Governor Mbah urges SEDC to focus on gas pipeline and railways

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has called on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to focus on building a regional gas pipeline, railway network, and other initiatives to speed up industrial growth in the area.

Mbah said these projects would enhance economic activities, improve connections among the five South East states, and boost regional unity.

He also asked the National Assembly to provide enough funding for the Commission. He described it as a key platform for tackling the region’s development challenges.

The governor made these comments on Monday when he met the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission, led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. The delegation visited to assess the SEDC's projects and was joined by the Commission's management team, including its Managing Director, Mr Mark Okoye.

"For us in the South East, this Committee is one of the most important committees of the National Assembly, given the immense development prospects it holds for our people," he stated.

Mbah highlighted the need for a high-pressure gas pipeline that connects major cities in the South East. He believes this would give industries steady access to gas and encourage large-scale industrial growth.

He pointed out that the region should benefit from the gas resources available in the southern part of Nigeria. He noted that existing pipeline infrastructure already transports gas to different parts of the country.

"If we are able to have a high-pressure gas pipeline across all the major cities in the South East, I know that the SEDC is a veritable platform that can essentially execute a project of that scale," Mbah said.

Mbah also suggested creating an inter-state railway network to link key cities in the five South East states. This would help trade, improve transport, and ease pressure on the roads. He urged the states to collaborate on a common design for the railway, with the SEDC coordinating the effort.

"We are hoping that, given the coming into effect of the SEDC, we will be able to use it as a platform to bring all the other states together to have a common design on the South East railway line," he added.

The governor emphasized the Commission’s role in supporting agriculture and tech-driven businesses. He mentioned the launch of a 200-hectare integrated Agro Development Programme at Nomeh Unateze, Enugu State, as one of its agricultural interventions.

He assured the Commission of the state government’s support in creating a good environment for the project.

Mbah also stressed the need for SEDC to provide funding for young entrepreneurs whose businesses have reached the minimum viable product stage. This funding would help them grow their businesses and boost economic development.

He urged the senators to back the Commission in getting the funding needed for these projects, calling it a potential spark for an industrial revolution in the region.

Earlier, Kalu praised the Mbah government for its efforts in infrastructure, education, healthcare, water supply, and transport.

He mentioned the creation of Smart Green Schools, over 7,000 classrooms, and Type II primary healthcare centres in all 260 electoral wards of the state, as well as the state’s multimodal transportation system.

The senator also recognized Mbah’s work to strengthen ties between the South East and the Federal Government. He thanked President Bola Tinubu for helping to set up the SEDC.

Kalu revealed that the matter of where the Commission’s headquarters would be located has been sorted out. The Enugu State Government has provided a temporary office and a site for its permanent headquarters.

"We wanted to make sure that the commission locates to Enugu State as soon as possible, and this has been a subject of disagreement. But today, I can assure you that the issue is settled," he said.

He thanked the governor for the support given to help the Commission get started and promised that the committee would continue to support its activities.