By Kingsley Ogba Nwokoro
”…When the rhythm of the music changes, the dance pattern must change correspondingly..”
With the evolution of things in our polity, the five Eastern states must of necessity commence the exploration of the possibilities of how to make the five Eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo the envy of the other thirty-one states of Nigeria.
The development plan will willingly outlive the five governors who are currently on the saddle, but they will make the strategic plans for the development. For obvious reasons, Enugu will retain the capital status of the Region with remarkable upgrading. The Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, will be made truly an International Airport with all the paraphernalia associated with an international airport.
The other four states must also have standard airports that are linked to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu. Together, there will be developed seaports in Onitsha and Ukwa (Azumini/ Obe-Aku) and standard six-lane roads constructed that will link the seaports to all the four airports in the states and the International Airport in Enugu. Movement to all the state capitals should be made seamless on land.
As a complementary transportation system, there should be developed rail lines linking the five states. By this arrangement, movement from any part of the South East to another part of the Region should be smooth and dependable.
Except for the rail lines, some of these structures are already in place and just require upgrading and putting in place sustainable indices for durability. And for the development of the rail lines, we can get India or China to build the rail lines on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) terms. The same can be done with the seaports with a moratorium for ten years.
If we extend the development index to education, health, trade, industry and other infrastructure, we may have gone a long way in carving a viable economic bloc out of the present-day Nigeria and the degree of agitation drastically reduced. Without any further prompting, the industry giants who are of the South East extraction will not have any excuse but to relocate their factories to the South East. Their companies will now be using their present corporate headquarters in Lagos and elsewhere as selling outposts.
In developing the region, cognizance must be taken of security and provision of marketing facilities and the development of hospitality facilities for the expected upsurge of visitors the new status will attract. To match the new status of the Region, there will be world-class tourist centers, industrial parks, and innovation hubs. Development partners could be involved in the development package plans, and this is where the South East Development Commission will be of immense help. Together we can develop the South East. Together we can make the South East the Dubai of Nigeria.
- Kingsley Ogba Nwokoro, Public Policy Analyst, writes from Umuahia, Abia State.
