Governor Hope Uzodimma says his administration remains committed to sustainable economic growth in Imo by empowering local communities.

Mr Uzodimma said this in Owerri during a town hall meeting for the community-owned One Kindred, One Business Initiative (OKOBI) businesses on Tuesday.

The governor, represented at the event by his deputy, Chinyere Ekomaru, said 65 community-owned businesses across the state had been established and were awaiting formal registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

According to him, the OKOBI initiative relies on the Igbo philosophy of Igwebuike (there is strength in unity) to encourage collective enterprise and wealth creation at the grassroots level.

“When kindreds pool their collective strengths, resources and talents, and take ownership of an enterprise, they can achieve far more than any one individual,” Mr Uzodimma said.

He said that sustainable development must complement infrastructure growth by providing viable economic opportunities for citizens within their local communities.

He emphasised that business incorporation was only an initial step, stressing that strong governance structures were necessary to ensure long-term enterprise survival.

“Incorporation is only the beginning, not the destination. The critical question before us now is sustainability,” he said.

Mr Uzodimma charged community managers to run the enterprises professionally and transparently so they can compete effectively in the market. He assured stakeholders that the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment through supportive policies and strategic linkages with financial institutions and private sector partners.

The governor added that the initiative’s success would ultimately be measured by its overall impact on rural livelihoods.

Meanwhile, the immediate past state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, MacDonald Ebere, has pledged to sponsor 100 communities to establish OKOBI enterprises.

Mr Ebere urged commercial banks, corporate organisations, and private investors to step in with necessary financial backing, market linkages, and technical support to sustain community-owned enterprises.

(NAN)