SSA on community engagement, Nweze applauds Tinubu, Umahi, S-East governors for partnering to develop region 

By, Godwin Okeh Abakaliki 

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, South East region, Chioma Nweze has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of works, David Umahi and the five governors of the region for their invaluable supports and partnership towards the development of the region, especially in 2025.

Nweze made this known in a statement she personally signed and issued to newsmen to express great gratitude towards the deepening community engagement across the SouthEast region by President Tinubu’s administration.

According to her: “I am profoundly grateful for what has been an engaging, demanding, and impactful year of service under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda, which places people, inclusion, and responsive governance at the heart of national development.

“Our office remained steadfast in its commitment to listening, engaging, and delivering meaningful outcomes for communities. Throughout 2025, our office directly and indirectly engaged over 3,500 stakeholders across the five states of the South East and the Federal Capital Territory. 

“These engagements often required extensive travel, frequently at short notice, driven by the urgency to listen, mediate, build trust among diverse interest groups, and respond promptly to community concerns at the grassroots level.

“I sincerely appreciate the unwavering support of Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, South East Governors, Ministers, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, traditional rulers, and other critical stakeholders whose collaboration strengthened our interventions.

“Special appreciation goes to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), under the leadership of Zacch Adedeji, for its support, as well as the Department of State Services (DSS) for providing robust and professional security across all our engagements and travels in the South East. Your dedication ensured that our work was carried out safely and effectively.

“We also commend the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) that acted swiftly on community reports submitted by our office, many of which translated into visible interventions and tangible results on the ground.

Nweze further stressed that “I extend special gratitude to the dedicated volunteers of the Barr. Chioma Nweze South East Community Engagement State Coordinators. Your passion, consistency, timely reporting, and role as first responders at the grassroots level were invaluable to the success of our work.

She enumerated the achievements so far in 2025 to include; Skills Acquisition:

Beneficiaries drawn from all 95 Local Government Areas of the South East were trained in practical, income-generating skills to enhance self-reliance and productivity.

On Empowerment and Grants: “Provision of starter packs and financial grants to programme graduates, enabling them to launch and sustain entrepreneurial ventures.

On Free Medical Outreach Programmes: “Regular medical outreach initiatives were conducted across the South East, offering free cancer treatment, eye screening, and dialysis services to indigent patients.

On Employment Creation: “we Facilitated the creation of over 1,000 job opportunities within government parastatals and agencies, empowering youths and professionals.

On Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): “Successfully established 95 SMEs, ensuring at least one functional enterprise in each Local Government Area of the South East.

On ICT and POP Skills Development: “We Delivered training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Point-of-Purchase (POP) skills, equipping young people with modern, market-relevant competencies.

She stated further that her office partnered the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen primary healthcare delivery across Nigeria’s 774 LGAs, with emphasis on communicable diseases, maternal and infant mortality reduction.

On Youth and Economic Empowerment / Financial Inclusion: “Advocated for and supported the implementation of Renewed Hope Agenda programmes targeting youth empowerment, MSME development, nano and startup businesses, digital payments, and financial literacy, particularly in underserved communities.

On Grassroots Leadership and Sustainable Development Advocacy: “We Participated in grassroots and sustainable development summits, providing policy direction and reinforcing commitments toward unlocking regional potential and contributing to Nigeria’s long-term goal of a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

On South-East Development Commission Advocacy: “We Supported the re-introduction of the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023 (SB.129) to enhance federal presence, infrastructure development, and economic growth in the region” she noted.

The Nations News reports that the SSA received DMOMA Awards – ‘Lady of Excellence for outstanding community engagement in 2025’ in recognition of her laudable achievements in the southeast region.