By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka, Abuja
Abia North Senator Orji Uzor Kalu says that the economic reform embarked upon by President Tinubu administration will yield positive results, according to a statement from Kenneth Udeh, Sen Orji Uzor Kalu’s Office on.
The Lawmaker explained that the revamping of the Nation’s laws, some of which are over 100 years old is imperative and inevitable considering its obsoleteness and ineffectiveness to meet the expectations of the current global economic realities.
The former Abia Governor stated this on Wednesday at the Igbere home of Chief Daniel Eke a former Abia State governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Chief Daniel Eke where he paid a New Year’s Visit.
With reference to the Tax Reform Bills, Orji Kalu commended President Tinubu, describing his move as a bold step, though he advocated for wider consultations. He however faulted mode of its introduction, saying that Nigerians were not sufficiently educated before the Bill was introduced.
According to him, for Nigeria to make any meaningful progress like China is currently doing, the 36 states must be made to compete among each other. Holding that no state in Nigeria is poor, Kalu insisted that every state is as important and endowed as the other. While acknowledging the pains and sufferings experienced by Nigerians as a result of the reforms, he assured that the challenges will soon become a thing of the past.
Making reference to China and explaining that the Tax Reform Bills will encourage competition among states which he said will harness state resources and improve productivity, he said: “We can’t make any headway as Nation if we don’t go the China way, which is competition. Nigerians must face economic competition, each of the 36 states should compete with each other in terms of productivity. That is the only way the entire country can grow and develop like China.
“President Tinubu is trying to ensure that all the states become competitive. A country like China has been growing for the last 35 years at a 10% growth rate which has made it a Great country. They are growing not because of human rights but they are growing in competition. We must engage in competition if we want to grow the practice of sharing free money in Abuja cannot continue.
“We must test our resilience. All our laws need reformation. They are over 100 years old but we need to consult with the people. To catch up with other Nations we should build more Universities we are still backward.
Kalu admitted the sufferings of Nigerians and commended them for their patience , expressing optimism that 2025 would be a year of positive outcomes from the Tinubu-led government’s economic policies.
Kalu said; “President Tinubu is fully aware of the pains that people are passing through and I am also aware but there are some reforms going on and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I understand the difficulties and sufferings of our people very well so I urge Nigerians to be patient and know that we are going through a process.”
Appreciating Kalu for the visit as well as commending the Senator for his legislative impacts in the Senatorial District, Daniel Eke said: “Other Senators have given frying pans as empowerment but need good roads, employment, infrastructure, industries that will employ our people.
“Senator Kalu is not just doing his legislative work he has also established processing companies that will employ our people which is what that matters most. He is doing this in the best interests of our people.
Earlier in his remark Kalu reinstated his commitment to enhance his delivery of economic and infrastructural dividends to his constituents.
“I will continue doing my duty as a Senator and that duty is very sacred and I will never compromise. I had to leave my private companies worth millions of dollars to concentrate on my duty as Senator and my duty is more important. I had to show the people of Abia-North a distinguished way of being led by a Senator. I have replicated what I did as a Governor and I have returned the power back to the people to decide on who governs them I have demonstrated as Governor and now as a Senator,” he said.
