Ohanaeze inaugurates Planning and Strategy Committee; Prof. Soludo is Chairman

From: Madu Ezenoha, Enugu

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has inaugurated a 100-member Planning and Strategy Committee to chart a new economic and political direction for Ndigbo.

Performing the inauguration at Nike Lake Resort Hotel Enugu, on Saturday, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo charged the committee headed by former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to articulate and formulate economic and political policies for Ndigbo.

He assured that the recommendations of the committee would be used by Ohanaeze secretariat, where found useful, to formulate integrative economic programmes for the respective states within the zone, in collaboration with the South East Governors as well as Governors of Rivers and Delta states.

Nwodo particularly charged the committee to zero in on articulation of integrated railway network linking all seven Ohanaeze States; an annual growth of one million palm trees in each of the seven Ohanaeze states within the next five years; a corresponding growth of attractive processing industries for the palm produce on high, medium and small scale levels and a policy for maximization of the zone’s coal resources for power generation.

Others are a geological inventory of all mineral resources and a carefully scripted plan for engaging the federal government in their exploitation; the development of a refinery for petroleum resources; a paradigm shift to greenhouses methodology for vegetable production using the Netherlands’ experience as a typology;  a deliberate policy for development of ICT hubs in the states of the region to encourage human capital development; an educational curriculum geared to development of skills amongst men and women in the region; recommendation of appropriate policies to states to improve the educational standards in their schools at all levels and growth of reliable financial institutions for mortgage, small scale business financing and research.
The Ohanaeze President General regretted the recent quit notice issued Ndigbo living in the northern part of the country and the support by a section of northern elders, and wondered at the “incapacity of the police to make needful arrests in this situation pointing at doubtful standards from our security forces”.
He cautioned the youths of the area against spiraling out of control, saying, “The jury is still out in Igbo land regarding the choice between self-determination and restructuring as a solution to our current impasse”.
Reacting on behalf of the members of the committee, Prof. Soludo stated that it was time for Ndigbo to take their destiny in their hands as the region is now an emerging global tribe with huge population density of about 1,351 persons per sq km, and largest contribution of human and material resources in Africa.
He said that Nigeria’s population is estimated at 400 million by 2050 saying it represents a huge market for Ndigbo if a well articulated economic development policy was put in place to harvest their enterprise and ingenuity.
“As an emerging global tribe, we must learn a new language of global business diplomacy and good neighbourliness. As the saying goes, to change your world, change your word! We need to change the conversation, we need to change the narrative!
“News bridges must be built, and a new politics needs to evolve. Public service in Igboland must take a new face and a new meaning. Our leadership recruitment process needs rethinking. The language of marginalization also needs interrogation: is it about political appointments/offices or about economic empowerment through private enterprise, and the interactions between the two?”
Other members of the committee include; Prof; Barth Nnaji, Prof Mark Anikpo, Prof Eugene Nweke, Prof. Osita Ogbu, Amb. Frank Ogbuewu, Dr. Olisa Agbokoba, SAN, Prof. Hilary Edoga, Amb. Alex Nwofe, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Mr. Mike Chukwu and Dr. Adline Idike.