Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has stated that his administration will flag off a seaport in Owaza, Ukwa East Local Government Area in the State on Saturday, 30th September 2023.
He made this known at the ongoing South-East Economic & Security Summit at Landmark Event Center in Owerri, Imo State on Thursday, 28th September 2023 with the theme “South East Beyond 2023: Time for Reset” would also have an Export Processing Zone and other business-promotion facilities.
Dr. Otti tasked State Governors to create an enabling environment for businesses so that Igbos could tilt toward home in situating their businesses.
“We must encourage our people to look East by creating the right environment for business, it is not enough to tell them to return home.
“We do not have a choice but to create an enabling environment for businesses in our region”
“What we must do over the next two days is to look ourselves in the eye and say to ourselves that we have failed to replicate what our fore leaders created here in Alaigbo which was once known as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
We must rise to condemn the bloodletting and other crimes that she’d human blood, our custom and tradition referred to human life as sacred.”
Speaking, the keynote speaker, the Director General of the World Trade Organization, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that South East lost its communality and solidarity which it was known for, and urged that individuality must be eschewed to produce a working environment.
“The biggest problem in the South East is Our selves, we have lost our biggest asset which is community and solidarity. We’re too individualistic, which is good but not when we need to come together”.
“Some of the biggest Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Nigeria are Ndị Igbo, if you go to some of the biggest markets around the world, you’ll find various enterprising Ndị Igbo there but our homeland is looking so shabby.”
The Governor of Ebonyi State Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru represented by his Deputy, Mrs Patricia Obila called for peace in the region and assured that the State is fully committed to the South East region.
“We need Peace in the South East, we have the best brains in the world, we need to sit together to harness this wisdom and Ebonyi State is fully committed to this course.”
Ably present is the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Anambra State Governor Prof. Charles Soludo, former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim, Rtd. General Azubuike Ihejirika, Rtd. General Mike Okiro, CEO of Zinox Computers, and Konga Leo Stan Ekeh, amongst others.
