Governors and stakeholders of South East Nigeria have met in Owerri where they resolved to put up plans and policies to drive the region forward.
They made the resolution at a South East Summit on Economy and Security convoked by the South East Governors’ Forum and Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide.
The Protea Hotel, Owerri was venue of the event which drew the five South East Governors and had the theme: “South East Beyond 2023: Time For A Reset.”
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo who expressed the unwavering, unalloyed commitment of the state to the South East Agenda, revealed that the state has started to demonstrate this through the policies and programmes of the state government.
While pointing out the need for a 100-year development plan for the region, Governor Soludo also emphasized the need to drum up homeland consciousness and seek for the right partnerships from the rest of the country and the the international community to implement the plan.
The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, on his part, noted that there was a time in the region when cohesion and vision were potential drivers of progress, wondering why such is no longer the case, saying that it is only when ndị Igbo reinvent their unique republican and entrepreneurial spirit, driven by the private sector that the region will begin to reclaim its pride of place.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah and the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Princess Patricia Onyemaechi-Obila, opined that the past leaders did well because of their commitment to their visions, adding that the development of the region is a collective obligation.
In a Keynote speech, the Director General, World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela who joined virtually agreed that ndị Igbo have been fragmented for a while, advocating for rebuilding the sense of common purpose and cohesion and asked government to increase the IGR, tone down borrowing and get the people to invest in the homestead.
Dr. Okonjo-Iwela suggested that a South East Investment Forum be convened to examine what is blocking investments in the region, take advantage of the Ìgbo diaspora, concentrate on digitally delivered services trade, build a digital backbone, and attract foreign investors while adding that the youth are to ready work but are in search of a truly dedicated leadership.
For the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator Emmanuel Iwunayanwu and the Chairman of the South East Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, they are determined to engender programmes that will promote the region, asking the region to set its own overarching agenda and reset the Ìgbo agelong values of truth, compassionate living, patience, restraint, modesty, vigour, natural support, among others.
Earlier, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the Summit, Senator Chris Anyanwu said that the region which was known for industry and innovation is facing insecurity and other challenges which the Governors are making efforts to tackle while the Chairman of the Occasion, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim called for a re-engineering of the entrepreneurial system in the region, saying that the perpetual sit-at-home exercises have adversely affected the region in all facets.
