The South East Communities Development Association and South East Communities Development Association Cooperative Union (SECDA), at their maiden conference in Enugu, urged the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development to focus attention on the construction and rehabilitation of federal infrastructure in the zone.

They stated that this would ensure that infrastructure such as airports and seaports in the zone are brought to international standards and made viable.

Rising from their conference, they also urged the Commission to encourage the industrialization of the South East in order to provide jobs for the youths and strengthen Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The Conference urged SEDC to strengthen the security architecture of the zone to secure the region against crimes and terrorism, a development they said threatens investment and industrialization.

National Coordinator of the group, Isidore Ehochi, had earlier urged SEDC to see SECDA as partners in progress in achieving its objectives.

“SECDA belongs to all the communities of the region and, by implementation, all the people of the region. In view of this, we are also making a special appeal to the leadership of the South East Development Commission to formally adopt SECDA as one of its useful community-based organizations for the implementation of some of its programs that are targeted at the grassroots,” he stated.

Also speaking, the former President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, stated that the Conference should serve as a wake-up call, “for all of us to support and advise the South East Development Commission to produce an agenda that will support our state governments, the Federal and our many enterprising industrialists.”

Nwodo, represented by Godson Onuzulike, President, Potters Foundation, noted that agriculture was an area the Commission should look into, adding that if agriculture is mechanized, “it will engage our youths and women productively and activate our latent potentialities.”

“Our Palm trees are mega in their capacity to generate nuts and oil heavily demanded in the international market and longing to be used by our industrialists in the production of other products like butter, and shells for rural roads,” he urged.

The Conference drew different Igbo personalities, including traditional rulers.