Development of South-South not optional, says Jonathan

Guardian

8 March 2011

Development of South-South not optional, says Jonathan

A FOUR-YEAR development plan aimed at opening up the South-South geo-political zone has been unveiled by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The major projects contained in the blueprint are coastal roads and railways, which the President said are designed to open up the oil-producing region.         

Before his supporters that gathered at the Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Cross River State, Jonathan, whose presidential campaign berthed in the state yesterday, said: “One key thing in this part of the country is opening up the whole of the South-South to the rest of the country. That is why in the next four years, we’ll work very hard to ensure that the coastal railways and the coastal roads are vigorously executed. They are projects that would take enormous resources, and we know that we cannot do that with our yearly budget, so we have set up committees on how we must execute them. We have no option. The area must be opened up for development.”