Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has revealed that former governor Emeka Ihedioha was unable to live in the Imo Government House throughout his seven-month tenure due to its poor condition.
The disclosure was made during an exclusive interview with The SUN, where Uzodimma gave insights into the state of disrepair he met on assuming office in 2020.
According to the governor, the Government House was in such a deplorable condition that it was considered uninhabitable. He said that upon his assumption of office, he had to operate from a guest chalet while initiating a cleanup and rehabilitation of the premises.
The Executive Council chambers and key administrative buildings, he noted, were in a state of abandonment, prompting his administration to undertake major renovations before they could be used again.
Uzodimma also described a general breakdown of public infrastructure across the state, citing impassable roads, non-functional water systems, and a crippled civil service. His account painted a picture of a state that had suffered years of neglect and mismanagement, leading to critical infrastructure decay.
In response to the infrastructural collapse, the governor said his administration embarked on an aggressive urban renewal campaign, beginning with major road projects like the Owerri-Orlu, Owerri-Okigwe, and Owerri-Umuahia roads.
Uzodimma further highlighted improvements in the civil service, including prompt salary payments and an increase in the minimum wage. He said the reforms were part of his broader effort to stabilise governance and rebuild trust in public institutions.
In his words; “When I became governor of Imo in 2020, there was total breakdown of both public and critical private infrastructure. By 2020, all the major and side roads were impassable. The Government House was not habitable and the secretariat where civil servants needed to work was broken down. Emeka Ihedioha was governor for about seven months and he was not able to live in the Government House for one day until he left because the place was not habitable.”
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