SEDC Chair Appointment: Round Peg in Round Hole
The wisdom of the sponsors of the bill for the establishment of South East Development Commission at the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu’s commitment for an overall equitable national developmental agenda cannot be over-emphasized. To drive home his Renewed Hope Agenda, the President has in no mistakable terms demonstrated his vision to place the country on a fresh developmental map among comity of developing nations through regional development commissions
Aside South East Development Commission (SEDC) charged with the responsibility of “reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region, others representing different regions are in place to tackle their developmental needs.
While Policies and establishment of overriding agencies of government abound but there lies the quality and capacity of the managerial engine to drive those visions to reality. However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent appointment of Chief Barrister Emeka Wogu (PhD) as the Chairman of South East Development Commission is seen as a round peg in a round hole.
Chief Wogu, an astute politician with uncanny approach to conflict resolution which he displayed as former minister of labour and productivity reconciling government and workers, as well brings to the table his grassroot political dexterity having served as local government chairman, federal house of representative member and as a decorated traditional title holder from different Igbo communities.
President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for the Chairmanship of South East Development Commission is no mean person intellectually. A Phd holder, a lawyer and Public Administrator that rose to the rank as minister in the Federal Cabinet, we are in no doubt that the National Assembly will confirm his appointment to chair the SEDC in order to bring the desired economic, social growth and development of the region.
The south East with its abundant human and material endowment replete with commerce and industry yearns for collective and governmental approach to unlocking the potentials of the region to contribute to the overall growth of Nigeria and Africa’s economy.
As the Nomination by the President and Confirmation from the Senate comes to a close, we expect the Chief Emeka Wogu led wise men from the east to get down to business of addressing the challenges facing the region while upholding transparency and accountability.
No doubt, the incoming SEDC management must realize that though the challenges are enormous, the expectations are as well high and not with the devastation of erosion in arable lands, closure of industries that have aggravated unemployment, enhancement of quality of goods and services and reduction of number of school drop outs in the region. These are realities that must be tackled head long.
Pius Nzewuihe
Media Consultant, Wrote from Aba, Abia State.
