Stakeholders from the Southeast geo-political zone have expressed optimism that strict implementation of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) Act, would tackle the age-long infrastructural deficit in the zone.

President Bola Tinubu, in July last year, signed the Bill into law, with its headquarters in Enugu. He subsequently appointed Mark Okoye as the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer and former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Emeka Wogu as the chairman of the Board of the Commission, among other members and Executive Directors.

Speaking with The Guardian on the issue, a member of the National Gas Expansion Programme, Technical Working Committee (NGEP/TWC), Amb. Timothy Ihemadu expressed optimism about the composition of the board.

According to him, they are men and women of proven impeachable track record in public life who undoubtedly would address the needs of the people of the zone by strictly adhering to the letters of the Act establishing the Commission.

Ihemadu argued that the establishment of the Commission would also address insecurity; economic empowerment; urban renewal and housing; health and education; cultural and historic preservation initiatives; youth development; environmental sustainability; diaspora engagement; effective collaboration on policy advocacy and regional coordination, among others.

He suggested that “engaging Igbo professionals, business leaders, and community advocates across the globe, particularly in regions with significant diaspora populations, such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, would achieve a lot.

Other stakeholders from Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra states, said the coming of the Commission has assured the people of the zone that it had come to stay, calling for adequate funding framework and project design, implementation and execution.

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