By ThankGod Ntaku
Just like the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, was a bold step taken by the Federal Government of Olusegun Obasanjo to address the myriad of challenges that faced the Niger Delta region after many years of neglect, it can safely be said that the South East Development Commission, SEDC, was birthed to begin to cushion the devastating effect of the Nigeria Civil war on the region of the South East.
It occurred to Obasanjo as he was nominating those to pilot the affairs of the Commission that only persons with integrity, sound academic background, exposure and varied experience were needed to kick-start such a virgin Commission that people have longed for to give them a new lease of life.
It seemed that the same tendencies that guided former President Obasanjo was at work when the name of Dr. Emeka Nwogu was being considered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for nomination as the first Chairman of the South East Development Commission.
Those who have been part of starting new companies or organisations know that the tasks are very challenging, and require experiences in different fields of human endeavour to give shape to a shapeless body. It is akin to a visual artist drawing an imaginary object..
The profile of Nwogu speaks to the fact that he has been prepared for the big task. With his experiences as a lawyer, former adviser to a Governor, former Local Government Area Chairman, former legislator, former member of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, RMFAC, former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it can be said of Nwogu that he is a round peg in a round hole.
The Ministry of Labour and Productivity, which he superintended over in the course of his political journey is known for constant engagements with the Labour Unions in Nigeria, and it is on record that he performed creditably.
It is also to the credit of the former Minister that apart from the fact he hails from Aba, a commercial nerve centre in the South East, known for entrepreneurship, he was brought up in the town, with the implications that he must be conversant with what entrepreneurship entails, and how far it can go in promoting the economy of a people. There is no doubt that just as the NDDC does, the SEDC will go into human capital development, which skills acquisition is an integral part of, and the newly nominated Chairman of the Commission will also bring his experience in this area to bear on the operations of the Commission.
It is common knowledge that Dr. Emeka Nwogu, who, also, has an academic degree in Public Administration, will combine this training with his experience as onetime board member in RMFAC to guide the SEDC as it formulates policies, develops manuals and recruits competent hands that will give the South East reasons to rejoice that it has an Intervention Agency.
The jubilations that heralded the signing of the SEDC bill into law were proof enough that the people of the South East expect so much from the Commission in terms of delivering on its core mandates. It will rather be frustrating if their hopes are dashed through unwholesome practices, and financial recklessness that many of our public institutions have been known for. It is true that many Ibos who lost their property, wealth and means of livelihood are no more to witness the birth of a Commission set out to address the three Rs – Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation – promised by the former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, their children and grand children should be given cause to witness practically the true meaning of the Rs.
This writer is optimistic that with Nwogu as the Chairman of the board of the SEDC, there would be increased growth and development in Ibo land.
ThankGod Ntaku is the Chairman of Newsportal Limited