Enugu gov tasks SEDC on gas pipeline, regional railways, industrial revolution

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has urged the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to prioritise the development of a regional gas pipeline, an inter-state railway network and initiatives to accelerate industrialisation across the region.
Mbah said the proposed infrastructure would stimulate economic activities, improve connectivity among the five South East states and strengthen regional integration.
He also called on the National Assembly to ensure adequate funding for the commission, describing it as a strategic platform for addressing the region’s development needs.
The governor made the call on Monday when he received the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission, led by its chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
The delegation, which was accompanied by the commission’s management team led by its Managing Director, Mr Mark Okoye, paid a courtesy visit to the governor on the sidelines of its oversight visit to assess the commission’s projects and programmes.
“For us in the South East, this Committee is one of the most important committees of the National Assembly, given the immense development prospects it holds for our people,” he said.
The governor identified a high-pressure gas pipeline linking major cities across the South East as a critical intervention that would provide industries with reliable access to gas and stimulate large-scale industrial development.
He argued that the region should benefit from gas resources produced in the wider southern part of the country, noting that existing pipeline infrastructure already transports gas to other parts of Nigeria.
“If we are able to have a high-pressure gas pipeline across all the major cities in the South East, I know that the SEDC is a veritable platform that can essentially execute a project of that scale,” Mbah said.
Mbah also proposed an inter-state railway network linking major cities across the five South East states to facilitate trade, improve transportation and ease pressure on the region’s road network.
He urged the states to collaborate on a common design for the proposed railway system, with the SEDC serving as a platform for coordination and regional cooperation.
“We are hoping that, given the coming into effect of the SEDC, we will be able to use it as a platform to bring all the other states together to have a common design on the South East railway line,” he said.
The governor further highlighted the commission’s role in supporting agriculture and technology-driven enterprises, citing the flag-off of a 200-hectare integrated Agro Development Programme at Nomeh Unateze in Enugu State as one of its interventions in the agricultural sector.
He assured the commission of the state government’s support in providing an enabling environment for the successful implementation of the project.
Mbah also stressed the need for the SEDC to create funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs whose businesses had attained the minimum viable product stage, enabling them to expand their operations and contribute to regional economic growth.
He urged the senators to support the commission in securing the necessary funding to execute its proposed projects, describing the initiative as a potential catalyst for an industrial revolution in the South East.
Earlier, Kalu commended the Mbah administration for its interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare, water supply and transportation.
He highlighted the development of Smart Green Schools, the construction of more than 7,000 classrooms, the establishment of Type II primary healthcare centres across the state’s 260 electoral wards and the development of a multimodal transportation system.
The senator also acknowledged Mbah’s efforts to strengthen engagement between the South East and the Federal Government, expressing appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the establishment of the SEDC.
Kalu disclosed that the disagreement over the location of the commission’s headquarters had been resolved following the Enugu State Government’s provision of temporary office accommodation and a site for its permanent headquarters.
“We wanted to make sure that the commission locates to Enugu State as soon as possible, and this has been a subject of disagreement. But today, I can assure you that the issue is settled,” he said.
He thanked the governor for the support provided to facilitate the commission’s take-off and assured him of the committee’s continued support for its activities.