The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mike Okoye, has announced the commencement of the “South East Vision 2050” Regional Stakeholders Forum, marking a pivotal step in the commission’s mission to transform the region’s economic landscape.
Addressing members of the press in Enugu state on Monday, Okoye revealed that the forum, scheduled to kick off on Tuesday, was designed to gather critical input from both state and non-state actors to develop a sustainable, long-term regional development master plan.
The SEDC boss, who was joined by the Executive Director for Projects, Toby Okechukwu, noted that the commission has spent its first 11 months since inauguration “giving teeth” to the brand-new agency.
He emphasised that the SEDC was established by law to address the deep-seated infrastructure and ecological challenges dating back to the Civil War.
During the briefing, Okoye injected a touch of humor by observing the lack of gender balance among the gathered press and his own team.
He urged stakeholders to support the 50% of the economy driven by women, promising that future engagements would aim for at least 30 to 40% female representation.
Commission’s progress
Reflecting on the commission’s progress, Okoye stated that the management team began meeting seven weeks before their official inauguration on February 10 last year.
Since then, they have secured board approval for a strategic two-year roadmap aimed at driving targeted interventions across the five southeast states.
”When we started, the agency did not exist in practice—there was no office, no staff, and no infrastructure,” Okoye remarked.
He described the current team as the “pioneer staff” who had to build the institution’s foundation from scratch while simultaneously planning for the region’s future.
The Managing Director highlighted an “ambitious stakeholder engagement exercise” that saw the commission visit over 250 federal agencies.
The goal was to establish the SEDC’s presence and create a platform that streamlines federal projects within the Southeast.
Furthering its legislative reach, the SEDC management also spent significant time with the dedicated SEDC committees in both the Senate and the House of Representatives to ensure political and budgetary alignment for its developmental goals.
The upcoming Vision 2050 forum is expected to host a diverse group of media practitioners, including print, broadcast, and digital influencers.
Okoye noted that the media’s role is essential in capturing and communicating the commission’s strategic roadmap to the public.
Explaining the absence of other executive directors, Okoye clarified that the team operates with a unified front, though some members were currently engaged in “firefighting” and other critical regional assignments in Enugu State.
The commission’s mandate includes the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads and houses, as well as tackling the persistent ecological problems that have hindered the zone’s growth for decades.
As the SEDC moves into its second year, Okoye expressed confidence that the transition from institutional building to visible regional projects will define the next phase of the commission’s journey toward the 2050 vision.