In The News – ERPP

#SEES2018 Communique 3rd South East Economic Summit Communique

Israel — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 13:50:54 +0000

COMMUNIQUE AT THE 3RD SOUTH EAST NIGERIA ECONOMIC SUMMIT ORGANISED BY THE SOUTH EAST REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (ERPP) HELD AT THE BASE EVENT CENTRE, BETWEEN APPEAL COURT & WAEC, INDEPENDENCE LAYOUT, ENUGU ON 11TH – 12TH DECEMBER, 2018.

1. ERPP and partners: PERL ARC and Ford Foundation organized the 3rd SEES which attracted high level personalities from private sector and the five governments of the South East. The over 500 participants came from all over the world.
2. The Governor of Enugu State sent the Director General of South East Governors’ Forum to open the Summit.
3. The former Governor of Anambra State and pioneer Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum who is now the Vice presidential candidate of PDP was the Keynote Speaker.
4. A sampling of the international attendees included Dr. Walid Farghal, Director General Annual Investment Meeting, UAE Ministry of Economy: under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vic President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. A sampling of the Nigerian participants include: Dr. Paschal Dozie, Chief Mabzulike Amaechi, Sen. Ben Obi, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Chief Dubem Onyia, Dr. Alex Chika Okafor (Chicason), etc
5. There were vigorous discussions in the on-going ERPP projects in rail network, gas pipeline network, hospital development, ICT, and the South East Finance Company.
6. There were presentations on key industrial sectors such as Enyimba Economic City, Geometric Power Project, in Aba, Aba Ariaria shoe manufacturers.
7. There were industrialists such as Dr Chika Okafor, Chairman, Chicason Group of Companies, ICT entrepreneurs, agribusiness industrialists.
8. There were excellent presentations on the Ease of Doing Business, particularly a World Bank report on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria and the South East.
9. The UAE Annual Investment Meeting signed an MOU with ERPP Board on Investment and Development partners, this was the one of the major highlights of the Summit.

Resolutions
1. Within one year to conclude feasibility study of the rail network, gas pipeline and hospital projects.
2. The SEFCO project development team will have completed the plans for capitalization by year end.
3. ERPP to set up mechanism for returning to the traditional method of training and certifying the vocational training for youths in order to give them job opportunities.
4. ERPP to support Aba leather manufacturing cluster.
5. ERPP to work with project developers to begin implementation of CSR that give sustainable empowerment to the communities and people.
6. ERPP to set up innovation center for providing technical innovation for SE entrepreneurs.
7. The Commissioners of Commerce and industries of the South East States were enjoined to provide and publish a properly “manned” compliant hotline.

BLOG Ebonyi to set up mentorship programme for unemployed graduates

ebube — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 12:59:52 +0000

THE Ebonyi State Government has announced plans to start a mentorship programme that will tackle graduate unemployment in the state. Governor David Umahi, made this known during a service to mark the 10th diocesan anniversary and the foundation stone laying of Basilica of Grace Cathedral Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion, in Afikpo on Sunday.

Umahi, in a statement on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Emma Anya, explained that the programme which would also be of great benefit to the church, would take off with 39 civil engineers.

The governor urged the church to preach the importance of hardwork to their faithful to enhance their dignity. He said, “There is a programme we want to start in Ebonyi State. By April,we want to start a mentorship programme. We want to start first with civil engineers because I am a civil engineer. We will be calling for three people in each of the 13 local government areas of the state, who are graduates and don’t have anything doing.

“We want to start a small recreation course for them. We will bring people from all over the country and also expatriates to train them for one year. “They will visit sites and be working on construction sites. After one year, we will deploy them in three companies. We will buy buldoziers, graders and concrete mixers for their companies.”

Umahi, who pointed out that a true Christian must imbibe the spirit of hardwork and honesty, observed that it was not wise for people to depend on politics as their only source of livelihood. He appealed to the Anglican Communion followers to cue into the agricultural programme of his administration. The governor also said that Afikpo would be given a facelift in line with his administration’s ongoing Urban Renewal Policy, adding that work will commence on Afikpo Uwana road next week.

Source: Vanguard: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/ebonyi-set-mentorship-programme-unemployed-graduates/

BLOG Think home, Chukwuma Soludo tells all Anambra people

ebube — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 12:59:00 +0000

FORMER governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Soludo, has tasked the people of Anambra State to always remember to invest in their home state, even as he observed that it was not possible for all of them to return to their state and reside permanently.

