President Tinubu’s Reforms Unavoidable, Will Pay Off, Ex-Abia Governor, Orji Kalu Assures Nigerians
Kenneth Udeh
The lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu says that the economic reforms embarked upon by the administration of President Tinubu will yield positive results.
The lawmaker explained that the revamping of the nation’s laws, some of which are over 100 years old, is imperative and inevitable considering their obsoleteness and ineffectiveness in meeting the expectations of 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), 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. However, he advocated for wider consultations and faulted the 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 with each other.
Kalu held that no state in Nigeria is poor. He insisted that every state is as important and endowed as the other. Though he acknowledged the pains and sufferings experienced by Nigerians as a result of the reforms, he assured that the challenges would soon become a thing of the past.
Kalu explained: “Tinubu is a courageous leader who took the bull by the horns. I’m not saying this out of sycophancy to gain any favours, as you all know I’m an accomplished politician and business entrepreneur.
“We need to give the President a chance to carry out these reforms. The Tax Reform is not a bad bill; it is progressive. But the problem is that Nigerians were not lectured enough and lack orientation about its many benefits.
“The Tax Reform Bill is not bad, but we need to carry other regions along. The other regions need to be educated on what the Tax Bill is all about.”
Making reference to China, Kalu also explained that the Tax Reform Bills will encourage competition among states, which he said will bring about the harnessing of state resources and improve productivity.
He said: “We can’t make any headway as a 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 because 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.”
In response, Daniel Eke appreciated Kalu for the visit. He also commended the Senator for his legislative impact in the Senatorial District.
He said: “Other Senators have given frying pans as empowerment, but we need good roads, employment, infrastructure, and 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 matters most. He is doing this in the best interests of our people.”
Earlier in his remarks, Kalu reiterated his commitment to enhancing the 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 a 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 who governs them. I have demonstrated as Governor and now as a Senator,” he said.
