South East Governors agree on shared responsibility for regional development

By Dennis Agbo

ENUGU — Governors of the five South East states have agreed on the need for regional cooperation in intelligence sharing, infrastructure development, and the formulation of a harmonized integration plan to accelerate the zone’s 50-year development vision.

The agreement was highlighted during the South East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders Forum organized by the South East Development Commission (SEDC) in Enugu on Wednesday.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the forum, praised the region’s leadership, noting that high-quality governance has already facilitated significant development. He described the Igbo people as “the hope of the black race” and emphasized that the South East region is vital to Nigeria. Shettima also acknowledged decades of infrastructure deficits in the region, stating that the SEDC was established to address these imbalances.

Speaking at the forum, the South East governors highlighted key areas for regional integration. Abia State Governor Alex Otti emphasized power integration, noting that with Aba’s geometric power capacity, the entire South East could be connected to a single power grid. “If we had started the debate earlier, we would have succeeded by now,” he said.

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo called on the SEDC to prioritize projects critical to the region, including highway connectivity, a regional railway, a seaport, security, institutional frameworks, and other essential services.

Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru stated that his state has the capacity to feed the region, while Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah stressed that sustainable regional development requires national support. “We must build a different system, start by thinking differently. We must move from vision to execution, and the direction must be clearly set,” Mbah said.

The forum underscored a collective commitment by the South East governors to foster coordinated development and maximize the region’s socio-economic potential.

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