing the weather for us to go round with the governor to see what he is doing in the state,” the president said.
Earlier, Governor Uzodimma expressed joy that the president made the visit, “despite several challenges.”
He described the projects as strategically and economically important to the people of the state, adding that “when I took office last year, I undertook a holistic study of the needs of the people. I found out that the infrastructure of the state had totally collapsed as almost all road network were broken.
“Owerri was worst hit with flood sacking most part of the city, while property owners had surrendered to the flood, especially within D-Tiger and Chukwuma Nwoha axis,” he said.
The governor said the second phase of the Naze Road, through Obinze Link Road, which was abandoned for over 15 years, would be inaugurated before the end of the year.
He said his administration had done 46 roads, including the Muhammadu Buhari Avenue, housing the Federal Secretariat.
“The balloon-driven tunnel at the base of D-Tiger Road was built to check flooding in the area and to recover property swallowed by flood in the last 20 years. The tunnel is 2.45 kilometres in length, 1.8 metres in diameter and between 0.9 and 11.5 metres in depth with 94 manholes,” Uzodinma said.
The chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, and Chief Andy Uba, the governorship candidate of the Progressives Congress in Anambra State, attended the event.