Governor Uzodinma presents Heartland FC with New Coaster, Splinter Buses

Imo State Governor, distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma has fulfilled another of his numerous promises to Heartland FC following the presentation of a brand-new coaster and Splinter buses to the club at the Imo Government House, Owerri on Saturday.

The gesture comes as part of Governor Uzodinma’s desire to continually support the Naze Millionaires in the ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season and also to help ease the team’s vehicular challenges, enabling smoother operations and improved preparations.

While handing over the keys to the team, The club number one supporter, Governor Uzodinma commended Heartland FC’s modest start to the league season while reiterating that the club’s Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke remains the best man for the job that can take the team to the promised land.

But he warned against undue interference to enable the team perform at optimum and for them to be responsible for their actions and inactions.

“I want to assure you that you are appreciated for the job you are doing. I must commend the Technical Manager, Heartland FC, Emmanuel Amuneke for the job he has done so far with the club. It is my hope that at the end of the season we will have a course to smile,” Governor Uzodinma asserted as he challenged the team to go for trophies before the end of the season.

“The ministry of Sports I also want to thank you but I want to appeal to you to reduce bureaucracy and allow the players and their management some semi autonomy to operate so that they will take responsibility for their actions and inactions while playing your supervisory role.

“Regrettably we were highly pained by the loss of the former Technical Adviser, Christian Obi and we will continue to support those he left behind and encourage you too to put more effort and particularly be careful with your drivers.

Based on the incident of the past especially the one that claimed the live of the club’s former head coach, Christian Obi, Governor Uzodinma cautioned the drivers to observe all the roads protocols and be careful on the road as they carry the team’s ambassadors to and fro.

“Be careful with how you manage the road traffic because you are carrying important players, our ambassadors whom we are praying for anywhere we are. So go and make Imo people proud. We will continue to support you. We will handover these vehicles with Heartland FC having the bus for the team and minibus for the management staff to be following the players behind anywhere they go.”

Governor Uzodinma appealed to Imo people to allow Amuneke whom he described as one who is eminently qualified, to do his job with freehand while re-echoing the free access the former African Player of the Year has to him to give him updates about the team and also to report those who are making his job difficult.

“All of you know that Emmanuel Amuneke is sufficiently experienced and technically qualified and nationally he is going to do us proud. So, I beg all of you to allow him freehand to bring the trophies to us. I don’t want too much interference and bureaucracy and that is why I want to make sure there will be no delay and challenge.

“I have given him access to complain when things are not going well. It is my wish that things should go well. If you are working for me it means you are working for Imo people and if you are working for Imo people it means you must know that things must go well.”

Speaking on behalf of the teams, the Commissioner for Sports, Honourable Obinna Onyeocha, expressed profound gratitude to the governor. He assured him of the teams’ commitment to delivering stellar performances and making the state proud.

“This is a remarkable gesture that has uplifted the morale of both teams,” Hon. Onyeocha said. “With this renewed support, we are confident that Heartland Queens and Heartland FC will excel and bring trophies home to Imo State.”

The brief but eventful ceremony has who is who in the State in attendance including the Imo State Chief of Staff, Barrister Nnamdi Anyaehie; the Secretary to the Imo Government, Cosmas Iwu; Heartland FC and Heartland Queens officials among others.