Why Soludo Must Champion South-East Economic Integration – Opinion
By David Nwachukwu
If other regions of the country don’t take economic growth seriously, Ndi-Igbo must.
Some years back I travelled to Aro-Ndizogu, Imo State for a burial. We travelled through Abia State, at a point diverted to Anambra State before plying a 2 Kilometer road built from an Anambra community to NdIzogu in Imo State
The road in question was built by the administration of Dr. Chris Ngige. Before plying that road I already held Ngige in very high esteem, but after that experience I couldn’t help but develop deep reverence for the man.
What Ngige did with that said road should be a template for South-East economic integration.
Luckily we have a new governor in Anambra State, in the person of Prof Charles Soludo. And, I urge him to continue to exhibit that spirit of Pan-Igboism examplified by Ngige.
Though I have criticized Soludo for his obssession with ‘acada jaw-jaw’ as alternative to statecraft, I however have observed that he has a Pan-Igbo outlook.
Firstly, he called on his Igbo brothers & sisters of repute from all over the country to join his transition Committee team. He has been making a Pan-Igbo fashion statement by insisting on wearing akwaete cloths, made in Akwaete, Abia State, to the transitional conference. In addition, he has declared that his official car will be made in Ala-Igbo, likely to be manufactured by Innosion Motors.
Why Soludo Must Champion South-East Economic Integration – Opinion
The general election will be held in 2023, which implies that by the time his other South-East peers are settled in office, Soludo would have been at least a year older in office. This ought to give him ample time to reflect on the way forward for a South-East economic integration.
I urge Soludo to take-up the big brother role & lead other South-East governors towards crafting a formal policy on South-East economic integration. If I must say, the assignment of his transitional team will be incomplete if no mention is made of a possibIe model for South-East economic integration.
In 2023 when other governors of South-East are settled in office, as Soludo has done with his Transition Committee conference, so too he must do well to call for a conference on South-East economic integration. fortunately, we have an inexhaustible list of Igbo sons & daughters in Nigeria & diaspora that are willing to be resource persons in such forum.
Luckily, we can draw reference from history.
Micheal Okpara as Premier of Eastern Region promoted rapid regional economic growth by pooling the region’s resources to her area of strength & need. This helped bring about rapid development of Eastern region in the sixties.
From my layman perspective I will advice that every year that each South-East State governor pledges at least N1 billion from source (Federation account) for the pan-Igbo project.
Lastly, Ndi-Igbo must balance the Aku-ru-Uno policy with Aku-si-nu Uno mantra to craft a robust economic template for South-East.
Add Comment