The bane of growth in the geopolitical region, according to Obinna Oriaku, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress and former Abia State Commissioner of Finance, is a lack of strategy and internal rivalry among leaders in southeast Nigeria.
He spoke on Monday while discussing the results of the just-completed Southeast Economic and Security Summit held in Owerri, the capital of Imo state.
OBASANJO NEWS24 learned that the governors of southeast Nigeria met last Thursday for a two-day conference in Owerri to examine the concerns of insecurity and economic disruptions plaguing the region and propose solutions.
The five governors were asked to speak at the summit in turn about how the region’s once-vibrant and forward-thinking economy has been affected by the rising level of insecurity.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Oriaku expressed sadness over the leaders of the southeast zone’s discordant tone in attempting to find a solution for the economic development and general security of the southeast and Igbo land.
He said, in part: “Our clamorous nature and drive for the competitiveness which has aided us as Igbos in our survival may also be our undoing.
“We can see the enthusiasm these current governors of the southeast have had towards repositioning the Igbos economically and politically.
“Enugu State at their economic summit established a committee on ports which according to them may be accessed between the limits of Anambra and Igbo-Etiti local government of the state. It would be preferable to leave it up to the experts to determine how feasible this ambitious proposition is.
“Anambra State is similarly obsessed on a seaport, but the Onitsha light port has yet to see significant activity since barges with cargo from Lagos or Port-Harcourt barely use the port due to several challenges.
“Recently, the Imo State administration ordered investigations on how to link to the Atlantic by the Orashi River through Oguta. And last week, the study was presented with fanfare, and the venture’s expected success remains unclear, he added.
“The governor of Abia State discussed the construction of yet another seaport at Owazza. This is remarkable because the only two Abia communities that are closest to the Atlantic are Azumini and Onuasusu in Arochukwu, and a lot of work has gone into these projects, especially in Azumini.
“during the same time, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President of Ohanaeze, discussed the seaport in Oguta during the summit in Owerri.
“Due to the nature of our politics as a nation, this exhibits dissonant tones and a lack of strategy for an area seeking to gain the attention of the centre.
“One would have anticipated that these governors would have established a commission to mutually determine which of all these listed potential seaports is the most strategic, viable, and realisable.
This will guarantee that the centre won’t refuse us any of these initiatives on the grounds that our demands are contradictory.
The financial expert noted that “just recently, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) started moving containers from Apapa seaport through rail to Ibadan dry port, similar to Kaduna dry port, which has been in operation for more than six years.”
He cautioned the Igbos to avoid going in circles and to be strategic in their participation. He also advised them to quiet the voices that were all too frequently opposed to their efforts until they were realised.
