Abuja: Hon. Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (South-South), announced that the launch of ‘Road to South-South 2.0’ will accelerate development across the region. Speaking at the event held at the State House, Johnbull emphasized that the new edition builds on gains recorded in 2024.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Johnbull highlighted that the platform was created to strengthen dialogue, promote inclusion, and deepen government-community engagement across the six South-South states. She noted that the first edition opened direct feedback channels for grassroots communities to influence national priorities, with thousands of farmers benefiting from Project Earn from the Soil, which introduced labor-saving machinery recognized by international partners and state governments.
Johnbull posed critical questions about sustaining and scaling efforts beyond the oil and gas sectors. She stated that the 2.0 edition would expand investments in agribusiness, renewable energy, education, technology transfer, and community-level wealth creation. The initiative builds on progress recorded under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing that regional development is key to national progress.
She cited ongoing interventions, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway stretch through Edo State and works on the East-West Road, the Benin-Sapele-Warri Highway, and the Eleme-Onne axis. Johnbull urged traditional rulers, political leaders, private sector actors, civil society groups, and youths to partner with the government, stating that the Renewed Hope Agenda is a shared responsibility.
Johnbull described the South-South as not only Nigeria’s oil belt but also an innovation center and cultural pillar. Earlier, Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (APC-Cross River North) described the region as the ‘circulatory system’ of Nigeria’s economy, highlighting its role in powering national growth through oil and gas resources while facing challenges such as pollution and social unrest.
He emphasized that the Road to South-South 2.0 initiative would help fast-track development across the region. The event was attended by politicians, NGOs, youth leaders, and Niger Delta stakeholders.