SOUTHEAST ECONOMIC FORUM: EKWEREMADU INSISTS ON DEVOLUTION OF POWER

The Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu says a legal framework for the development of the southeast zone must be created to enable the zone to actualize its development polices and initiatives.

Senator Ekweremadu stated this while addressing the South East Economic Summit in Enugu.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu said for certain infrastructure and sectors of the economy to be developed, there was the need for devolution of power to the State Governments for the predetermined development polices of the zone to be achieved.

“We need to go back to the basis that is why we are talking about restructuring. We must create the enabling legal frame work.”

The Chairman Southeast Governors Forum  and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi and his counterpart in Enugu State, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that the economic reintegration drive was expected to  liberate the  Southeast zone.

“We will get it right in the South East. I have that belief, I have that hope.

“Internally generated revenue of the state will be enhanced.”

While discussing the theme of the summit, “Re-positioning the South East Region for Rapid Economic Development,” the keynote speaker Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa emphasized that there was need for the people to re-enact the spirit of enterprise, education, agriculture, and industrialization in the zone.

“We missed the way when we stopped paying appropriate attention to education.”

The South East Economic summit was in collaboration with the Department for International Development, DFID.

It was the initiative of the South East Governors to devise ways of harnessing the opportunities of the South East States.

The three-day meeting had in attendance South East Governors, some senators, members of the House of Representatives, top government officials.

Others were the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, the Head, Nigeria Economic Development Team, DFID, Mr. Richard Ough, a former Minister of Power, Professor Bath Nnaji, and many other technocrats as well as  captains of Industries who proffered some solutions towards addressing the challenges of the zone.

CHUKWUMA EZEOGU