Lack of strategic engagements the problem of southeast development - Oriaku
A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress and former Abia State Commissioner of Finance, Obinna Oriaku, has identified a lack of strategy and internal competition among leaders from southeast Nigeria as the bane of development in the geopolitical zone.
He spoke on Monday while baring his mind on the outcome of the recently concluded southeast economic and security summit held in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
It was gathered that governors of southeast Nigeria had last week Thursday, converged in Owerri for a two-day summit to x-ray the challenges of insecurity and economic disruptions facing the southeast region and explore ways to end them.
The summit had the five governors take turns to give their perspectives on the consequences of the escalating insecurity on the once strong and progressive economy of the region.
Oriaku, while baring his mind in a statement on Tuesday, regretted the discordant tones by the leaders from the southeast zone in search of the way forward for economic development and security of southeast and Igbo land in general.
He stated partly: “Our clamorous disposition and strive for the competition which has helped us as Igbos in our survival may also be our undoing.
“We can see the passion these current governors of the southeast have shown towards repositioning the Igbos economically and politically.
“Enugu State at their economic summit set up a committee on seaport which according to them can be accessed between the boundaries of Anambra and Igbo-Etiti local government of the state. How realizable this ambitious proposal is, would best be left for the professionals.
“Anambra State is also fixated on a seaport, though the Onitsha light port is yet to witness major activity as barges with containers from Lagos or Port-Harcourt hardly use the port due to many issues.
“Recently, we have seen the Imo State government commission studies on how to connect to the Atlantic through the Orashi River through Oguta. And the report was submitted with fanfare last week and the anticipated success of this venture is undefined”, he also noted
“The Abia State Governor talked about yet another seaport to be sited at Owazza. This is surprising as we only know about Azumini and Onuasusu in Arochukwu being the closest to the Atlantic in Abia and a lot have gone in by way of draft surveys and studies of these projects particularly in Azumini.
“At the same time, at the Owerri summit, the President of Ohanaeze, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu talked about the seaport at Oguta.
“This shows discordant tones and a lack of strategy for a region struggling to get the attention of the centre due to the nature of our politics as a people.
“One would have thought that these governors would have set up a committee to jointly identify among all these mentioned potential seaports, that which is most strategic, viable and realisable.
“This will ensure that the centre will not use duplicity of these demands as a reason to deny us any of these projects.
“Just the other day, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) started moving containers from Apapa seaport through rail to Ibadan dry port just like Kaduna dry port that has been in use for over six years”, the financial expert pointed out.
He admonished the Igbos to be Strategic in engagement and lessen the all too often discordant voices attached to their endeavours until they materialise rather than running around in circles.
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