Obiano preaches peace for South-Eastern states at 2017 South East Governance Innovation Summit

www.odogwublog.com reports that Governor Willie Obiano wants an increased Cohesion of the South Eastern States to engender sustainable Politico-Socio-Economic advancement of the region.
The Governor was addressing the 2017 South East Governance Innovation Summit held in Awka.
The Summit with the theme, “Improving Lives Through Locally Driven Solutions” had the Imo State Head Of Service, Commissioners, South East Head of DFID and delegates from the South Eastern States in attendance.
Declaring the workshop open, Governor Obiano said that the event couldn't have come at a better time, especially after the recent convenance of the South-East Governors' Forum, saying that it is a good platform that will further deepen development, thereby increasing the capacity of different States in the region.
Speaking through his Deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, the Governor, who said that the forum was organized to enable pure learning among the States, to enhance the game-changing, time- tested, State-level innovation that have proven critical to the improvement of governance, expressed optimism that the set objectives of the forum will be achieved.
While thanking DFID, Partnership To Engage, Reform and Learn, PERL, as well as African Heritage Institution, for providing the platform to enable South Eastern States enhance service delivery systems and citizen participation in different areas of governance, Governor Obiano expressed the hope that the Summit will improve the investment climate and capacity of the zone, for job creation and socio-economic development of the region via a private /public partnership.
Earlier in a keynote address on Regional Economic Development Agenda: Implications for Growth and Sustainable Development of South East Nigeria, the Chairman of South East Regional Economic Development Cooperation, Professor Barth Nnaji, who disclosed the socio-economic viability and potentials of the South East, expressed confidence that the synergistic efforts of States in the region will have far-reaching outcomes, suggesting that such efforts should best be outside government for more effective coordination, agility and respect among the States, to avoid being bogged down by governments' bureaucracy.                                
In their goodwill messages, delegates from Anambra, Imo, Enugu and Abia States emphasized that the Summit is a wonderful initiative as well as, in the best interest of the region, saying that it will promote more cooperation among participating States.
The Summit which featured plenary sessions, also had the Governor tour various products' exhibition stands mounted by participating States.