Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed joy over the signing into Law, the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) Bill by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This was contained in a statement by Dr Alex Ogbonnia, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze in Enugu.
In the statement, Ohanaeze described the development as a “quantum leap, a hope renewal and a significant part of a new beginning by President Tinubu.”
The SEDC will cover the states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
Ohanaeze commended the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and the co-sponsors of the all-important Bill.
The apex Igbo cultural organisation noted the exceptional quality of Kalu, “his suave, assertive, sagacious and visionary dispositions were very inspiring and a veritable source of hope.
“More importantly, he commands the respect and confidence of most members of the House of Representatives.
“It needs a mention that the SEDC which has remained in the pipeline for decades has come on stream through Kalu and his team,” Ohanaeze said.
According to the body, the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) is expected to manage funds allocated from the Federation Account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, and other infrastructural deficits suffered by the region due to age-long neglect.
Also, the SEDC will tackle ecological problems and related environmental challenges that have devastated the South-East for decades,” Ohanaeze noted.
It said that the SEDC would go a long way to assuage the feelings of the Igbo with respect to the 3R sophistry by General Yakubu Gowon in January 1970.
Ohanaeze expressed the hope that South-East governors led by the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, would leverage the opportunity created by the commission to anchor programmes that will fully harness and promote the industrial, agricultural, tourism, energy, commercial and investment potentials in the zone.
Ogbonnia stated that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) was highly elated and sends a warm gratitude to Mr. President over the SEDC law.
