In continuation of the National Media Tour to showcase the federal and state governments’ landmark projects across the South-East geo-political zone, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors and members of the Presidential Media Team (PMT) on Wednesday inspected a number of strategic federal and state government projects in Imo State.
The National Media Tour is an initiative of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, which is headed by Governor Hope Uzodimma.
It is in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team, and is aimed at providing Nigerians with firsthand information on the implementation of key federal and state governments’ 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 56km Okigwe-Owerri Road, 36km Owerri-Obowo-Umuahia Road, and ongoing upgrade and construction of the standard runway at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport.
Other projects inspected were the newly-upgraded Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, now upgraded to a Federal University of Technology, as well as the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, upgraded to a Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Owerri.
Speaking during the inspection, the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the projects were the 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 the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Emelumba said: “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’s 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 University of Education.
“So every government in Imo struggled to get it converted but couldn’t realise it until the coming of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
“And this was realised less than a year ago.”
Emelumba said the project had generated significant employment opportunities for Imo State people and had also attracted projects from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
The Commissioner also explained that the enhanced funding has enabled Governor Uzodinma’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 Bola AhmedTinubu 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, Tunde Rahman, emphasised 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 the educational initiatives like the Nigeria Education Land Fund (NELFUND), which ensures indigent students have access to affordable education, preventing them from abandoning school due to financial constraints.
Members of the media team commended the pace and quality of work on the projects inspected so far, describing them as visible evidence of the positive impact of collaborative governance between the Federal Government and the subnationals under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
