South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has received resounding commitments of support and cooperation from key stakeholders in the Southeast region, marking a significant step toward the regionโs economic revitalization.
The pledges were made during a grand reception organized by renowned billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Prince Arthur Eze, in Enugu over the weekend. The event brought together political leaders, business moguls, and community stakeholders to rally behind the newly established Commission.
In his address, Prince Arthur Eze expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his visionary leadership in recognizing the immense potential of the Southeast region. He emphasized that the establishment of the SEDC was long overdue, noting that such a commission should have been created immediately after the Civil War to drive the Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation (3Rs) policy initiated by General Yakubu Gowon.
โA Commission like the SEDC was expected to have been set up decades ago to address the challenges facing the Southeast. Now that we have it, we have great expectations. It must rehabilitate strategic moribund industries that can provide thousands of jobs for our youths,โ Eze stated.
He described the Southeast as a land of innovation, resilience, and enterprise, urging the SEDC to prioritize the revamping of industrial infrastructure that once supported the old Eastern Region. Eze pledged his support to the Commission in critical areas such as power and energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and industrial development. He also called on other stakeholders to join hands with the SEDC to achieve its strategic roadmap.
Eze further commended the National Assembly, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for their dedication and determination in ensuring the establishment of the Commission.
โI extend my heartfelt gratitude to the National Assembly, led by Sen. Godswill Akpabio and our son, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, CON, whose tireless efforts made this Commission a reality,โ he added.
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, represented by Chief George Ozodinaobi, Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, described the SEDC as the engine room for the renewal and modernization of the Southeast. He emphasized that the SEDC Act was not merely a legislative achievement but a mission to address long-standing infrastructure deficits, economic stagnation, and the lingering wounds of history.
Kalu warned against the politicization of the Commission, urging stakeholders to focus on partnerships between governments, the private sector, the diaspora community, and relevant institutions.
โThe SEDC Act is more than ink on paper; it is a covenant of progress, a bridge between our storied past and the prosperous future we dare to build. We have never been a people who wait for doors to open; we carve our own pathways through the mountains of limitation. Today, with this Commission, we do not just carve a path; we lay a foundation for generations to come,โ Kalu declared.
The event also highlighted the National Assemblyโs approval of โฆ140 billion for the SEDC in the 2025 budget, a move described as a game-changer for the regionโs economic transformation.
The SEDC leadership, represented by its Executive Director, assured stakeholders that the Commission would revolutionize the Southeastโs economy by addressing critical challenges and unlocking the regionโs vast potential.
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