Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has called on members of the Christian Association of Nigeria to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration with prayers.

Mr Uzodimma made the appeal at the Secretariat of CAN in Owerri, during the inauguration for the distribution of rice to the five South-East states on Tuesday.

The rice was a Christmas gift and President Tinubu’s further palliative measures to alleviate the suffering of the people.

The governor thanked God for his mercies that made it possible for the people to overcome the challenges of 2023, noting that 2024 would be a lot better for all.

He recalled that on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu introduced some reforms meant to recover the economy and reduce hardship in the country, strengthen the Naira, grow the economy, create jobs for the unemployed and generally make Nigeria great again.

He said, “Though some of those policies came with initial pains, like the high cost of items in the market, the policies are meant to address these pains.

“Towards the end of last year, the federal and state governments distributed palliative materials in Imo state, doing their best to send the materials to the nooks and crannies of the state. Eighty per cent of people living in the South-East are Christians, and so Christmas celebration is taken as a serious festival.’’

The governor, who expressed the President’s commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of the people, emphasised the significance of providing relief and other support to citizens, particularly during the festive season.

He explained that of the truck loads of rice, it neither came from the state nor the federal governments. Rather, from the personal donations of President Tinubu to Christians as gifts to the South- East.

The governor said that he decided to involve Imo State CAN to ensure seamless distribution since Christians in the zone are under the umbrella of CAN.

However, he said that the Imo State Government would support CAN with the logistics to convey the truck loads of rice to all the South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo.

In his welcome address, the CAN Chairman in Imo, Rev. Eches Eches, commended President Tinubu’s efforts in providing for the welfare of the people.

He also described Mr Uzodimma as “a caring lover of God and mankind, who promotes the interests of Igbo people on the national stage.”

Mr Eches further commended Mr Uzodimma’s commitment to uplifting the Christian community within Imo State.

The five CAN chairmen of the South-East states presented him with a gift of the African Study Bible in appreciation of what the governor had been doing for the people and the Church.

(NAN)