ABIA – Governor Alex Otti has charged the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to prioritise human capital development as a cornerstone for sustainable growth across the region.
Governor Otti who gave the charge at Government House Umuahia while receiving a delegation from the SEDC who are on a three day working visit in the state, noted that the Commission occupies a critical position in tackling unemployment.
The Governor represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, while noting that agriculture and mineral resources offer enormous opportunities for job creation, urged the team to adopt modern, data-driven methods such as soil mapping and comparative advantage analysis rather than the old practice of distributing inputs without proper planning.
The State Chief Executive linked the SEDC’s mandate to President Bola Tinubu’s broader development agenda, pointing out that every region now has a platform to pursue targeted growth.
He further commended the Commission’s management for its vision and capacity, emphasising that the success or failure of the SEDC will depend on the quality of its leadership and its commitment to genuine development, assuring them of government’s support.
In his speech earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Cliff Agbaeze, disclosed that the South East Development Commission (SEDC), recently inaugurated by President Tinubu to drive development across the region, is in the state for a three-day working visit focused on agricultural collaboration and is inspecting proposed agricultural sites across the three senatorial districts, with plans to develop up to 10,000 hectares.
In his address, the leader of the delegation and Executive Director, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, SEDC, Dr Cliff Ogbede, explained that the commission, under the leadership of the Managing Director, Mark Okoye and with strong representation from Abia across its board and committees, is committed to supporting the state’s development goals.
Dr Ogbede disclosed that the over 50,000 hectares showed them across multiple locations as against the 10,000 hectares requested by the commission, is a clear evidence that Abia is ready to advance agriculture at a scale and commended Governor Otti for providing a liaison office and for being intentional and collaborative since their inauguration.
The Director of Agriculture, Dr Ojo Uma Ojo, representative from ministry of Lands, consultants from SEDC were present during the visit.
