Uzodimma inaugurates 6,375 school staff, promises priority welfare for teachers

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has inaugurated 6,030 newly recruited teachers and 345 non-teaching staff into the State’s Civil Service, describing the exercise as a major step towards revitalising the education sector.

He spoke on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre, Owerri, noting that the recruitment of 6030 teachers was designed to address shortages in the secondary and primary schools and restore dignity to the profession.

“I want to make Imo teachers the most important civil servants in Imo State,” Uzodimma said.

He assured the new recruits that teachers would receive priority in salary payments and other welfare packages, a commitment that sparked excitement and rain of encomia.

The Governor said the 6,030 teachers had been deployed to public schools within their home communities to promote equitable distribution of personnel and address the rural-urban staffing gap.

He urged them to see themselves as partners in progress with him, and the government for a better Imo State, and do their best to live above board even when nobody sees them in their places of deployment.

Uzodimma also announced plans to provide digital teaching devices to the new recruits, urging them to protect school infrastructure as theirs, maintain hygienic learning environments and work closely with parents and community leaders.

Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, described the mass recruitment as a historic milestone stemming from a comprehensive needs assessment across all 27 Local Government Areas.

​Ikegwuoha noted that the initiative builds on broader educational reforms in Imo State, including the recovery and renaming of Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University (formerly Eastern Palm University) and the establishment of new tertiary institutions, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the new staff, Maduako Philomena thanked the Governor for the employment and pledged their commitment to improving education and complying with government’s policies.

The event featured the symbolic presentation of computer tablets to some of the newly recruited teachers, while others were directed to collect theirs after biometric capture.

Present at the event were the Deputy Governor of the State, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, the member representing Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru East federal constituency, Rt. Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Hon. Sunday Dare, Secretary to the State government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff, Barr Nnamdi Anyaehie, and members of the State Expanded Executive Council.