Southeast Now Receives Priority Attention from FG, Says Idris

•Abia stakeholders urge action on insecurity

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has said that the era of perceived marginalisation of the Southeast zone has gone following the inception of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He stated this Thursday in Umuahia at a forum to showcase the midterm report of Tinubu’s government, saying that in his policies, programmes and distribution of  projects

“The South East is no longer an afterthought but a priority now,” he said, adding that this new development was made possible with the Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA) of Mr. President.

Idris, who was represented by the Head of Centre, Federal Information Centre, Umuahia,  Mrs. Gloria Ify Abiakam, noted that under the RHA, “several critical sectors are receiving attention long overdue”.

According to him, “The commendable efforts and achievements of the administration of President Tinubu has impacted on Abia and Southeast in general.

He said: “In the area of agriculture, the establishment of the cassava, bio-ethanol project in Enugu is a bold step towards food security and job security.

“This project holds promising opportunities not only for our farmers but for the entire agro-processing value chain that many Abians will benefit from directly or indirectly”.

The minister listed other initiates of the FG that have benefitted Abia, including the youth agricultural support programme of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, implemented in Abia through wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti.

He said that Abians should avail themselves of FG’s interventions such as students loans, SME grants, cash aids for poor of the poor households, Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA), National Youth Talent Export, Digital and Creative Enterprises (DCE), among others.

Idris also reminded Ndi Abia that the Tinubu administration was addressing the infrastructural needs of the South-East zone, citing the ongoing reconstruction of the “regional assets” for connectivity, including Enugu-Port Harcourt express way, Enugu-Onitsha express way.

“As people known for industry, enterprise, and resilience, let us take full advantage of these initiatives,” he said, urging people to support every effort that brings development closer to our communities”.

In his presentation, the Owerri zonal director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Sam Oditah, said that President Tinubu has achieved so much in under two years of coming to power, despite the initial skepticism of his critics.

He said that the economic reforms “are working” as the initial harsh effects were already easing off and inflation is also gradually falling.

Oditah appealed to the people of Southeast zone to stop shying away from participating in federal government’s programmes aimed  at making life better for the masses, adding that “we are shortchanging ourselves by not taking advantage of such programmes”.

However, stakeholders that spoke at the event called on President Tinubu to do more and pull the nation out of the throes of insecurity, and also ensure that projects are evenly distributed among the zones.

They were of the view that every achievement recorded by the Tinubu government would not make any significant impact if the present security problem is not tackled decisively.

As the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), represented by Dr. Francis Okere pointed out, “one’s best is never enough until the desired result is achieved”.

 “Let Mr. President do all he can and, at least, reduce the level of insecurity, if he can’t eliminate it entirely,” he said.