Imo State Governor Enforces Residency Mandate for Local Leaders to Boost Security and Governance

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has mandated local government chairmen and councillors to resign if they cannot reside within their jurisdictions, emphasizing that effective governance and security depend on leaders being physically present in their communities. He issued the directive during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by traditional rulers and leaders from the state’s 656 autonomous communities, framing it as a non-political effort to address insecurity and improve rural healthcare. The governor announced the creation of Local Government Implementation Committees tasked with executing resolutions on security, education, health, and youth empowerment. Healthcare expansion plans include establishing a health center in every community and a general hospital in each local government area, alongside a push for residents to enroll in the state’s Social Health Insurance Programme. Uzodinma urged traditional rulers to protect their domains from criminal elements and called on youths to embrace entrepreneurship through skill acquisition programs aligned with global economic trends. Challenges include ensuring compliance with the residency rule in areas with security risks or inadequate infrastructure, sustaining healthcare facilities through funding and staffing, and translating youth training into viable livelihoods.