National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, has commended Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma, for his bold and visionary leadership strides, observing that within a short time in office he has turned the state into a massive construction site.
The NUJ leader made the remarks yesterday at the Government House, Owerri during a courtesy call on the governor by the South East NUJ leaders, who were in the state for a two-day zonal executive committee (ZEC) meeting.
Isiguzo told the governor that the delegates took time out to tour the projects completed and ongoing by the government.
“From what we saw on ground, you have done very well within less than eight months in office. We saw completed roads, which you have already commissioned and we saw ongoing ones.
“We also saw the gigantic tunnel you are constructing at Chukwuma Nwaoha Street to take care of the perennial flooding in Owerri and what you are doing at the Relief Market Road which has been abandoned for over 15 years. It takes vision and boldness to carry out these projects,” he said.
He also commended the governor for rehabilitating public water supply in the capital city, reactivation of Adapalm and the Statesman newspaper, noting that while other states were batting to return their moribund newspapers to a weekly or biweekly, Governor Uzodimma had returned the Statesman as a daily from day one.
The NUJ president urged the governor to continue to keep his eye on the ball and expressed optimism that ongoing projects would be completed in good time.
He thanked him for donating a bus to NUJ Imo State council as a senator.
“You were not governor when you gave that bus. There were other people then but you gave them a bus. That says a lot. It will interest you to know that it is that bus you gave them many years ago that they are still using,” he said.
The governor, in his response, extended hands of cooperation and partnership to the NUJ, which he said will be mutually beneficial to his administration and the union.
The governor said he had always looked forward to working with journalists, adding that government cannot make meaningful achievements without the cooperation of the media.
He thanked the NUJ South East leaders for choosing Imo State to hold their ZEC meeting and promised to assist the union at all times.
NUJ acting Vice President, Zone C (South East), Ken Ofoma, thanked the government for accepting to host the meeting.
He reiterated that the NUJ leaders from the South East were impressed with the rate of ongoing projects in the state even though the administration is still very young.
He urged Uzodimma to remain focused in his vision for Imo and its citizenry.
The union later presented the governor with an award for reactivation of The Statesman newspaper and Adapalm.