Delivering a lecture as part of activities to mark the 3rd anniversary of Governor Willie Obiano’s administration in Awka, Soludo, who is an indigene of the state, said the state had a strong economic base and the human and natural resources and assets to accelerate the momentum of transformation. According to him, Anambra had the potentials to become an industrial/commercial hub and a true 21st century economic miracle, adding that as an emerging global tribe, Ndigbo and Anambra must think global, but also act local.

He said: “A noteworthy feature of Anambra State at the moment is that it is a net exporter of capital. A large proportion of its most talented/skilled indigenes live outside of the state, while a larger proportion of investible capital is deployed outside of the state. “Poverty incidence in Anambra used to be the lowest mainly because of remittances by its Diaspora. The skyline of Anambra is adorned with thousands of four-storey buildings whose collateral value is insignificant (largely dead or dormant assets). “Access to bank credit is relatively low.

For example, Anambra has the fourth largest bank deposit (after Lagos, Abuja, and Rivers) but the size of bank loans granted to businesses in Anambra is a very small proportion of the deposits. This trend needs to change. “As a global tribe, we cannot be insular in orientation nor withdraw from the world. Igbo cannot all come home; it is neither wise nor feasible. Like the Jews, Anambra will probably continue to have more than 50 per cent of its indigenes outside of the homeland.”

“Given our entrepreneurial drive and high population density, our people will continue to need Nigeria, ECOWAS, Africa and the rest of the world to maximize our prosperity. “But while we must feel at home everywhere, there is only one home that will never change—the homeland! Having an identity is not inconsistent with a global or national outlook.” Citing an example with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Soludo said there were probably few who would question Obasanjo’s patriotism as a Nigerian, “but that has not made him to wear Igbo dress or our red cap to prove that he is detribalized.”.

He said further: “Both Ota Farm and the Presidential Library and Home are all in his home state—Ogun. He did not settle in Lagos or Abuja to prove that he loves Nigeria. Of course, by our Constitution, you are first identified by your ‘state of origin’ before anything else. We must not feel shy to campaign for and mobilize a new consciousness towards an “Anambra My Only Permanent Home” philosophy. God did not make a mistake to make us Ndi Anambra!”

He also recalled that while apologizing for the deportation of some Anambra indigenes from Lagos, former Governor Fashola challenged Igbo by asking why they were running away from their own state, arguing that Igbo should turn such provocation into a positive anger and a challenge to build a prosperous homeland. Speaking further, Soludo asked Anambra indigenes living outside of the state: how much tax or financial contributions do you make to your state in a year— the state/government that preserves and improves your permanent home address?”

Source: Vanguard: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/think-home-soludo-tells-anambra-people/

BLOG How to tackle infrastructural gap in South East, by Bart Nnaji

emmanuel — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 17:02:16 +0000

The near absence of federal government presence in industrial and infrastructural developments in the southeast has created a huge gap in the economic and security stability of the zone and its people, former Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji has said.

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 South East Region Economic Development Corporation (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/

BLOG Nigerian government approves N14.4bn for second Niger Bridge

emmanuel — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:46:30 +0000

The Federal Government has awarded the contract for additional works on the Second Niger Bridge linking Delta and Anambra States in the South-South and South-East zones respectively.

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

BLOG South-east is the most secure geo-political zone – UN

emmanuel — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:51:24 +0000

Photo: United Nations Secretary General.
Senator Udoma Udo Udoma says the federal government “is not surprised at the findings of the studies reported in the document” A recent report by the UN highlights the link between human security and human development with a proposition that there can be no human development without human security and that, perhaps, insecurity in the country, as in many parts of the region, is a mirror image of the persistent development deficit.The document titled “Human Security and Human Development” makes a compelling case that unchecked poverty; persistent hunger; uncontrolled diseases; lack of access to basic services; disregard for human rights; sub-optimal response to natural and man-made disasters; unregulated natural resources exploitation and use – among others, pose serious threats to human development today.

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

BLOG South East governors mull uniform economic, security polices

emmanuel — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:21:24 +0000

Photo: Celestin Umahi, Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum.
Efforts at repositioning the South-East geo political zone as a major economic backbone of the country may have started in earnest as the five governors from the region resolved to pursue a common economic blueprint that would boost its fortunes.

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 South East 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 South East 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

South East governors mull uniform economic, security polices