Governor Hope Uzodimma has declared that Imo State is now secure and open for business, assuring indigenes in the United States that past fears over insecurity no longer reflect the current reality. Speaking at the 2025 Imo State Congress in America (ISCA) held in Atlanta, Georgia, Uzodimma, represented by Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, said his administration had turned the tide through strategic collaboration with federal authorities and local initiatives.
Among the measures cited were robust logistical support to security agencies, the activation of community vigilantes across all 305 wards, and a focus on retooling the power infrastructure to ensure round-the-clock electricity in all 27 LGAs. The governor noted that these efforts had not only boosted safety but also rekindled nightlife and business in key urban centers like Owerri.
Highlighting infrastructural milestones, Uzodimma pointed to the completion of signature projects including the Assumpta Cathedral Flyover, Owerri-Orlu and Owerri-Okigwe dual carriageways, and the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre. He said these developments were designed to anchor a new economic chapter for Imo State and attract investors who previously hesitated due to insecurity.
On youth empowerment, Uzodimma announced that over 40,000 Imo youths had been trained in digital technology through state-funded programs, with a bold target of empowering 300,000 young people to gain global freelance and remote work opportunities. He added that the ongoing OKOBI initiative was stimulating rural entrepreneurship through clan-based business models supported by government seed funding.
The governor also disclosed his recent appearance at a United Nations Global Compact event in Spain, where he presented Imo’s homegrown economic frameworks as a viable case study in subnational innovation. He urged the diaspora community to engage more deeply in the development of Imo, emphasizing that the improved conditions now allow them to fly directly into Owerri via Sam Mbakwe International Airport with confidence.
Attorney Charles Onyirimba, a prominent U.S.-based Imo indigene, confirmed that reports of a safer Imo were indeed accurate, while ISCA President Frank Ekeigwe praised the governor for restoring dignity to civil servants through prompt payments of salaries, pensions, and gratuities. He also commended the swift handling of the state’s security concerns, which he said had long discouraged visits from the diaspora.
Uzodimma concluded with a promise that his administration would not be remembered for excuses but for legacy-defining impacts across security, youth employment, and infrastructure. “I’m conscious of history,” he said, “and determined to leave Imo far better than I met it.”
