Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has urged South-East Governors to jettison party differences, unite and generate regional master plan for the economic development of the zone.
The President, Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET), made the advocacy while featuring on the April 2023 edition of the Ikengaonline town-hall meeting held on Thursday night.
Professor Moghalu who spoke on the theme: Improving Regional Economy in the Homestead, said it was high time political leaders and stakeholders stopped allowing their individual and party interests to divide them, but came together to forge a united front for the economic revival of the zone.
He stressed that it is also through such collaboration that the huge economic potentials in the zone could be unleashed for the good of all.
Moghalu who expressed concern over the high rate of youth unemployment in the zone said that more job opportunities would be created through regional economic cooperation among states in the zone.
He further urged the Governors to prioritise infrastructural transformation and provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Moghalu who said Ndigbo are highly enterprising, noted that with the necessary infrastructure and business environment on ground, the private sector could help to drive and grow the economy of the South-East.
Insisting that State Governors have huge roles to play in the economic revival of the South-East, the former CBN Deputy boss, harped on the need for internal cohesion among the various stakeholders in the South-East for the zone to move forward.
Ikengaonline monthly town-hall meetings are meant to discuss topical issues affecting the South-East zone of Nigeria in particular, and the Nigeria state in general.
World famous Economist and Nigeria’s two-time Minister for Finance, Kalu Idika Kalu, featured on last month’s edition where he spoke on “Nigeria’s incoming Government: Prospects & Challenges.”
Former Education Minister, and the current Chairman, Board of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, was the guest speaker on the February edition.
She spoke on “Women in Politics, East of the Niger.”
Other eminent Igbo personalities have featured on the monthly event since its debut in 2022.
The maiden edition of Ikengaonline town-hall featured the immediate-past Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, in July 2022; while the second edition featured a renowned Political Economist, Professor Pat Okedinachi Utomi, in August.
Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; US-based academic, Professor Okey Ndibe; West African Regional Director, Ford Foundation, Dr Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye; as well as multi-award-winning actress and Director of Communications, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Monalisa Chinda Coker, had all featured at different editions of the explosive 90 minutes show.
Ikengaonline is a South-East-focused online media outfit which aims at giving voice to citizens of the South-East, parts of Rivers and Delta states, and highlights the challenges facing the region.
Ikengaonline is a publication of Ikenga Media and Cultural Awareness Initiative (IMCAI), a non-profit entity that seeks to promote positive socio-cultural values, accountability and good governance through media and public education.
It is part of the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project, a multi-level intervention for media independence and government accountability, managed by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and supported by MacArthur Foundation.
