Enugu Governor Peter Mbah has urged the South East Development Commission to prioritise a regional gas pipeline, an inter-state railway network and funding for young entrepreneurs to accelerate industrialisation across the five South East states.
Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has urged the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to prioritise a regional high-pressure gas pipeline, an inter-state railway network and funding initiatives for businesses as part of efforts to accelerate industrialisation across the region.
Mbah said the proposed infrastructure could stimulate economic activities, improve transportation and strengthen integration among the five South East states. He also called on the National Assembly to provide adequate funding to enable the commission to implement projects addressing the region’s development needs.
The governor made the appeal on Monday, October 12, when he received the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission, led by its chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, at the Government House in Enugu.
The delegation, which included the SEDC management team led by Managing Director Mark Okoye, was in the state as part of an oversight visit to assess the commission’s projects and programmes.
Mbah described the Senate committee as important to the region’s development, citing the economic opportunities that could emerge from coordinated regional investments.
The governor proposed a high-pressure gas pipeline connecting major cities across the South East, saying reliable access to gas could support industries and encourage large-scale manufacturing.
He argued that the region should benefit from gas resources produced within the wider southern part of Nigeria, noting that pipeline infrastructure already serves other parts of the country.
Mbah said the SEDC could provide the institutional platform for coordinating and implementing a project of that scale, potentially improving energy access for industrial and commercial activities.
Mbah also called for an inter-state railway network linking major cities across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
He said the proposed rail system could facilitate trade, improve the movement of people and goods, and reduce pressure on existing roads.
The governor urged the five states to work towards a common railway development plan, with the SEDC serving as a coordinating platform for regional collaboration.
He said joint planning would be necessary to ensure that the proposed railway system reflects the connectivity needs of the entire region rather than isolated state projects.
Beyond energy and transportation, Mbah highlighted the commission’s potential role in agricultural development and support for technology-driven enterprises.
He cited the flag-off of a 200-hectare integrated Agro Development Programme at Nomeh Unateze in Enugu State as one of the commission’s interventions in the agricultural sector.
The governor assured the SEDC of the state government’s support in creating an enabling environment for the project.
He also urged the commission to establish funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs whose businesses had attained the minimum viable product stage, enabling them to expand operations, create jobs and contribute to economic growth.
Mbah called on members of the Senate committee to support efforts to secure the funding required for the commission’s projects, describing the proposed interventions as potential drivers of industrial transformation in the South East.
Earlier, Kalu commended the Mbah administration’s reported investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, water supply and transportation.
He cited the development of Smart Green Schools, more than 7,000 classrooms, Type II primary healthcare centres across the state’s 260 electoral wards and investments in multimodal transportation.
Kalu also acknowledged efforts to strengthen engagement between the South East and the Federal Government and thanked President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the establishment of the SEDC.
The senator disclosed that the disagreement over the location of the commission’s headquarters had been resolved following the Enugu State Government’s provision of temporary office accommodation and a site for its permanent headquarters.
He thanked Mbah for the support provided to facilitate the commission’s take-off and assured the governor of the Senate committee’s continued support for its activities.
The proposed gas pipeline, railway network and business financing initiatives now place regional coordination and funding among the key issues facing the SEDC as it works towards addressing development needs across the South East.
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