Uduaghan, other South-South govs on way forward for development

Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has appealed to the Chief Executive Officers of banks to assist Government in providing the needed funds for empowerment of the people for small scale businesses. Dr Uduaghan who made the appeal at the second South- South summit holding in Asaba, said that the CEOs should de-emphasize excessive bureaucracy to enable people access loans, and reduce the frustration experienced by small scale operators with viable business ideas but who could not pull through because of lack of funds. He decried the high interest rates charge by banks, which he said was a disincentive for small scale business ventures. He said his plea had become necessary in view of the prevailing challenges being posed by unemployment in the country
Earlier, the Governor of Akwa-Ibom, Dr. Godswill Akpabio , said that Akwa-Ibom State had achieved a lot in the area of road construction and other infrastructure, just as he maintained that the State was determined to have a sea port in Ibaka, one of the ports of the State, to complement the Lagos sea port.
He said his government would continue to tackle security challenges in the state, even as he sued for more synergy among the six Governors of the zone with a view to achieving socio-economic transformation of the South-South. Akpabio disclosed that 241 Akwa-Ibom indigenes had been sponsored by the state to study Aviation in Canada and United States of America, adding that his administration would continue to ensure free education for all residents in the state in primary and secondary schools among other projects.
On his part, the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said that it was the responsibility of the National Assembly to amend the constitution in order to address the allocation formula and the issue of 13 percent oil derivation for the oil producing States of Niger Delta. Comrade Oshiomhole, who decried the alarming unemployment situation in Nigeria, said that time had come for the stakeholders to put more pragmatic approach in place to tackle unemployment through the provision of micro credit facilities for the empowerment of the people. He challenged government of the 36 states to put measures in place for an investment strategy that would generate job creation. The Edo State Governor reiterated the need to re-orientate the people of the zone on the strong desire of the South- South Governors to create investment opportunities outside oil.