The South East Governors, in conjunction with Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have agreed to set up a driving force for the development of Igbo land known as Alaigbo Stabilization Fund.
“The Fund is intended to develop Igbo land to the status of Catalonia in Spain and Bavaria in Germany,” Chief Emeka Attamah, S. A. Media and Publicity to President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said Tuesday in a statement.
“Towards this objective, a 50-man steering committee made up of experts and professionals in banking, finance and development economics drawn from the diaspora and all the South East states have been set up to draft the basis of Alaigbo Stabilization Fund and its governance protocol,” Ohanaeze said in the statement issued from its headquarters in Enugu.
“The Committee has as its Chairman a renowned economist and development expert and former Economic Adviser to President Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu, while Anyim Ude, will serve as its Secretary,” the apex Igbo group said.
It named other members of the Committee as Mac Atasia, Ike Chioke, Patrick Okigbo, Nnanna Anyim Ude, Dr Nick Okoye and Dr Ndy Onukwuesi.
Others are Emeka Onwuka, Dave Nwachukwu, Chief Aloysius Ihezie, Dr Bernard Orbika, Ngozi Odumuko, Jerome Okolo, Emeka Ugwuoju and Reginald Ihebuzor.
Also in the Committee are Ben Nwawudu, Monye Chuka, Dr Sam Amadi, Dr Joe Abah, Ede Solomon, Barrister Nwachukwu, Prof. Ejiofor of WIC and Air Vice Marshall Obierika.
Equally included are Prof. Epiphany Azinge, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, Charles Nwodo, Kalu Onuma, Solomon E. Adimora, Uzodinmma Okpara, Chief Tony Okeke, Okey Nwadinobi, Onyeka Onwenu, Mrs Ann Aligwe, Ebere Onwudiwe, Emma Onyilofor, AIG Dr (Mrs) Grace Okudo, Dr Chukwuma Agu and Prof. Joy Ezeilo.
The rest are are Ambassador Alex Nwofe, Ben Ezenta, Ebere Enemchukwu, Max Osita Okonkwo, Dr Mrs Grace Uwazuike, Dr Ken C. Nwekpa and Dr Ferdinand Agu.
Commenting on the Stabilization Fund, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said that it would involve all Igbo sons and daughters at home and the Diaspora, adding that any contribution by anybody would be an investment from which he will be receiving dividends.
Chief Nwodo, according to the statement, “said that the Fund would drive investment in the South East such that every Igbo investor or entrepreneur would want to take advantage of the incentives it would provide.”
He said that members of the Committee “were carefully chosen based on their individual learning, competence and exposure.”