I completely agree with Uko, on broken promises by GEJ to the South East: [2015: JONATHAN IS TOYING WITH S-EAST SUPPORT – UKO, IGBO YOUTHS LEADER] -------------------------- PRESIDENT of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM), an amalgam of 42 associations, Evangelist Elliot Uko, in this interview said the South-East would not support President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015 unless he fulfils his promises to the zone. Excerpt: The IYM recently carpeted South East governors, saying they have not done the needful, can you explain further? The South East governors forgot that the South-East has been deliberately forgotten by successive federal regimes for more than 40 years. They forgot that what is needed is an aggressive and united development agenda. It is necessary to recreate the Eastern Nigerian Development Commission of the 1950s and 1960s. The region should integrate economically for maximum results. Our industrial base take-off must include a petrochemical plant and the business areas of Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha must be integrated to form a Dubai of West Africa, the governors must work together to address electricity challenge in the zone in order to meet energy requirements in order to explode our manufacturing dream. Without the by products of a petrochemical industry here our dreams of industrial revolution will remain a mirage. They should as a matter of urgency develop a South East industrialization blue print and invite foreign partners to develop an economic road map for the transformation of this zone which is blessed with abundant human talents. What is lacking is the drive which only government can engineer. Are the governors responding positively? They have made a case for the development of the 9th Mile corner, Enugu as an industrial hub which is a good one, but they must go beyond that. They must integrate the South East as one giant industrial unit. Only the government can drive that, the private sector will only partner with government that is the way it’s done the world over. Lack of Igbo development agenda, regrettably is responsible for the decay and confusion in the South East. Latent talents are ignored. These talents should be ignited. There should be an Igbo political road map. They should develop an Igbo agenda without delay. The IYM also said President Goodluck Jonathan has not really appreciated the massive support Ndigbo gave him in 2011. What do you mean? We expected massive industrial and infrastructural development. We are not seeing that. We thought he would keep his promises. From the way things are going, it is clear that only the Enugu international airport could materialize before 2015. He promised us at Enugu Stadium, at Imo, Ebonyi, Abia and Anambra campaign rallies 29 months ago that we would see a functional seaport at Onitsha and Oguta, Power plant at Oji river, dry inland port at Aba, second Niger bridge, re-work on the Enugu-Onitsha road, Enugu-PH road etc.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 07:56:53 +0000
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