Clerics plans to revamp Imo economy, host summit for stakeholders

From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

In a bid to restore Imo State as one of the leading economic hubs in the South East, clerics in the state have planned a summit to address stakeholders on a way to move the state forward.

The summit, according to the state chairman of Imo Economic Development Initiatives, Peace and Restoration Committee, Jerry Chukwueke, will restore the state to its past glory and ensure a friendly environment for investors.

The committee, saddled with the responsibility of focusing on ease of doing business in the state, has scheduled another business summit for the unemployed youths to create opportunity for them to live their own lives.

Chukwueke, who said that the state is private sector driven and does not depend on the allocation from the federal government, vowed that the committee will continue to support Governor Hope Uzodinma in his efforts to raise the standards of living for citizens in the state.

The foremost industrialist has also called out hoodlums destroying properties in the state to turn a new leaf, explaining that money spent on reconstructing the damaged properties would have been injected into other business ventures.

‘Destruction of properties in the state does not give a solution to their yearnings, they should support the programmes of the government. We call on investors to come back, Imo is promised land for investment.

‘We are planning a summit to be hosted by bishops, it will discuss a way forward for Imo. We are supporting the programme after that a youth summit would be held to address their future, to focus on job placement, retraining, economic empowerment and reorientation,’ Chukwueke explained.

He also explained that the committee, which has been in existence for some time, has been playing the same role in past governments in the state regardless of the party in power, but regretted that they experienced a setback during the Rochas Okorocha administration, the then governor, he said, having resisted building a business relationship with the committee.