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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide State Presidents Forum and Youth Leaders have commended President Bola Tinubu for ongoing federal road infrastructure projects in the South-East but urged the Federal Government to step up investment in critical infrastructure and economic development across the region.
The position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day emergency meeting of the forum held on July 13 and 14 in Owerri, Imo State.
The communiqué, jointly signed by the Chairman of the State Presidents Forum, Livingstone Wechie; Acting National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu; and presidents of the various state chapters, among other leaders, called for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, South-East governors and other stakeholders to accelerate development in Ala-Igbo.
While applauding Tinubu’s intervention on road infrastructure in the region, the forum insisted that more needed to be done to address what it described as decades of infrastructure deficits.
The communiqué read: “We hail our dear President, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the road infrastructure intervention so far in the South-East while we demand for increased Federal Government dedicated action towards establishing Free Trade Zones, functional, federally operated seaports, major cargo airports among others.”
The group also urged the President to address what it described as the exclusion of major South-East routes from the National Rail Masterplan.
It said: “We demand that Mr. President should urgently address the unfair exclusion of key South-East routes from the National Rail Masterplan and ensure the revival of local industrial clusters, such as the Onitsha and Aba manufacturing hubs, while attending to the severe ecological degradation challenges in the zone.”
On security, the forum pledged to work closely with the South-East governors and other stakeholders to tackle insecurity across the region.
It proposed the establishment of a Special Security Trust Fund to strengthen security infrastructure in the South-East.
“We offer to work closely with the South-East Governors, state governments and other stakeholders towards the eradication of insecurity in the geopolitical zone. We also propose to the South-East Governors Forum to urgently initiate a Special Security Trust Fund to support the security infrastructure in Ala-Igbo,” the communiqué stated.
The Ohanaeze leaders also commended Tinubu for establishing the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), describing it as a major step towards addressing the region’s developmental challenges.
They, however, urged the commission to remain accountable to the people of the South-East.
“We specially commend President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the establishment of the South-East Development Commission, which is a key step towards addressing the development gaps in the region. Our charge is that the commission under the youthful Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mark Okoye II, must perform productively beyond expectation and be accountable to Ndigbo because we own this commission,” the group said.
The forum also called on Igbo people across the world to actively participate in Nigeria’s political process to strengthen the region’s voice and improve its chances of securing greater development.
It equally advocated stronger collaboration among the South-East states to drive economic growth and industrialisation.
According to the communiqué, “The meeting proposed a regional collaboration among the Igbo-speaking states, particularly the South-East governors, built on a partnership aimed at driving the economic development and industrialisation of Ala-Igbo.”
The leaders further expressed concern over what they described as the neglect of the region’s enormous gas resources, noting that the South-East possesses an estimated 200 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves with the potential for much more.
They called on multinational oil and gas companies operating in the region to relocate their headquarters to the South-East.
“We therefore demand that all multinational oil and gas companies operating in the geopolitical zone should immediately situate their headquarters in Ala-Igbo to prove their commitment towards our economic prosperity,” the communiqué added.
The forum also expressed support for the governors of the South-East states, commending what it described as their developmental efforts.
It specifically urged the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to work closely with ministers from the region, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Works, David Umahi; Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh (SAN), and other federal appointees to strengthen the region’s political influence and fast-track its development.
