Senator Orji Uzor Kalu [APC, Abia North) says there is an urgent need for peace and stability in the South East region to drive national productivity and development.
In an exclusive interview with a television house on Sunday, January 19, Kalu pointed to the challenges in the region as a factor stifling Nigeria’s economic advancement.
He said the region’s potential as a hub for industrial production remains untapped due to lingering insecurity. “Most of the items produced in China and other foreign nations could be produced in the region if security was guaranteed,” he stated.
Unlock SE Potential
The senator believes the South East region needs a peaceful atmosphere, electricity, and sound policies to maximize its economic potential.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker also called for the addressing of the agitations from the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
He advocated for expedited efforts to resolve the matter, stressing that it could help foster peace and stability in the region.
“I think President Tinubu is coming there. I mean, Rome was not built in a day. We are just battling with the insurgents in our area, and gradually, we are coming up,” Kalu explained. He said he is optimistic about President Bola Tinubu‘s administration, indicating that the government is on the right track but must prioritize defeating insecurity to unlock the next phase of development.
“Once we calm down the insurgents or banditry and our unknown gunmen and all the rest of them, the President and his team, along with us, will advise him to open chapter two of the book. And the chapter two will be development,” he stated.
“Let me be honest with you,” the senator went on, “Nigerians are suffering because of the problem we are having in the South East. The South East can produce everything you buy in China. We can make them in Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha. Everything you buy from China.
“Just give us electricity, give us the way that we need, and give us direction. We will produce everything that you produce in China. The technologies are there; we have everything, but we need a better atmosphere,” Kalu asserted.
“We need to clean away properly, in agreement, the sit-at-home which has cost hundreds of billions of Naira out of the South East. We need to bring back the I can do it spirit. We need to send back Eging by Eging. We need to go back to what we know how to do,” he added.
Comment, Like 👍, share this article, and Follow us on our social media handles.
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
