Deji Elumoye in Abuja
In a deft move to address the wave of insecurity in the South East zone, President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the deployment of advanced technology to tackle security challenges in the area.
Disclosing this to newsmen yesterday after a closed-door meeting with President Buhari at the State House, Abuja, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State said he had come to appeal to the president to approve technology deployment to enable the zone deal effectively with the security menace.
According to him, with the president’s approval, advanced surveillance equipment wouldsoon be delivered to the region that would enhance the fight against insecurity without collateral damage.
His words: “I appealed to Mr. President for further support, to support us with some technological deployments, we have planned to be able to do an advanced kind of security control in the South East. And he has also given his approval to that.
“And in a moment from now, we’ll be getting some surveillance equipment and some modern technologies that will help us manage security so that we can fight crime with little or no collateral damage to the environment.”
Uzodinma said he was also in Abuja to thank the president for what he has done for the region, including the recent conversion of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri to a University Teaching Hospital for the Federal University of Technology, and the approval for conversion of Alvan Ikoku College of Education to a Federal College of Education.
Adding that he came to visit the president on behalf of his people, Uzodinma said it was “also to thank him for the various support he gave to us during this our period of security challenges and the support he’s also given to us in terms of the various approvals.
“The approval to convert Federal Medical Center, Owerri to a University Teaching Hospital for the Federal University of Technology; the approval that converted Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri to a Federal College of Education.
“Only two weeks ago, Igbo that came home from Lagos and outside South East enjoyed the benefit of the second Niger Bridge, something that is worthy of commendation.”
Speaking on expectations for Imo State in the New Year, the governor stated, “Well, my people are enthusiastic and committed Nigerians and we believe in the unity of the country. And we believe that for us to grow as a people, we need the support and cooperation of federal government, and that, I’ve always stood for.
“So, going forward, I know 2023 will be better than 2022. And the level of development, we witnessed from 2020 to 2022 will be improved upon. And my people have seen a lot of thing.”
