Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has called on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to prioritise the development of a regional gas pipeline and railway network. He made the call when he received the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission led by its Chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. Mbah said the proposed infrastructure would boost economic activities, improve connectivity among the five South East states and strengthen regional integration.
The governor identified a high-pressure gas pipeline connecting major cities across the South East as a critical intervention that could provide industries with reliable access to gas and stimulate large-scale industrial development. He argued that the region should benefit from gas resources produced within the wider southern part of the country. Mbah noted that pipeline infrastructure already transports gas to other parts of Nigeria.
Mbah also proposed an inter-state railway network linking major cities across the five South East states to facilitate trade, improve transportation and reduce pressure on the region’s road network. He urged the states to work together on a common design for the proposed railway system, with the SEDC providing a platform for coordination and regional collaboration.
The governor further highlighted the commission’s role in supporting agriculture and technology-driven enterprises. He cited the flag-off of a 200-hectare integrated Agro Development Programme at Nomeh Unateze, Enugu State, as one of its interventions in the agricultural sector. Mbah assured the commission of the state government’s support in providing an enabling environment for the project.
Mbah stressed the need for the SEDC to provide funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs whose businesses had attained the minimum viable product stage. He called on the senators to support the Commission in securing the funding required to undertake the project, describing it as a potential catalyst for an industrial revolution in the region.
Earlier, Kalu commended the Mbah administration for its interventions 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 the state’s multimodal transportation system.
Kalu disclosed that the issue surrounding 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 the governor for the support provided to facilitate the commission’s take-off and assured him of the committee’s continued support for its activities.
Key points
- Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, urges SEDC to develop regional gas pipeline and railway network.
- The proposed infrastructure aims to boost economic activities and industrialisation in the South East region.
- The governor also calls for adequate funding for the Commission to address the region’s development needs.
