Imo government approves N474 billion 2023 budget

• Vows to better state judiciary

In a bid to grow its economic base, the Imo State Executive Council (EXCO), yesterday, approved an estimated appropriation bill of N474 billion for the 2023 fiscal year.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, who briefed journalists after the weekly meeting at the Government House, Owerri, hinted that the governor, Hope Uzodimma, was set to send the proposal to the state House of Assembly for deliberation and approval.

Emelumba, disclosed that 25,000 Imo indigenes would be empowered today, noting that 27,000 persons would follow in the schemes next week. Accompanied by the Commissioner for Works, Ralph Nwosu; Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Christopher Osuala; the Commissioner for Special Project, Stanley Obidiegwu; the Chief Political Adviser and Head Political Bureau, Enyinna Onuegbu, as well as the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku, the Information Commissioner said the state government is making efforts to ensure that night landing facilities at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport are installed before Christmas festivities.

According to the governor, efforts to fix the airport are to ease movement during the festive period and beyond. He disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had assured that expenses incurred on the airport by the state government, as well as dualisation of the road to the airport from Ngor Opkala, would be refunded.

MEANWHILE, Uzodimma has said he will always stand for better judiciary, and encouraged stakeholders to join him to ensure it remains the last hope of the ordinary man.

He spoke, yesterday, while declaring open the 2022 Imo Justice Summit at the Concorde Hotel, Owerri, with the theme: ‘Towards An Effective Justice Delivery System In Imo State.’

The governor described the theme as apt, noting that his passion and desire to better the state judiciary was the reason the first bill he signed into law as governor, was the Administration Of Criminal Justice Act. He said the law, which he signed, was to accelerate justice delivery, as against what existed before his assumption of office on January 15, 2020.

The governor said it is unthinkable that a suspect could be kept on awaiting-trial for over six years, “when, if sentenced, he could have stayed only 18 months.” He acknowledged that the situation is a matter of grave concern to him and stakeholders, resulting to huge investment of capital in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).