By Nduka Val
The people of Umunumo-Amairi in Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, have received one of their worthy sons , Barr. Jerry Egemba, as the Commissioner for Tourism in the state, with great celebration.
The organized Civic reception which was held last Sunday,25thJune, 2023, at the Umuaro Central School Field, Umunumo, attracted many dignitaries, professionals, Politicians, the clergy, traditional rulers, youths, friends and well wishers to the occasion.
The event afforded the people of Umunumo-Amairi the opportunity of endorsing the state governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, for his second term bid, with a comprehensive commendation on his giant strides on road infrastructural development which cuts across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
In an address presented by the Central Planning Committee Chairman and one of the Presidents General of Umunumo-Amairi, Assoc. Professor Bonaventure Ngozidi Nwokeoma, stated that the grand civic reception was organized by his people to thank God for the appointment of
one of their sons, Barr. Jerry Egemba, as a Commissioner for Tourism by the Imo state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma. He also unfolded three Autonomous Communities that make up Umunumo-Amairi to include Umuchioke Umunumo, Ibeafor Umunumo and Umunumo Ancient Kingdom, noting that the award of autonomy to each of the communities as occasioned by political reasons has not separated them from their common ancestry, culture, tradition and socio-economic features.
Nwokeoma submitted that the appointment of Umunumo son as a Commissioner by the 3-R government of Senator Hope Uzodimma will be a plus to the state in actualizing her positive vision, going by Egemba’s excellent political experience and God fearing inclination.
He therefore maintained that his people will continue to support the administration of the state government as a reciprocity.
He equally called on government to intervene in some of their observed challenges within their area. These, according to him, include: uncompleted Health Centre in Umuaro Village; Umunumo Women Civic Hall Project; Dilapidated structures at Umunumo Secondary Schools in Ibeafor -Umunumo and Umunumo Ancient Kingdom and bad roads from Aba branch-Ehime to Ibeafor-Umunumo.
In his own contributions, the celebrated commissioner for Tourism, Barr. Jerry Egemba, thanked the people of Umunumo for Organizing his recent reception, adding that his people should have a strong belief in governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration and his drive for state development. Egemba appealed to his people to continue to give this administration the desired support as a mark of compensation for his appointment as a Commissioner for Tourism in the state. He asserted that no government in the past was able to recognize any Umunumo son or daughter via any appointment except the present administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma, stressing that such a kind gesture should be reciprocated at the appropriate time.
Also submitting, HRH Eze Peter Chimamkpam Opara, the Eze Udo 2 of Umunumo Ancient Autonomous Community in Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area, said that the Umunumo-Amairi indigenes chose to organize a reception for their son ,Barr. Egemba as an appointed Commissioner for Tourism by governor Hope Uzodimma, in appreciation to the governor’s benevolence, stressing his people’s overt recognition of his superlative performance in the area of quality road construction and adequate lightening. He made reference to Owerri- Okigwe express Road, appealing to the governor to extend same to Umunumo.
In his own reaction, a well known philanthropist and a son of Umuaro-Umunumo, Chief Mel-Daimeon Osuji, expressed his people’s gratefulness to the governor for Egemba’s appointment and assured him of their expected maximum support to the administration.
In same sphere, the Deputy Governor, Professor Placid Njoku, who represented the governor reiterated the administration’s resolve to complete 81 RAMP roads in the 27 Local Government Areas of the state within a stipulated time- frame, maintaining that each LGA was apportioned to have 5klm road construction. He unveiled the administration’s quick road revolution in the three zones of the state which stands as a landmark achievement that should attract an unbiased support from the people.
The activity was religiously and respectively backed up by a mass celebration officiated by Rv. father Anthony Omegara and other priests at saint Michael’s Church, Umuaro-Umunumo and a church service at Praise Centre Cathedral, Owerri, which was presided over by Bishop Stanford Nworgu.
