Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has described the reforms by the federal government as a pivotal moment for Nigeria, whose decisions will shape the future of the country.
“The decision we make now will determine what kind of country we leave to the next generation. Fortunately, President Bola Tinubu has shown the courage to make those hard decisions now to secure the future of Nigeria,” he declared.
Uzodimma spoke in Owerri at an event where he described a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, as the epitome of good governance, whose courage in making decisions is akin to what Tinubu is doing.
In his welcome address at the 15th Chief Emeka Anyaoku Distinguished Lecture Series, which held in the Imo State capital, Uzodimma said, apart from transparency and accountability, good governance involves being courageous in taking decisions that would affect the future of society.
He said Chief Anyaoku, at 93, embodied that good governance all through his career, a trait he noted that Tinubu has embraced, especially in his economic reforms.
According to him, under the watch of Chief Emeka Anyaoku as Commonwealth Secretary-General, the body, in 1995, suspended Nigeria following the annulment of the 1993 elections and the execution of the Ogoni activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and his comrades.
“This decision underscored your unwavering commitment to democratic values even when it meant confronting your own country,” Uzodimma told the elder statesman.
He said Tinubu also confronted similar challenges when he inherited an economy in distress, with depleted foreign reserves, runaway inflation, a subsidy regime bleeding the economy dry, and other challenges.
“Tinubu chose to confront these challenges head-on. He chose structural reforms over cosmetic patches. He chose to rebuild Nigeria’s foundations rather than postpone the day of reckoning. That is good governance. That is the courage Chief Anyaoku himself demonstrated throughout his diplomatic career, doing what is right even when it is unpopular,” he submitted.
The Imo chief executive noted that the seemingly unpopular decisions taken by Tinubu in 2023 are now yielding fruits to the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians.
According to him, the economy has not only stabilised, but crude oil production has risen, FAAC allocations have tripled, while GDP is now at 4.1 percent, with inflation trending downwards.
Uzodimma said the simple definition of good governance is leadership that prioritises the common good over personal ambition, adding that Tinubu has shown that leadership is about long-term interest rather than temporary popularity.
He praised the Chief Anyaoku Distinguished Lecture Series for sustaining the project for the last 15 years and announced that Imo was happy to host it for the second time.
He eulogised Chief Anyaoku as an epitome of good governance who, at 93, has continued to be useful to Nigeria and humanity at large.
On the progress recorded by his administration in the last six years, he said it would be immodest of him, but declared that Chief Anyaoku and the organisers of the lecture series can testify that this is a different Imo from the one they met when they visited for the 9th edition seven years ago.
“Around 2019, Imo was in turmoil. Insecurity was rife. Infrastructure had collapsed. Investors had fled. Civil servants were owed salaries. Pensioners were dying without receiving their entitlements. The state was in crisis.”
“Today, the story has changed. We have constructed over 130 roads across the state, opening up communities that had been cut off for decades. We have commissioned the Orashi Power Project, delivering round-the-clock electricity beginning with public buildings in our capital city. We have trained and empowered 60,000 youths in digital skills through the Skill-Up Imo programme. We pay the highest minimum wage in Nigeria, N104,000, because every worker deserves a living wage. We have equipped hospitals. Our people enjoy one of the best health insurance schemes in the country. We have built and renovated schools, and created an enabling environment for businesses to flourish. Just last week, StatiSense ranked Imo as having the country’s second-lowest poverty rate, behind Lagos.”
“Most importantly, we have restored peace. And peace has brought development. Investors are returning. Businesses are opening. Jobs are being created. Imo is no longer a state people flee from. Imo has become a state people are coming to,” he said.
According to him, “Imo has hosted high-profile events that validate this transformation. The first-ever Imo Economic and Investment Summit attracted domestic and international investors, including presidents, prime ministers, and industry tycoons. We have hosted national political summits, cultural festivals, and sporting events. Imo is now recognised as a destination for investment and hospitality. Imo is truly a state where investment meets opportunity.”
“So, when Chief Anyaoku and the organisers of this lecture series chose to return to Imo for the 15th edition, they were affirming the progress we have made. And we are grateful,” he concluded.
