Vice President Kashim Shettima has praised Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for his role in restoring peace after the Oso-Edda/Amasiri crisis, describing the governor’s response as mature, fair and capable of delivering lasting stability to the affected communities.
Shettima gave the commendation at the Vision 2050 South-East Stakeholders’ Forum, themed “Charting a Shared Vision for Sustainable Prosperity for the South-East,” held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
He urged the South-East to take advantage of its abundant solid mineral resources to drive industrialisation, assuring that the Federal Government remains committed to the region’s development through policies aligned with national priorities, adequate resources and strong political will.
According to the Vice President, the South-East occupies a strategic place in Nigeria’s development agenda due to its strong entrepreneurial culture. He called on leaders and stakeholders in the region to rally support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking at the forum, Governor Nwifuru, who presented on “Feeding and Building the South-East Region for Agro- and Solid Minerals–Led Industrialisation,” said Ebonyi State is deliberately positioning itself to harness its rich mineral endowments for regional and national growth.
He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his development vision for the South-East, particularly the establishment of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC).
“Ebonyi State is blessed with lead, zinc, limestone, salt and granite. Our reform-driven strategy focuses on proper licensing, investor screening, community engagement and ensuring that extraction is linked to local processing,” Nwifuru said.
He revealed plans to establish at least two cement factories in the state, citing Ebonyi’s proximity to key raw materials such as limestone and gypsum. The governor also disclosed efforts to process lead and zinc for metal fabrication, as well as develop salt resources to support the food and chemical industries.
Governor Nwifuru commended the organisers of the forum and called on governors across the South-East to work collectively towards the successful implementation of the Vision 2050 agenda.