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The British Government has announced its collaboration with Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide with the aim of fostering growth and development in the South-East region of Nigeria. Dr. Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, unveiled this partnership during his visit to the leaders of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide at their Enugu Headquarters on Tuesday.
In his address, Dr. Montgomery highlighted the United Kingdom’s current long-standing development partnership with Enugu State, focusing on vital sectors such as health, education, and the economy. He expressed his commitment to enhancing this relationship further to facilitate the region’s progress.
The joint efforts between the British Government and Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide will span various sectors, including business, investment, agriculture, and more.
Montgomery said, ‘I understand the challenges this region faces and the opportunities which we can build and also share sentiment to sustain the long relationship with this region and the United Kingdom.’
Acknowledging the President-General of Ohaneze, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s presentation, the British High Commissioner affirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting the development of the zone.
Montgomery added, ‘We will look into the issues and see what we can do and will engage in various development programmes for the region.’
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‘The Business Council which the President General, Chief Iwuanyanwu said he will establish as well as agriculture services and industries are areas of interest to us.’
‘And we are working on how to boost trade between Nigeria and UK, increase incentives for investment and opportunities between the two countries.’
Montgomery, captivated by the Southeast’s dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit, promised to collaborate with the region to enhance its economic prosperity.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President General of Ohaneze, warmly received the British High Commissioner to Igboland, acknowledging the daunting challenges of his position but displaying unwavering confidence in overcoming them.
He prioritized education, agriculture, industrial development, infrastructure (including roads, railways, sea-port), and electricity as crucial sectors for rapid economic growth in the South-East in his discourse.
The president-general emphasised that Ohaneze Ndigbo would seek the support of the British Government and the British Chamber of Commerce to achieve these goals. Additionally, he pointed out the region’s commitment to fostering robust business relationships between Chambers of Commerce in Igboland and the United Kingdom.
‘Our biggest problem today is insecurity which has escalated since Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and detained and we will continue to appeal to the Federal government to release him.’
‘By the time I achieve my goals, Igboland will be transformed to a modern developed part of Nigeria,’ he concluded.
Iwuanyanwu, emphasizing insecurity as the primary challenge, stated that the organization would continue to urge the federal government to address the concerns of Mazi Nnamdi and strive for a peaceful Southeast region, thereby attracting investors and facilitating economic growth.
