Zonal Integration: South-East Governors converge in Enugu

Nigeria’s governors of the southeast zone on Sunday met in Enugu with a fresh call for zonal socio-economic integration with a resolve fto map out strategies especially in energy sector for greater economic activities in Igboland. To the meeting, former Minister for Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, was with a view to finding out how the zone could harness geometric power plant in Abia State to boost power supply in the entire southeast zone. Apart from their talks with the ex-minister, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Geometrics Power Limited, the governors also disclosed that they would soon meet with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to ascertain its challenges and how power distribution could be improved in the area. Chairman of the Southeast ”ŽGovernors’ Forum, Chief David Umahi of Ebonyi State briefed newsmen shortly after the meeting on the forum’s consultation with the Bank of Agriculture, (BoA) for benefits derivable from the bank, stressing that BoA was not pleased with the paucity of funds, as there was not much coming from the financial institution. The governors announced the composition of a 10-man economic team which comprised Professor Barth Nnaji, former presidential economic adviser, Professor Osita Ogbu and eight others. These would be selected from the five states that make up the zone, with two selected from each of the states. Umahi noted that the South East Economic integration agenda”Ž was on course. “When it’s effort at improving power supply is achieved, it will help spur it’s railway, cement production and other economic and industrial programs the zone is articulating in unism,” he said. The governors also looking to collaborate with the Southeast Economic Corporation and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).