Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has called on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to prioritize power as a key factor in driving economic growth in the region.
He made this appeal on Thursday, March 6, while receiving a delegation from the commission’s Board and Management at the Government House, Umuahia.
Governor Otti emphasized that investment in power is a fundamental responsibility of government, crucial for stabilizing the economy and addressing unemployment and poverty.
“These are the kind of investments that government should make to stabilize the economy. If the government doesn’t stabilize the economy, they can’t deal with unemployment, and they can’t deal with poverty ravaging everybody right now,” he stated.
The Governor highlighted the significance of electricity in industrialization, particularly for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs). According to him, solving the region’s power challenge would resolve nearly 60% of the hurdles faced by businesses.
As part of his administration’s commitment to supporting SMEs, Governor Otti revealed that his government played a key role in ensuring the operationalization of Geometric Power Limited in Aba. He also disclosed ongoing discussions with Interstate Electrics Limited for the state government to acquire equity in the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). This move, he explained, would enable the government to facilitate power supply to areas not covered by Geometric, including Umuahia and other parts of the state.
The Governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the establishment of the SEDC and praised the National Assembly for the swift passage of the commission’s bill. He described the commission as long overdue, emphasizing that post-civil war reconstruction and reintegration should have been a deliberate effort by the federal government.
“Our people have worked so hard to reintegrate themselves. That is why when you come to Abia State and any other state in the South East, our economy does not rely on palliatives. All our people need is an enabling environment, and they will sort themselves out,” he noted.
Governor Otti expressed his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the commission in developing Abia State and the entire South East region.
Earlier, the Chairman of SEDC, Dr. Emeka Wogu, lauded Governor Otti’s commitment to infrastructural development, citing several ongoing projects across the state, including Port Harcourt Road, Ohanku Road, Obiohia Road, Eluama Road, Umuahia-Arochukwu Road, and the Omenuko Bridge. He assured that the commission would work to bridge development gaps caused by years of neglect and position the region for sustainable growth through reconstruction, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
Similarly, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SEDC, Dr. Mark Okoye, outlined the commission’s roadmap, emphasizing its mandate to revive the South East economy by leveraging the region’s technological, entrepreneurial, and agricultural strengths. He commended Governor Otti for being the first South East Governor to engage construction giant Julius Berger for infrastructural projects in the region.
In his vote of thanks, an Executive Director of the commission, Dr. Stanley Ohajuruka, praised the Governor’s achievements within 21 months in office, describing his leadership as a total departure from the failures of the past 24 years.
The meeting reinforced the shared commitment of the Abia State Government and SEDC to advancing the economic and infrastructural transformation of the South East.
