The Federal government has been urged to develop large natural gas reserves in the South East.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State made the call in Aba on Friday, when some projects he executed in Aba and Umuahia were commissioned by David Umahi, the representative of President Bola Tinubu.
He said that natural gas has enormously become critical in the new global energy order, but regretted that the large deposits under the land in the South East are undeveloped.
He said that it would be to the advantage of the Nigerian economy for the gas deposits to be developed in ways that pose no threat to the ecosystem, promising that the Governors of the South East would support the Federal government to develop the fields.
He also called on the Federal government to develop a functional rail network that would connect the South East-East and South-South zones to other regions, saying that it would boost trade, investments and reduce migration pressures in urban areas outside the two regions.
Otti recommended that the rail lines should have “stations in all major agricultural and commercial towns along the corridor “.
He also called for optimization of sea ports close to South-East and South-South, adding that his administration is conducting a feasibility study to build a seaport at Obuaku area of Abia.
He further said that his administration is investing in infrastructure, power, health, ICT and others.
