National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said it would partner South-east governors to set up industrial hubs to restore the region’s economy.

It described the region as the economic heartbeat of Nigeria, adding that in terms of production output, it is supposed to be the China of Nigeria.

The new Zonal Director of NAFDAC in the South-east, Martins Iluyomade, who made this known during a media interaction in Enugu, yesterday, added that the new thinking followed renewed synergy among the governors for the repositioning of the zone’s economy.

Iluyomade said the agency believed in the governors’ quest for economic rebirth in the region.

He said: “The South-east governors, some days ago, were saying that it is time to build the South-east and build economic zones. We will key into that vision seriously because we believe that the region can be the China of Nigeria. If we are going to be self-reliant, we need people in the South-east to rise to their potential.

“I see that the South-east governors are forming a bloc. Before, they were operating in silos. But with the way things are now, I can see that they are forming a bloc. They are having several meetings to ensure that there is peace in the region and to see that they generate economic activities.

“We have specific programmes to do with them to see how we can partner to create those industrial hubs. I am telling you that if we are able to actualise these hubs, China will come and learn from us.

“We will send them our proposals. They are the ones driving; our duty is regulatory. Ours is that we are ready to assist them in setting up those projects, in setting up factories and we will do all the things we are supposed to do.

“NAFDAC is coming on board to make sure that we fulfil the potentials of the South-east. The nation will be better for it. We want to work with every stakeholder in the region to make this goal work.”