GOVERNOR Hope Uzodinma saysthe Federal Government has promised to release $120 million to the state to support its livestock programme.
The governor disclosed this today during a broadcast to mark the nation’s 61st independence anniversary in Owerri.
He said: “Another benefit from the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari is that the Federal Government has graciously included Imo State as a beneficiary of its special Agric Processing Zone Project for Livestock farming.
“Out of the seven states in the country that will benefit from Federal Government $850 million for the programme, Imo State is number two! Consequently, a whopping $120 million will soon be released to our state for the livestock programme.”
The governor revealed that the federal government had also listed Imo as one of the states to benefit from a $1.4 billion facility secured from the World Bank for urban and rural water development.
On security, Uzodinma said relative peace has returned to the state under his administration.
He commended President Buhari and security agencies for their “invaluable support to the state government in tackling the worst form of banditry and criminality ever witnessed in the state.”
Uzodinma warned that his administration would not tolerate any attempt by anybody to foment trouble in the state.
He urged the people of the state to support the security agencies and government by providing useful information to flush out criminals from their hideouts.
“Anybody who attempts to disrupt the peace of the state again may not live to tell the story. That is why it is important for parents and guardians to rein in their children and wards as the security agencies have our directive to deal decisively with those who may be tempted to foment trouble again.
“I have just inaugurated a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the security breaches in the state and come out with recommendations on what government should do to ensure that there is no recurrence of such.
“I believe that both the perpetrators and their sponsors would be unmasked for Imo people to know their enemies. But all of us have a collective duty to protect our state against renegades,” he added.
