Vice President Kashim Shettima has praised Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for his role in restoring calm after the Oso-Edda/Amasiri crisis, describing the governor’s approach as balanced, mature, and capable of delivering lasting peace in the affected communities.
Shettima expressed confidence that Governor Nwifuru’s non-partisan handling of the dispute would help rebuild trust and stability, noting that peace remains a critical foundation for development.
The Vice President spoke 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 in Enugu.
During his address, Shettima urged people of the South-East to take advantage of the region’s abundant mineral resources as a pathway to industrialisation. He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to regional growth, stressing that development efforts are being driven by the alignment of national policies, available resources, and political will in support of the South-East Vision 2050 framework.
According to him, the South-East occupies a strategic position in the Federal Government’s development agenda, largely because of the region’s strong entrepreneurial culture. He therefore called on leaders and stakeholders to rally support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in advancing policies aimed at sustainable national growth.
Speaking on the sub-theme, “Feeding and Building the South-East Region for Agro- and Solid Minerals–Led Industrialisation,” Governor Nwifuru said Ebonyi State is intentionally positioning itself to maximise its mineral wealth for the benefit of both the nation and the South-East region.
The governor thanked President Tinubu for his inclusive vision for the federating units, particularly the South-East, citing the establishment of the South-East Development Commission as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the zone.
“Ebonyi State is richly endowed with lead, zinc, limestone, salt, and granite. Under a reform-oriented approach, we will shift emphasis towards formal licensing, investor screening, community engagement, and the explicit goal of linking extraction to local processing,” he said.
“Our roadmap is anchored on the strategic vision of establishing at least two cement factories. We are actualising this vision because of our proximity to cement raw materials such as limestone and gypsum.”
Governor Nwifuru further explained that the state is pursuing plans to process lead and zinc to boost metal fabrication, while also developing its salt deposits to support food processing and chemical industries.
He commended the organisers of the forum for convening the dialogue and appealed to fellow governors in the region to work collectively towards the full realisation of the Vision 2050 agenda.
What you should know
The Vision 2050 South-East Stakeholders’ Forum is designed to build a long-term development blueprint for the region, focusing on peace, industrialisation, and resource-driven growth.
Governor Nwifuru’s emphasis on mineral processing reflects a broader push to move beyond raw extraction to value addition, while Vice President Shettima’s remarks highlight the Federal Government’s intention to integrate the South-East into national development priorities through policy support and regional cooperation.
