Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu’s administration is driving significant economic and security transformation for Igbos across the South-East. Mr Shettima stated this on Monday at the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign rally in Abakaliki, Ebonyi. 

He said the Tinubu government was investing in transportation, renewable energy, agriculture, housing and human capital development to unlock the region’s economic potential.

According to him, the interventions are designed to improve regional connectivity, strengthen food security, expand economic opportunities and address longstanding development challenges.

Mr Shettima cited major infrastructure projects, federal appointments and welfare programmes as evidence of Tinubu’s commitment to Ebonyi and the wider South-East. He identified the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway as a major project expected to strengthen trade and economic integration across regions. Other projects include the Ndibe Bridge, which will connect Ebonyi with Cross River, and the ongoing Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway.

He also mentioned the Okposi-Ohaozara-Ukawu-Cross River road, saying the projects would ease transportation and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce and manufactured goods.

The vice-president said improved road connectivity would reduce logistical challenges, enhance access to markets and increase business opportunities across the region. On agriculture, Shettima described Ebonyi as a major contributor to Nigeria’s food security, particularly through rice and cassava production.

Mr Shettima said the federal government was supporting farmers through fertiliser distribution, interest-free FarmerMoni assistance and other agricultural development programmes. He added that rural road investments would enable farmers to access markets more easily, minimise post-harvest losses and improve their earnings.

Mr Shettima disclosed that thousands of Ebonyi residents had benefited from grants under the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme and other federal employment and digital skills initiatives.

On security, he said the Tinubu administration had intensified efforts to restore stability across the South-East, stressing that economic development depended on safe communities and businesses. He identified the Nigerian Army Recruits Training Depot at Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi, as one of the federal government’s interventions to strengthen security in the region.

The vice-president also highlighted the establishment of the South-East Development Commission, the inauguration of South-East Vision 2050 and approval of the South-East Investment Company. He said the initiatives were designed to accelerate regional development, attract investments and create sustainable economic opportunities.

Mr Shettima urged Ebonyi residents to renew their support for Tinubu and the APC in the 2027 general elections, describing public office as a responsibility that must translate into tangible benefits. 

He commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for directing increased state resources towards development projects and praised his administration’s efforts at responsible governance. 

Works minister Dave Umahi attributed the massive turnout at the rally to Ebonyi’s support for the APC and Mr Tinubu. He thanked the president for federal investments in road infrastructure across the state, involving hundreds of kilometres of highways and billions of naira in funding.

(NAN)