IKEDURU LAWMAKER HON. JOHNLEOBA IHEOHA HAILS GOVERNOR UZODINMA, RECALLS HIS MOTION ON COMMERCIAL OIL & GAS EXPLOITATION IN IKEDURU AS SUMMIT OPENS IMO TO GLOBAL INVESTMENT CAPITAL
By Emeka Amaefula
The 2025 Imo Economic Summit has continued to receive glowing commendations, with one of the strongest endorsements coming from the Member Representing Ikeduru State Constituency at the Imo State House of Assembly and Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Industry, Hon. Chief Johnleoba Iheoha. He described the summit as a bold declaration to the world that Imo is now fully prepared for global investment partnership and economic acceleration.
Speaking through his Committee office at the Imo State House of Assembly, the lawmaker applauded Governor Hope Uzodimma for attracting a historic class of world political figures, multinational executives, and international financiers to Owerri. He noted that the summit “marks the moment Imo stopped asking for recognition and began offering opportunity.”
IHEOHA RECALLS HIS MOTION ON OIL & GAS COMMERCIALIZATION IN IKEDURU
In further support of the Governor’s economic roadmap, Hon. Johnleoba Iheoha highlighted his earlier motion presented before the Imo State House of Assembly, urging Governor Hope Uzodimma and the State Executive Council to prioritize full commercial exploration and exploitation of the oil and gas deposits in Ikeduru Local Government Area.
He emphasized that his motion sought to ensure that Ikeduru’s proven oil and gas reserves are not left dormant but integrated into the State’s new investment blueprint under public-private partnership frameworks.
According to him:
“I moved the motion because Ikeduru is sitting on a commercially viable energy belt with strategic economic value. With Your Excellency’s vision now opening Imo to massive investment, it is time for Ikeduru’s oil and gas reserves to be harnessed fully for industrial power, foreign earnings, and employment generation.”
Iheoha stressed that the presence of global energy investors at the summit—coupled with the Governor’s commitment to the Light Up Imo independent power infrastructure and gas-driven industrialization—means the time for Ikeduru’s inclusion in the State’s petroleum expansion matrix has arrived.
GLOBAL SUMMIT, GLOBAL SIGNAL
The summit themed “Unlocking Imo Economic Potentials: Partnership, Investment and Innovation” brought together former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Amina Akim of Mauritius, Vice President Kashim Shettima (representing President Tinubu), and multiple international development banks and private equity firms.
Governor Uzodimma declared Imo as the new definition of IMO—Investment Meets Opportunity, highlighting key projects including:
- 24-hour electricity rollout under Light Up Imo
- Dredging of Orashi River to the Atlantic trade route
- Modernized Land Information Centre for transparent property access
- ICT innovation clusters and tech commercialization estates
- OKOBI (One Kindred, One Business Initiative)
IHEOHA: IMO HAS RISEN, IKEDURU MUST JOIN THE ECONOMIC FRONTLINE
Hon. Iheoha stated that his legislative push on Ikeduru’s oil and gas aligns perfectly with the Governor’s expansion of petroleum commercialization and industrial export policy. He noted that when Ikeduru becomes operational in the State’s oil and gas matrix, Imo’s revenue profile will leap and local skilled youth will be absorbed into energy employment channels.
He added:
“Every potential of this State is now being unlocked. Ikeduru cannot remain an observer when it is an oil-bearing land. I congratulate my Governor not just for hosting the world, but for proving that Imo can lead Africa in investment attractiveness.”
The lawmaker reaffirmed his readiness to sponsor additional enabling bills and investor-protection legislation needed to smoothen petroleum asset development, energy corridor mapping, and commercialization in his constituency.
As the summit entered its global endorsement phase with commitments from Dangote Group, Afreximbank, petrochemical investors, tech clusters, and maritime development financiers, Hon. Johnleoba Iheoha declared that Imo State has crossed a strategic threshold:
Imo is no longer waiting for investment signals—it has become the signal.
And Ikeduru, through his legislative motion and the Governor’s economic vision, is now positioned to become not only a participating community but a revenue-generating oil and gas contributor to Imo’s emerging trillion-naira economy.
Emeka Amaefula ——+234(0)8111813069—-
