SESSG Group to Explore, Catalyse Economic Opportunities

A non-governmental platform, the South-East South-South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN), has said it would devote its energy to fueling dialogues that would lead to the nation’s socio-economic development.

According to a statement by the NGO, SESSPN members are “socially-conscious businessmen and professionals who are keen on deploying their values, voices, perspectives, life experiences, skills and expertise to promote sustainable development and growth in the region with or without the much-clamored restructuring.

“We will drive national and regional dialogue that shape policy and economic development and ensure we have a front row on how, who, what leads to the development of our region.

SESSPN going forward will begin a quarterly business and professional roundtable and conversation across the public and private sector.”

They have slated the first interaction for the Prime Chinese Restaurant at Bishop Abayode Cole, Victoria Island – Lagos tomorrow at 3pm with Dr. Sokonte Davies, Executive Director, Nigerian Ports Authority as keynote Speaker and Guest of Honour.

“We intend to have and partner with like-minded associations within and across the two regions to harmonise and birth our position in a large, pluralistic and yet self-determining Nigeria.

We will leverage our collective intellectual capital and networks to champion and navigate development to our region.

“At all times, SESSPN will demand the rule of law, fairness and equity to all no matter their creed, social standing or status in life.”

They said “With this overlap between the SESSPN and the beneficial influence of the private sector, it is envisaged that a new impetus will be granted to the causes that animate our members and fuel the fire of our devotion to the enthronement of a new reality in the daily economic and social lives of our people.

“Subsequent to our recent election of new executives for the SESSPN, members are optimistic about actualising the developmental agenda of the association. This however, will require the co-opting of the political leadership of the states in the region, with the ultimate goal of promoting the interests of the long-suffering people of the region, through the harnessing and marshalling of the civic and economic strength that ordinary people wield in their numbers.

“Our goal is an enlightened people, with eyes newly-open to the urgent need for change of the present order, and access to the information that empowers them to make the educated choices required to effect the much needed seismic shifts in our body-politic.

“We recognise the gravity of this opportunity at which we have arrived, and humbly accept the responsibility of standing as repairers of the breach, restorers of streets to dwell in, and those called to raise up the foundations of many generations. In this task, we welcome the partnership and collaboration of all men and women of goodwill, and eagerly anticipate the dawning of a better day for our people. As we champion their development and right to be happy.

“It is on the above that our sole agenda, which Mr. Pascal Odibo the group country director, Jeff & O’Brien Africa and now the PRO, SESSPN says is to catalyse deliberately, through strategic engagement of the critical stakeholders of the two regions and bring planned growth and integration of our economies, people and assets.”

Ugwuanyi’s Inaugurates N10m Projects for every Community

The “one community, one project” initiative of the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration paid off on Friday in Ibagwa Nike, Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State, as he inaugurated projects executed by the community with the first tranche of N5million disbursed by the state government to autonomous communities to carry out development projects of their choice.

The N5million, which was recently presented to the Traditional Rulers and the President Generals of Town Unions in the communities, was utilised by the Ibagwa Nike community to provide an Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre to educate and enhance the skills of the youth in partnership with National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

It was also used to complete the borehole project for the community for adequate water supply as well as furnishing of the Prince Arthur Eze Community Development Centre, which contains a Pro-credit Microfinance Bank and the offices of the Traditional Prime Minister; Neighborhood Watch Association; General Secretary of the community; the Youths and Sports President and Customary Court Registrar.

Introducing the projects to Gov. Ugwuanyi for inauguration, the Traditional Ruler of the community, Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu, on behalf of the people of the area, appreciated the governor’s commitment to rural development and participatory democracy, noting that his administration’s vision to ensure that development reached every community in the state was unprecedented and a good omen for the state.

Ugwuanyi through the approval of the State Executive Council (EXCO) earmarked N2.25 billion for 450 autonomous communities in the state as the first tranche of the N10 million for the execution of development projects of their choice. Recently, the governor formally handed over N5 million cheque each to 118 autonomous communities that had then fulfilled the requirements for the release of the fund.

Gov. Ugwuanyi while presenting the cheques to the communities stated that the decision was in line with his administration’ resolve to empower each autonomous community in the state with the sum of N10 million to carry out projects that would address their “peculiar and immediate development needs”.

He added that his administration decided that the choice of the projects and their execution were left “entirely” to the discretion of the stakeholders of each individual community, saying: “This was in fulfillment of our promise to promote participatory democracy and extensive rural development in the state as well as the involvement of all local communities in the implementation of government policies and programmes”.

Inaugurating the Ibagwa Nike projects, Gov. Ugwuanyi commended the community for the “prompt completion” of the state government development projects, describing it as “gratifying”.

The governor stated that the projects would add a significant value to the development of the area as well as wellbeing of the people, and called on other communities in the state to toe the same line with the Ibagwa Nike community in the development of their communities with the resources given to them by the state government.

He therefore, reiterated his administration’s commitment to rural development and wellbeing of the entire people of the state.     

 

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