Barely one year into the second tenure of Governor Hope Uzodimma, the World Bank Group has rewarded Imo State government with a whopping sum of four million United States dollars (N6.8bn)for engendering good governance and accountability in the ease of doing business.
The State Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba announced the cheering news during a conference in Owerri.
He said Imo is among only four states in Nigeria that qualified for the reimbursement under the World Bank’s State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme for the country.
According to the Commissioner, the States were assessed under the following framework – efficiency of land administration, regulatory framework for private investment in fiber optic infrastructure, services provided by investment promotion agencies and the efficiency and transparency of government-to-business services in participating States.
Emelumba disclosed that Imo State excelled in the four criteria, thus qualifying it to be rewarded with the huge sum for the consolidation of its programmes during the period under review.
He described the award as a testament to the commitment of Uzodimma’s government to progressive governance, economic empowerment and sustainable development.
Emelumba said under the focused administration of Governor Uzodimma, Imo State implemented firm policy initiatives to improve land administration, enabling seamless land registration and boosting land-based investments.
According to him, through transparent governance, Uzodimma has boosted the confidence of investors in the State, especially in the area of digital connectivity.
He said contrary to the submissions of critics of government, Uzodimma had been working very hard, interacting with investors within and outside Nigeria to buy into the investment opportunities available in the State.
The Commissioner noted that Imo State has made giant strides in strengthening its investment promotion agencies to ensure that they attracted the best investors to the State.
He was happy that by prioritising efficiency and transparency in government to business services, the State has engendered a culture of accountability in its relationships with relevant stakeholders.
Emelumba commended Governor Uzodimma for providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the State, thus attracting the attention of the World Bank.
He said the government’s achievements in the SABER programme of the World Bank are a confirmation of Uzodimma’s leadership initiatives aimed at making Imo the investment hub in Nigeria.
On what the government intends to do with the fund, the Commissioner said it would be utilised to further advance key reforms and reinvest in infrastructure, including offering support to Micro, Small and medium sized enterprises.