South East Governors Partner FG On Power, Rail, Infrastructure

Governors of the South East, under the aegis of South East Governors’ Forum (SEGOF), said they are collaborating with the federal government and other international organisations to improve power supply, enhance rail transportation and other infrastructur development in the zone.

The director general of the forum, Senator Uche Ekwunife, who disclosed this yesterday at a press conference in Enugu, said the forum has recorded massive landmark progress in ensuring all round development in the zone under the incumbent governors.

Ekwunife revealed that proposals were being processed, harmonised, analysed and waiting for a convenient time for the governors to implement.

“The governors are addressing the region’s infrastructure gap through strategic investments and partnership. The rehabilitation of the eastern rail line by the federal government through the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is a major milestone.

“Rehabilitation of the rail is ongoing with the first phase from Port Harcourt to Aba which is now set for commissioning this month. The second phase, extending from Aba to Enugu, is also underway.

“Knowing the concerns of Ndi-Igbo regarding a narrow-gauge system instead of a standard gauge, the South East Governors’ Forum is in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation and the NRC to seek interventions in that regard,” she said

Ekwunife also disclosed that a feasibility study for the standard gauge rail has been carried out, adding that the forum was talking with the federal government on the need for a standard gauge rail line in the region.

The former lawmaker stated that the forum was engaging relevant bodies to ensure steady power supply in the zone to drive production.

“In understating the importance of reliable power supply for economic development, the South East governors in partnership with the federal government have commissioned the Light Up Nigeria project. This initiative is a measure taken by the governors in the region to boost power supply while leveraging on the transfer of electricity from the exclusive list to the concurrent list.

“The Light Up Initiative, an intervention programme by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) in collaboration with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), aims at providing steady and reliable power supply to industrial and business clusters in the South East,” Ekwunife said.

She indicated that the forum is seriously pursuing sponsorship of a uniform legislation through state assemblies on power, leveraging on the removal of power from the exclusive list to the concurrent list.

“This legislation aims to create a seamless and investor-friendly environment, eliminating encumbrances and hurdles while transacting business with the states in the region. Using the Enugu Electricity legislation as a model, the governors are working hard to make ease of doing business sacrosanct so that investors in the power sector can freely transact business with the entire region without any legal bottlenecks or impediments,” she stated.

Ekwunife however, lamented the dwindling economic activities in the zone and blamed the same on the lack of apprenticeship. She however disclosed that the forum is working on a regional apprenticeship system to engage the youths in business mentorship.