The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)--State to State project says it has ensured the formulation of an endearing development plan for Ebonyi.

Dr Sam Onyia, Team lead of the project in Ebonyi made the pledge on Tuesday in Abakaliki during a one-day validation workshop on the final draft of the Ebonyi development plan.

Onyia said that the plan 25-year plan will encompass the short, medium and long-term development of the state.

"The process commenced seven months ago with critical stakeholders such as traditional rulers, political leaders, civil society organisations, government officials, private sector among others; making veritable inputs.

"The inputs resulted in the final draft to be validated as the development plan covers key sectors of the state.

"The plan contains policies which should be implemented to make Ebonyi, one of the best states in Nigeria as regards development,".

The team lead who gave an overview of the project's initiation, said that the state governor inaugurated a four-man transformative committee for such purpose in April 2021.

"A retreat was organised for the committe in Enugu, in June 2021 with one of its recommendations, being the formulation of a state development plan.

"The governor thus inaugurated a 12-member committee and an 18-member technical committee in November 2021 to achieve the intended purpose,".

He noted that the committees set to work in February 2022 and thanked the state deputy governor who is the chairman, for his invaluable support.

The Ebonyi Deputy Governor, Dr Eric Igwe thanked the USAID team for its efforts towards formulating the development plan for the state.

Igwe said that USAID had the interest of the state at heart, always collaborating with it and responding whenever called upon.

"Ebonyi has become an emerging economy in the country and all measures geared towards actualising its full potentials should be supported.

"I however plead for time to study the draft in ensuring that what the government asked to be done was being delivered.

He noted that he had a synopsis of what the draft was all about but had to make assurance double.

"It is better to err on the side of caution than to throw caution to the winds,".

A presentation was made at the workshop by the Chairman of the plan's Technical Committee, Dr Stephen Odoh who is also the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry.

Good.