FIC Report (Imo State) – The Presidency has commended the strengthening partnership between the Federal Government and the Imo State Government, saying the collaboration is driving infrastructure development, boosting economic growth and advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The commendation came during the Presidential Media Tour of Projects in Imo State, where members of the Presidential Media Team and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) assessed landmark infrastructure and development projects delivered through the partnership between the Federal Government and the Hope Uzodimma-led administration.
The three-day inspection tour, which has taken the Presidential Media Team to Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia states, is intended to spotlight key projects delivered under the Renewed Hope Agenda and highlight the developmental gains being achieved through collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Mr. Tunde Rahman, in his remarks during the assessment, said that the projects reflected the gains of aligning state development plans with the Federal Government’s priorities.
The Senior Special Assistant said that the Imo State Government had reinforced the Federal Government’s development efforts by executing projects traditionally within the Federal Government’s purview, describing the synergy as a clear reflection of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He further identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of the Tinubu administration’s flagship initiatives, noting that the scheme had provided financial support to thousands of students, enabling them to pursue their education without being hindered by financial challenges.
According to him, the programme has ensured that students are no longer forced to abandon their studies because of lack of funds, adding that the collaboration between both levels of government was yielding tangible benefits for citizens.
On the removal of fuel subsidy, Mr. Rahman maintained that the policy had strengthened the financial capacity of states, enabling greater investment in infrastructure and other development imperatives.
He acknowledged that reforms often come with initial challenges but stressed that their long-term benefits would become increasingly evident, adding that governors across the states visited had consistently confirmed improved revenues, which have translated into more development programmes.
Also speaking during the tour, the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Mr. Declan Emelumba, described the elevation of Alvan Ikoku College of Education to the Federal University of Education as a significant milestone in the advancement of higher education in the state.
The commissioner recalled that previous administrations had unsuccessfully sought the institution’s upgrade, noting that the approval under President Tinubu’s administration had increased access to higher education and created new employment opportunities.
Mr. Emelumba further cited the reconstruction of the Owerri–Mbaise–Umuahia and Owerri–Okigwe federal roads by the Imo State Government under a reimbursement agreement with the Federal Government , noting that the intervention had improved road connectivity, shortened travel time, and facilitated the smoother movement of commuters, goods, and agricultural produce across the state.
He credited the state’s accelerated infrastructure development to prudent fiscal management and the increased statutory allocations accruing from the removal of the fuel subsidy and disclosed that many of the projects were delivered without recourse to borrowing. The commissioner also noted that the improved revenue inflow had enabled the government to invest in critical infrastructure, including roads and electricity, while ensuring the prompt payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and outstanding gratuities.
Regarding the ongoing expansion of the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, he stated that the project would transform Imo into a major logistics and export hub for the South-East.
He went further to explain that the cargo terminal, designed to accommodate eight warehouses and an Afreximbank-backed quality assurance centre for export of products, is expected to reduce logistics costs, boost regional trade and generate employment opportunities across the South-East.
The Airport Manager, Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Dr. Ann Nkechi Ihekwaba while giving updates on the project, disclosed that work on the runway extension had reached its final phase bringing the airport closer to full operational readiness for enhanced cargo and commercial aviation activities.
She said the runway is being explanded from 2,700 metres to 3,200 metres to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft and facilitate international flight operations.
Dr. Ihekwaba expressed optimism that, upon completion, the upgraded airport would become a major gateway for import and export activities across the South-East region.
AKUSHIE, CHIOMA MARK HELEN.
HOC., FIC OWERRRI.
15/07/2026
