By Peter Okolie

The Imo State Government has received a four million dollars (N6.8bn) World Bank fund for its promotion of good governance and accountability in the ease of doing business.

The Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Mr Declan Emelumba, announced this at a press conference in Owerri on Wednesday.

Emelumba said that Imo was among the four states in the country that qualified for the fund under the World Bank’s State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme for Nigeria.

According to him, the states were assessed under efficiency of land administration, and regulatory framework for private investment in fiber optic infrastructure.

OOther qualifications include services provided by investment promotion agencies and the efficiency and transparency of government-to-business services in the participating states.

He said that the state excelled in the four criteria, which qualified it for the reward to consolidate the programme.

He described the award as a “testament to the government’s commitment to progressive governance, economic empowerment and sustainable development”.

Emelumba said that under the focused administration of Gov. Hope Uzodimma, the state had introduced firm policy initiatives to improve land administration, enabling seamless land registration and boosting land-based investments.

“Through transparent governance, Uzodimma has boosted the confidence of investors in the state, especially in the area of digital connectivity.

“Contrary to the submissions of critics of the government, Uzodimma has been working very hard, interacting with investors within and outside Nigeria to buy into the investment opportunities available in the state.”

The commissioner said that Imo had made giant strides in strengthening its investment promotion agencies to ensure that they attracted the best investors to the state.

He said through emphasise on efficiency and transparency in government to business services, the state had engendered a culture of accountability in its relationships with relevant stakeholders.

He commended the governor for providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state, which attracted the attention of the world bank.

The commissioner said that the fund would be used for advancing key reforms and reinvested in infrastructure, including offering support to micro, small and medium-size enterprises. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sam Oditah