Tinubu Promises Massive Devt. In Southeast
*Says Ports Outside Lagos Will Be Opened To Activities
THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has promised the people of Southeast massive economic development and forward-looking government that would assuage the past difficulties of the region if elected in next year’s general elections.
Tinubu gave the assurance while speaking at a town hall meeting with leaders of the private sector and trade associations on Thursday, November 17, in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Tinubu, in response to the remarks of Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi that the region has been neglected and abandoned since the end of the civil war and his plans for the people.
Before then, he had earlier thanked Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is also the Southeast Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, for facilitating the meeting.
Tinubu, recalling his experience as a son brought up by a mother who was a trader and market leader, said based on his experience and the lessons learnt, he understands the challenges traders, business owners and people of the Southeast are facing and promised new industrial hubs would in Aba and Owerri, while existing ones would be modernised.
He told the gathering: “My government shall build an economy with a growing industrial base, more and better jobs for our youth and more high-quality home-grown goods to sell and merchandise.
“We shall establish industrial hubs throughout the nation and modernise existing ones. We will encourage and facilitate greater production in places like Owerri and Aba. At the same time, we shall broaden opportunities for you to engage in more international commerce by steering more activity towards ports outside of Lagos such as Onne.
“I envision the Owerri-Port Harcourt and Aba-Port Harcourt corridors becoming more active and lucrative trade and manufacturing corridors than they already are.
“My administration will establish policies that widen your horizons and expand your business reach both in terms of the goods you sell and your geographic reach to new markets.
“Working with the state governments, the CBN and banking industry, we shall embark on a two-pronged credit revolution.
“First, on the sale and supply side, we shall seek to drive down interest rates on business loans, especially for investment in manufacturing as well as small and medium sized enterprises.
“Second, we seek to make consumer loans more available. This will allow more people to afford and buy more high-quality goods from you. By empowering the consumer, we increase economic activity and prosperity for the overall economy as well as for your individual businesses.
“We will put in place policies that will boost trade and commerce. We will solve the forex crisis and ensure that traders like you have easy access to a unified forex market. We shall seek to revive struggling industries in this region and throughout the nation.
“Working with Uzodimma, we shall continue to push to return Avutu Poultry to its status as a world class poultry farm. This will increase food and nutrition while creating jobs and giving us a chance to open new markets. Ada Palm can, once again, become a fulcrum of job creation and foreign currency earnings.”
He stated that the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri would become fully operational to help large-scale movement of goods across the region, while priority would also be placed on the completion of the Abakaliki-Benin section of the rail project, integrating the Southeast to the national rail system.
“Our national infrastructure plan shall pay great attention to roadways eaten by erosion and flooding. We shall give traders the sound roads they deserve in order to move goods for the benefit of the rest of the population.
“For those of you in the agricultural sector, commodity exchange boards and other measures will be established to better link local markets and farmers with the global economy while also assuring them minimum prices for their harvests. The idea is to boost farm incomes, thus giving farmers greater incentive to produce more.
“We can hold to little of these good economic things without adequate peace and security. Our response to terror, kidnapping and violent criminality includes increased manpower, better communications and mobility equipment and training,” the APC flag bearer said.
Tinubu also promised to work towards integrating all regions in the country to ensure Nigeria continues to remain in unity, noting: “For me, the unity of this nation is sacrosanct, it is non-negotiable. However, I realise that many people have genuine and painful grievances in need of fair and durable resolution.
“My government will be comprised of people from every section of the country and ready to discuss legitimate grievances with those in search of a peaceful resolution. Our nation is still in its infancy compared to other nations. I am proud of how far this nation has come. I also understand the great strides still to be made if we are to build for ourselves a nation of democratic good governance, development, justice, and unity.”
“Tinubu also stated that his government would discuss with all agitating groups to address their grievances in the search of a peaceful resolution if elected, noting that only peace can guarantee a return of investment, adding that his government would comprise of people from every section that would discuss the grievances with all groups with a view to finding peaceful resolution.
“I guarantee you that my government, our government will comprise people from every section of the country and are ready to discuss the grievances with every group in search of peaceful resolution.”
Uzodimma said the meeting was Tinubu’s deliberate strategy to interface with the business leaders and trade associations in the Southeast, so that he can factor their positions and views in the business of government when elected.
The party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said he was at the event to demonstrate that the APC was with the Southeast people and would not forsake them if they vote to entrust the next four years in the hands of the party.
