To overcome the infrastructural challenge however, he suggested a synergy among the five states of the zone to harness the individual potentials of each state as was the case in the 60’s when eastern zone was reckoned an economic giant.

Nnaji spoke yesterday in Awka, Anambra state capital on the topic, “Regional Economic Development: Implications for growth and sustainable development of southeast Nigeria”, organized by African Heritage Institution in partnership with the DFID’s Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL).

Speaking on the need for regional integration of the zone, Nnaji stated that since the growth of the region was halted by Civil war, efforts at revamping it had failed because of “lack of integral block and organized leadership”, stressing that southeast has not found the will to jointly address critical projects which a single state will not have resources to undertake.

Nnaji said that the registration of the Eastern Region Project Planning (ERPP) was aimed at driving sustainable economic growth, stressing that it would produce a generic model of regional development agenda for the region devoid of politics and ethnic colouration.

He further stated that the industrial development of the southeast would be incomplete without the establishment of an industrial park and Industrial free zone in Aba, Abia state to propel the manufacturing industry. Stressing that the activities of the free zone will create vibrant synergetic economic partnership among the regions in Nigeria, he said that already the Afrexim Bank, Cairo was discussing with Abia state government on the establishment of a 7500 hectares industrial park to promote export.

Identifying stable power supply as key to industrialization and economic development of the zone, he said that the southeast was badly hit by inadequate power given her interest in small and medium scale industries.

Source: Guardian
guardian.ng/news/how-to-tackle-infrastructural-gap-in-south-east-by-nnaji/

The Contractor handling the project is Messrs Julius (Nig.) Ltd., at a total cost of #14,446,010,416.16K (Fourteen billion, four hundred and forty-six million, ten thousand, four hundred and sixteen naira, sixteen kobo)

A statement by Mohammed A. Abdullahi, Assistant Director (Information) in the Ministry of Works, noted that “the existing Niger Bridge which was commissioned on January 4, 1966 is severely overstressed and its continued serviceability cannot be assured.

“The idea of a Second Niger Bridge started way back in the late 1970s but its realization has been delayed by several challenges. The Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is resolutely committed to the completion of this important project.”

In a related development, the Federal Government has also awarded a contract for emergency repairs of Tamburawa Bridge along Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriageway in Kano State to Messrs. Borini Prono & Co. (Nig.) Ltd.

The cost of the project is #1, 898,456,175.00K (One billion, eight hundred and ninety-eight million, four hundred and fifty-six thousand, and one hundred and seventy-five naira) with a twelve-month completion period.

Source: Daily post

Nigerian government approves N14.4bn for second Niger Bridge

The report further highlights the existing gap in human security across the geo-political zones of the country It also ranked Nigeria’s regions in terms of safety and security.The most human security secure geo-political zone is the south-east, while the north-west and the north-east geo-political zones are considered as the least human security secured, with residents of the Federal Capital Territory being the worst in most realms of the Human Security Index.

In his speech Senator Udoma Udo Udoma commended the UNDP for the effort in putting together detailed findings of the human development indices for Nigeria. He noted that the report adopted a broader and more holistic view of the issue of human security and its linkage to human development.

“From the report, it is clear that human security in Nigeria is mainly constrained by threats of economic access, high unemployment rates, and low perception of job security. Thus, individual choice of sufficient and predictable income ought to be guaranteed,” the senator stated.

He further noted that the findings contained in the report “lay a strong foundation for not only addressing poverty, reducing unemployment and inequalities, but also rebuilding communities and regions that have been adversely affected by insecurity”.

“The Nigerian government and, indeed, the current administration is not surprised at the findings of the studies reported in this document.

“We are very much optimistic that effective implementation of our change agenda will make more resources available to address areas of critical needs to improve human security and human development indices,” Senator Udoma Udo Udoma stated.

Not only does the report conclude that the status of human development in Nigeria has not shown remarkable improvement in spite of the changes in the social and economic conditions in recent years, it further states that economic growth in Nigeria has not been associated with poverty reduction and unemployment has not declined. A situation that has consequently slowed down the rate of improvement in human development as evidenced by marginal improvement in Human Development Index (HDI) between 2012 and 2013.

Among the recommendations made by the report include addressing social security through the establishment and support to institutions and initiatives that help individuals with low levels of human security; including the access of the lowest-income groups to food and of low-income groups to various forms of social security.

“Insecurity remains an ever-present threat to peace and development of the country … and, without a doubt, poses great danger and exacerbates an already fragile economic development landscape as the country grapples with the reality of shifting from over-reliance on oil and gas sector to other sectors,” Fatma Samoura, the UNDP Nigeria resident representative, said during thr presentation.

“We consider the report a timely intervention that should stimulate the robust application of human security framework in the human development approach at national, state and local levels,” she concluded.

Source: Naij.com
https://www.naij.com/830167-will-surprised-know-safest-region-nigeria-according-un-report.html

The governors, who were meeting for the first time since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the presidential election in 2015, said they would work together to develop the economic potentials of the zone, so as to raise revenues, cause development and create jobs for the teeming youths.
And apparently to put a stamp in their new desire, the governors who were physically present at the meeting, which held yesterday in Enugu, nominated Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State as their new chairman. He replaced former Abia governor, Theodore Orji.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Umahi stated they also resolved to pursue a common security agenda so as to stem the tide of kidnapping and other security challenges that could affect the overall development of the zone.

To fortify the cause for economic integration of the region, the Ebonyi State chief executive disclosed that the economic commissioners of the five states had being mandated to meet at a later date for the purposes of articulating a joint economic agenda of development that will better the lot of the people.

His words: “We decided to have proper economic integration of the Eastern zone. And in this regard, we have instructed the economic commissioners ‎of the various states to come out with a blue print in that regard.

“I want to first of all accept the leadership position that my colleagues have imposed on me. Though I am not most qualified, but they decided that I should lead the Eastern Governors’ Forum at a time like this. So I want to thank them with all sense of humility and I accept with all my heart.”

Source: Guardian

Eastern governors mull uniform economic, security polices