A MOVE at harnessing the resources of the 11 states of the South-East and South-South geo-political zones with a view to identifying states with comparative advantage as a way of quickening the development of the two zones have been launched.

Already, a committee made up of representatives of governments, professionals, socio–cultural, economic and religious groups drawn from the 11states has been constituted to work out modalities to ensure its realisation and work out a 10-year plan on the development of the two regions.

Under the auspices of the South-East, South-South Professionals of Nigeria, the meeting which held in Enugu Monday, also had in attendance, representatives of the Ijaw Professionals, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South–East Economic Commission (SENEC), BRACE Commission among others.

Addressing reporters shortly after the meeting, President, Ijaw Professionals, Dr Denzel Kentabel, said the goal of the committee was to identify opportunities inherent in the two zones with a view to attaining development of the entire regions in the next 10 years.

Flanked by President, South-East, South-South Professionals, Emeka Ugwuoju among others, he stated that time had come for the two regions to put efforts together towards identifying areas of comparative advantage and explore them for the development of the two zones.

“We have realised that each of the zones have various economic commissions which are working very hard to identify opportunities in their regions and develop them, but we feel that we can build a synergy that can make this move faster to the benefit of the two regions. For instance, what we are looking at areas of healthcare, transport, agriculture, tourism, employment among others. We want to identify how these have worked in the various states, what their costs implications are and how if we come together, we can improve on what is available to move the zones forward”, he said.

He said that the committee would prepare a schedule on this to be deliberated upon by representatives of the two regions during her forum in November this year, where far reaching decisions would be taken, adding that the vision of the group was to ensure the overall development of the zones before the next 10 years.

Also speaking, Ugwuoju said that the group was not an arm chair critic, but was formed so as to continue to provide support to the governments of the two regions in their efforts to develop the zones and better the lots of the citizenry.

NRI PRIEST: If there will be mutual respect,tolerance and transparent let them go ahead. But if the south-south will start thinking the south-east want to dominate them and take their oil they can go f'ck themselve.