Odita Sunday 
HURIWA Challenges UN’s ‘Inspiring’ Assessment Of Imo, Demands Grassroots Reality Check
By Odita Sunday
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the basis of the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed’s reported description of Imo State as “inspiring,” insisting that the assessment should be tested against the everyday experiences of residents outside government offices and urban centres.
HURIWA said a development assessment of the state should go beyond presentations at the Government House and engagements with government officials to include direct conversations with ordinary residents across the three senatorial districts.
Mohammed reportedly made the “inspiring” assessment during a visit to Governor Hope Uzodimma at the Government House in Owerri, where she expressed optimism about the state’s progress in youth development and technological empowerment.
She was also reported to have said that the state’s investments in education, digital skills, power infrastructure and administrative reforms were creating competitive enterprises, productive jobs and resilient communities.
The UN delegation reportedly further highlighted the need to strengthen energy systems, expand access to climate finance and develop supply chains linking local producers to wider markets.
But HURIWA, in a statement issued on Monday, 14th September 2026, said such positive observations should be backed by a broader assessment of conditions at the grassroots.
The group asked whether the delegation had engaged directly with residents in Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri zones before reaching what it described as a sweeping conclusion about the state’s development.
HURIWA specifically questioned whether the delegation visited rural communities in Okigwe Senatorial District, where it said residents have continued to raise concerns about healthcare, electricity, potable water, rural roads, infrastructure and security.
The association argued that meetings with government officials and selected beneficiaries could not, on their own, provide a complete picture of living conditions across the state.
It therefore challenged the delegation to explain which rural communities it visited, how many ordinary residents were interviewed independently of government officials and whether people affected by insecurity, unemployment, inadequate healthcare and infrastructure deficits were given an opportunity to speak about their experiences.
HURIWA also raised concerns about the security situation in parts of Imo State, particularly areas of Okigwe zone, where it alleged that some communities continue to face the disruptive presence of armed non-state actors and inadequate government and security presence.
The group said development should not be measured solely by digital training programmes, economic initiatives or government infrastructure if residents in some communities remain exposed to insecurity or lack access to basic services.
HURIWA also referred to reports and findings by human-rights organisations, including Amnesty International, concerning alleged abuses and violations linked to security operations in parts of the South-East.
The association said a credible assessment of Imo should therefore examine both the achievements presented by the government and complaints raised by residents concerning insecurity, deprivation and alleged rights violations.
While acknowledging that youth empowerment, digital skills, energy projects, healthcare reforms and economic diversification were legitimate development priorities, HURIWA said the real test should be their measurable impact on ordinary citizens.
It questioned, for instance, how many young people who had reportedly received training had secured sustainable employment or established viable businesses, and whether enterprises established through government programmes remained operational and profitable.
The group also asked whether investments in healthcare had translated into accessible and functional primary healthcare services for people in rural communities.
Similarly, it said claims of expanded energy access should be assessed against the experiences of communities still struggling with electricity and other basic infrastructure.
HURIWA urged the United Nations and other international development partners to conduct independent, community-level assessments before endorsing broad narratives about governance and development in Nigerian states.
The association warned that international institutions could undermine public confidence in their assessments if their findings appeared to depend disproportionately on official presentations rather than independent engagement with citizens.
“The people of Imo State deserve development, security, healthcare, infrastructure and decent livelihoods. They also deserve to have their realities heard directly, not filtered through official briefings,” HURIWA said.
The group called on the UN to deepen its engagement with communities across Imo State and publish evidence-based assessments that reflect both government achievements and the concerns of residents.
HURIWA maintained that genuine development should ultimately be measured not only by what governments report as achievements, but by what citizens can access, afford and experience in their daily lives.
The statement was signed by Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, National Coordinator, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA).
About the Author
