Invest in South-East, Arthur Eze tells Igbo entrepreneurs
Concerned about the high rate of youth unemployment in the South-East region, Arthur Eze, president of the Ndigbo Lagos Association, has urged all Igbo indigenes who are captains of industries and industrialists to invest in the region to create jobs.
Arthur Eze who spoke at the business round table between South-East governors and Lagos-based businessmen from the region said it is imperative for Igbo indigenes to invest in the region to drive economic growth and stimulate job creation.
“This is a clarion call for the indigenes to extend their industries and skills to the South-East region to establish satellite and cottage industry, among others, to employ our own youths and develop our economy,” he said.
“The region is gradually down the drain unless we do something urgently to change the narrative or else things may be a little bit late in the next five to 10 years,” he added.
He noted that reduction of unemployment rate in the region will translate into increased development of Igbo youths and reduction of poverty in South East.
Eze stated that the huge infrastructural deficits and insecurity in the region have remained the major factors deterring Igbo industrialists and entrepreneurs from investing in the South East.
He said that the essence of the business dialogue was to address such challenges.
“There are constraints that prevent some of them from investing and that is why we have put up this business dialogue between the industrialists in Lagos and the governors and at the end there will be an MoU and follow it up so that the talk does not just end here but it is translated into action.”
He noted that the Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi State, has begun driving investments in the region through the provision of start-up capital for youths, saying that he hopes other governors would follow suits.
Gathered at the business round table where all the eastern state governors and representatives, including Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president.
Also in attendance was Pat Utomi, former governors, deputy governors, retired military generals from the region and top local and international business tycoons as well as captains of industries.
The association also used the opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge Prince Arthur Eze for his contribution to Ndigbo Lagos, Igbo land in Nigeria and the diaspora. The Grand Patron of Ndigbo Lagos was conferred on him as he was adopted to Ndigbo Lagos Patron Hall of Fame, which was instituted on the night.
The group also marked and celebrated Eze’s 70th birthday.
The event was put together by Ezinne Ezeani of ZK Signature.
Josephine Okojie