How Tinubu plans to address infrastructure deficit in South-east – Shettima

Nigeria’s Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to fighting the infrastructure gap and ending the erosion menace in the South-east.

Mr Shettima spoke on Thursday at the inauguration of the 5th edition of the Expanded National Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Clinic in Enugu State.

“The problems of the South-east are problems of infrastructural deficit; problems of erosions that are affecting the very livelihood of our people,” he said.

Tinubu’s plans

Mr Shettima said the president had fashioned plans to discuss the challenges in the region with the national assembly members and the five governors in the South-east to find lasting solutions.

“We (federal government) have made arrangements with him (Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu).

“We will sit with the leadership of the national assembly. We will sit with the governors of the South-east and come up with a solution to deal with the erosion, especially in the states like Anambra and Abia,” he said.

Continuing, the vice-president said: “Even Enugu is not left out of this scourge of erosion. These are issues that need practical solutions.

“The president told me that I must come to Enugu and assure the good people of Enugu that our government must do whatever we can to support the people of South-east.”

‘Tinubu has South-east at his heart’

Mr Shettima stressed that President Tinubu has the interest of the South-east at heart, citing the recent establishment of the South-East Development Commission.

“Enugu holds a special place in my heart. President Bola Tinubu has a special place in his heart for Enugu State and the South-east,” the vice-president said.

“This led to the passing of the South-East Development Commission into law and his quick assent to the bill. And the headquarters of the commission is here in Enugu.”

VP hails Mbah, other South-east governors

Mr Shettima, who equally commissioned the Enugu State Garment and Fashion Hub, praised Governor Peter Mbah for driving economic and infrastructural developments in the state.

He said the hub was capable of creating about 48,000 jobs and announced an N150,000 unconditional grant each to all outstanding entrepreneurs at the event.

“I was especially enamoured of his security projects. I was pleased by his investment in supplying water to parts of the state capital, and most importantly, education is the game changer.

“Again, the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, is humble and hardworking. Let’s put politics aside, Mbah means well for the people of Enugu State,” he said.

The vice president also lauded other governors in the South-east, saying their performance far outweighs the successes of their predecessors.

“In all honesty, in terms of governance, we’ve never had it so good in the South-east like the current dispensation.

“We have to sustain that brotherhood, that relationship for the good of our people. Through development, through investments in education, we can change the narratives from negativity to positivity,” he said.

Mbah speaks

Speaking at the event, Mr Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to boosting MSMEs which he described as the “lifeblood of economic growth.”

The governor said almost 90 per cent of businesses in the country were small-scale enterprises, which thrive through careful policies that enhance the ease of doing business climate.

“The Expanded National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Clinic, organised by the federal government in partnership with the Enugu State Government, provides a dynamic platform for MSMEs to access essential support from government agencies and private sector stakeholders.

“The clinic offers on-the-spot solutions to business challenges such as regulatory approvals, access to grants and low-interest loans,” he explained.

On his part, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, commended the collaborative efforts of the federal government and Enugu State to grow MSMEs in the state.

Mr Kalu said what he saw at the Enugu State Garment and Fashion Hub was a clear indication that Nigerian youths have much to offer if provided with the right opportunity and environment.