Gov Uzodimma
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has said an effective implementation of this year’s Appropriation Act will take away the current economic stress occasioned by the Federal Government’s reform policies.
Uzodimma said this while addressing reporters at the State House in Abuja after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu. The governor assured fellow citizens that with 50 per cent execution of the budget, Nigeria would make so much recovery that the people would be able to heave a sigh of relief.
Uzodimma said he visited the President to wish him a happy New Year and to invite him to his swearing-in ceremony for his second term in office on January 15. The governor also said he updated President Tinubu on some developments in Imo State.
Responding to a question on the economic situation in the country, Uzodimma said: “The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, members of the party, the Federal Government, a government that belongs to APC as a party, we are on the same page.
“So, what we expect is very simple, and it has been clearly defined in the last Appropriation Act signed by the President. “If you look at the provisions in that Act and the number of infrastructure and capital projects proposed by the President, if we’re able to have even 50 per cent budget performance on that document, it will not be the same Nigeria.
“So, we already saw the presentation. Here we have a President – and like you know – in leadership, every leader must be able to articulate his vision on a marble slab and every vision is like a journey. “So, once the destination has been established, the next thing is to start the journey. “So, by January this year, which we are already in, to December 31, which is the lifespan of that Act, I’m sure the initial pains, occasioned by some of those reform policies, like the subsidy removal on petroleum products, the exchange rate escalation, will be cured.
“In my conversations with some stakeholders in the country, we have had instances where reforms were carried out in some countries, some policies that looked initially as unfriendly policies. Two, to three months of gestation period becomes the darling of all stakeholders. “So, I’m confident that the initial period of the take-off of some of these policies that will give us a more robust economy will soon be over and Nigeria will begin to enjoy the product of the new vision.”
