By Godwin Okeh, Abakaliki.
The appointment of Barr. Nweze Chioma as the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Community Engagement, South East region, according to some schools of thought, is a perfect move by the All Progressives Congress, APC's administration in the country to translate her desire for effective community development, peace and security management using competent Nigerian technocrats as threshold to a more prosperous and peaceful nation.
For many Nigerians, the creation of the new community engagement department and the subsequent appointment of technocrats to man it, is a way of bringing to bare, the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's quest to bring unprecedented development to the six geopolitical zones of the country, in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, which encompasses government policies to guarantee even and accelerated development across the region.
On this premise, Barr. Nweze as a technocrat and a developmentalist, has within a few weeks, embarked on an exciting journey. The journey is towards changing the alleged ugly narratives of the South East region, ranging from being politically and economically marginalized, defaced with gully erosions, insecurity of lives and properties and under development.
Barr. Nweze, whose appointment, was overwhelmingly heralded with commendation by leaders and stakeholders of the region, had reiterated the commitment of the Federal government to ensure that there is total inclusiveness of Ndigbo in the scheme of things, and well, put to an end all threats that had bedevilled and given the region bad name.
To combat these ugly narratives that badly affect the collective existence and development of the various communities in the Southeast region, Nweze has enumerated lots of measures to ensure that the region is rebuilt, developed, unified and reformed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration.
"As I take on this task before me, I assure you, our leaders, that I'm consulting widely on how best to proceed with our common agenda of reform and revitalisation for Ndigbo and South East region" she vowed.
Nweze's unrelenting commitment to unlocking the south-east full potential hinged on collaboration, partnership, eradication of poverty, inclusiveness in developmental projects and programs of the federal government, improved access to quality education and healthcare services, as well as promoting agriculture and other economic sectors in the region.
Collaboration.
South East region is tasked with three core mandates, which are; robust synergy with the federal government and other regions towards the upliftment of the Zone, averting all forms of violence/ insecurity and promoting unity, peace and order.
Experts say that these mandates can be optimally achieved through deliberate, revolutionary, collaborative engagements with stakeholders at home and abroad. This was why, Nweze upon her appointment, outlined collaboration with all prominent stakeholders of the region both those at home and in the diaspora, as critical to achieving South East full potential.
"I will continue to consult, lean on and count on the wisdom of present and past Igbo elites. We will listen attentively to your concerns, expectations and admonitions. We come as your servants; you, our masters and we would at all times listen to and heed your advice" she stated.
She urged the leaders and stakeholders of the region to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, to harness the region's full potential. "Ndigbo should support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he is determined to bring unprecedented development to the zone in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda which entails inclusive development of all zones without leaving any section of the country behind.
"I had earlier at the Igbo day celebration held in Enugu made a call to Ndigbo to remain united, resolute and embrace the think home philosophy while synergizing with the federal government towards the upliftment of the South East geographical Zone.
She further assured of the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards "the development and harnessing of the potentials of South East Zone for the profitability of the nation, hence, the appointment of His Excellency Distinguished Senator David Umahi as the Honourable Minister of Works and other notable sons and daughters of Igbo nation into key federal positions to ensure the inclusivity of the zone.
Partnership.
Barr. Nweze has embarked on partnerships with professionals and global experts, institutions, leaders of thoughts and Federal ministries, all geared towards making informed decisions that will promote peace, unity, progress and inclusiveness of the Southeast region in the various developmental projects of the federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This is evident, as she recently partnered with Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, who reintroduced the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023 (SB.129) which has passed the First Reading in the Nigerian Senate.
Baring her mind on the relevance of the bill, Nweze showered encomium on Senator Ubah for the re-introduction of the bill in the National Assembly, stressing that the re-introduction of the bill was timely at a time the Southeast zone is yearning for more Federal presence to boost the Economic potentials of the zone while facing existential threats of erosion, insecurity and educational decline leading to the increasing number of out of school children.
According to her: "The South-East Development Commission Bill (SEDC) when established, will be responsible for coordinating and implementing development projects and programs in the region in partnership with state governments, local communities, and other relevant stakeholders to identify the needs and priorities of our region and develop strategies to address them.
She added further: "The Commission will have the power to receive and manage funds from the federal government, international donors, and other sources to implement development projects, promote and facilitate investments in the Southeast region and work to attract both local and foreign investors and prioritize the development of critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges and water resources, and will also focus on improving access to quality education and healthcare services, as well as promoting agriculture and other economic sectors in the region" she noted.
Similarly, Barr. Nweze avowed to partner all leaders of South East at the federal and sub-national level, including the Governors of Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, Enugu and Anambra states; Honorable Ministers: Engr David Nweze Umahi (Works), Doris Anite, (Industry, Trade & Investment), Uche Nnaji (Innovation, Science & Technology), Uju Kennedy, (Women Affairs) Nkiru Onyejeocha, (Minister of State, Labour & Employment) and the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, to ensure that all communities in the region are peaceful and enjoys the unprecedented developments and presence of the federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Eradication of poverty, inclusiveness in developmental projects and programs of tinubu's led administration
Barr. Nweze had in a quest to ensure total eradication of poverty, and inclusion of the region in the scheme of things, had recently visited the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu in her office, who assured of her painstaking efforts to ensure that the people of the region are captured in the ongoing
verification of the National Social Register for the disbursement of conditional cash transfers to 25 million poor families and needy homes across the six geopolitical zones of the country, and South East region inclusive.
According to Nweze: "My visit was to collaborate with the Honourable Minister in her painstaking efforts to actualize the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu" and further commended the Minister, Edu for reaching out to rural Communities in Oko Agbon, Adogbo, Migbewhe, Makoko, Sogunro and Apollo villages in Lagos State in her efforts to ensure that the National Social register reflects those with the greatest need during the verification of the social register flag off.
Barr. Nweze stated that the national social register was compiled by each of the 36 states and the FCT by targeting teams and enumerators engaged by state governments and overseen by the ministry of planning in each state. "The ongoing verification which was flagged off some weeks ago by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs seeks to purge the National social register of ghost beneficiaries" by ensuring that genuine poor, needy and vulnerable Nigerian families will be the real beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer.
She appealed to State governments, LGAs, Traditional Rulers, community heads, Women and youth leaders in South East zone to own the ongoing verification by ensuring that only the deserving poor and needy families in each country are verified as captured in the register for Accurate Data.
President Tinubu's aide, Nweze further assured that the Federal government is going to put money into the households of Nigerians to assist them in terms of their businesses, livelihood, and education, to be able to pay fees for their children, improve access to social services, subsidize their daily transportation cost, give them spending power to provide for basic health care needs, job creation etc.
She also urged the southeasterners to keep hope alive by dedication to Service, courage to uplift the region and the nation at large, at all times and the "supreme sacrifices for our common prosperity" Nweze said.
