Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, was sworn in for a second term in office on Monday, promising to bring about more development in the state in the next four years.
The governor assured the people of Imo State that he would during his second four-year tenure ensure that the state grows to become an industrial hub of the South-East, Nigeria, and West Africa.
He said his administration had in its first four years set the pace by addressing the problem of infrastructure deficit and laying a solid foundation for the accelerated economic growth and development of the state through the provision of extensive road infrastructure.
“We also addressed the decay in the civil service, education, and the health sector. In addition, we addressed the lingering problem of unemployment, through a variety of youth empowerment initiatives and artificial intelligence that included the provision of digital and other portable skills,” the governor said.
“The next four years of my administration will, therefore, focus firmly on deepening our shared prosperity mantra through massive infrastructure expansion to ensure accelerated economic growth. I have already signalled this new direction in the 2024 budget in which capital expenditure has the lion share of N491.2bn of the total budget of N591.2bn or 83 per cent of the budget. This transformational journey, which we have commenced with the 2024 budget, will be sustained in the next four years,” he said.
Uzodimma said his vision for the next four years would be anchored on a 10-year Development Plan that has the capacity to transform Imo State into an industrial, self-sufficient state in the next 10 years.
He said the 10-year development plan, designed to deepen the intervention framework of his administration’s 3R mantra of Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction, has identified priority sectors, including industries and projects, that would accelerate the economic prosperity of the state such as the Orashi Free Trade Zone and the supporting businesses such as petrochemicals industries, gas processing facilities, etc.
The governor said his priority areas, in line with the 3R mantra and the 10-year Development Plan of his administration, would be on 15 critical sectors needed for the sustainable development of the state. These include road infrastructure, education, health, sanitation, water supply, agriculture and food security, housing and new cities development, digital infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, market access, industrial policy, safety/security, enabling laws and policies, public financial management, and electricity infrastructure.
“Another focus of the plan is to harness our agricultural potentials and exploit the mineral resources and align them to the proposed establishment of ceramic industry and agro processing facilities across the three senatorial districts of Imo State,” he said.
The governor said the lifespan of the development plan was deliberately made to last beyond his tenure because of his belief that government is a continuum.
“The policy thrust of my second tenure would continue to be massive investments in infrastructure, full recovery of the economy to a sustainable level, human capital development with emphasis on youth empowerment and educational advancement of our children, coupled with the further invigoration of the civil service for more efficient service delivery. Anything recurrent is considered the normal or statutory business of government. Therefore, it must be taken care of in the course of governance,” he said.
The governor said in his normal tradition, the prompt payment of salaries and pensions would remain a priority.
He assured the people that the state’s substantial economic growth, focusing on the 15 sectors, would reach every community or ward via the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI). He said each community would over the next 12 months witness tangible improvements tailored to their needs, such as government presence in electricity, potable water, health centres, markets, etc.
Reiterating his message in his New Year broadcast, Uzodimma said his second tenure achievements would dwarf his achievements in his first tenure.
He said he has been greatly inspired by the “audacious and visionary transformational programmes and policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR”, adding that the President’s “emphasis on infrastructure development through generous budgetary provisions for capital expenditure define the qualities of a leader that is burning with the fervent desire to develop his country”.
