The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has called for a coordinated reconstruction and development plan for Nigeria’s South-East, urging the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to adopt a clear, results-driven strategy modelled on a post-war rebuilding framework.
Speaking at the South East Vision 2050 Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu, Enugu State capital, Governor Soludo said the initiative was aimed at rebuilding the region’s economic base and critical infrastructure.
He noted that recent improvements in security, coupled with growing political cohesion among the five South-East governors, had created an enabling environment for coordinated regional development.
The Governor outlined three core priorities for the proposed strategy: strengthening regional security and establishing sustainable funding mechanisms; developing major cross-state infrastructure, including highways, airport runways, gas pipelines and seaports; and building an effective institutional framework to coordinate development across the region.
Soludo said the Vision 2050 agenda was designed to address years of fragmented and uncoordinated development efforts in the South-East, adding that such an approach was no longer sustainable.
Despite the region’s strong entrepreneurial culture, he observed that its domestic economy remained underdeveloped, as much of the wealth generated by its people was invested outside the South-East.
While stressing that the plan must focus on realistic and measurable outcomes, Soludo said state governments would provide strategic leadership, but that most of the funding would need to come from the Federal Government and private sector investors. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to support the initiative with the resources required to drive long-term transformation.
In his opening remarks, Vice President Kashim Shettima praised the SEDC and described the forum as a foundation for regional collaboration, acknowledging the South-East’s importance to Nigeria’s national economy.
Governors from Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi states expressed confidence in the unified approach, saying it could unlock new economic opportunities for the region’s population.
Earlier, the Chairman of the SEDC, Mr Emeka Nwogu, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Okoye, described the forum as a defining moment, thanking President Tinubu for establishing the commission to translate development ideas into implementable projects.
The forum was held under the theme: “Charting a Shared Path to Sustainable Prosperity for the South.