Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved the promotion of civil servants said to have suffered stagnation for years in the hands of his predecessors.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing newsmen in Owerri shortly after the state executive council meeting.
Emelumba said the approval of the promotion is “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.
According to him, the governor has graciously approved immediate promotion of the civil and public servants to clear the backlog that had existed since 8-10 years.
Emelumba explained that government has also 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.
Emelumba 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.
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).
In his acceptance speech on behalf of his colleague, Prof. Nwadike, 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.
