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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Amobi Ogah, has accused governors of suffocating local government councils by way of controlling funds of the LGAs despite President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to grant councils financial autonomy.
Speaking during town hall meetings with his constituents at Isuikwuato and Umunneochi respectively, the Labour Party (LP) lawmaker frowned at the penchant of governors to control Council funds, regretting that the anomaly is impeding development at the grassroots.
Ogah was of the view that most of the expectations of the people from lawmakers were things the LGA authorities would have ordinarily provided if they had unfettered access to their funds.
“There is no LGA in Nigeria today that does not get at least N250 million every month as allocation from the federal government. That’s why the Governors are holding tight to LGA allocations.
“But the National Assembly and Mr President are working hard to free the LGAs from the claws of the Governors by granting them financial autonomy so we can witness development in our communities.
“If N250 million gets to every LGA monthly, you can imagine the level of development that will be seen at the grassroots. This will remove a lot of burden from lawmakers because many of what our constituents want us to do are actually the duty of LGAs. But we are working hard to liberate them.”
Ogah told his people that President Tinubu was genuinely committed to creating an additional state for the South East geopolitical zone to bring the zone at par with other zones in the country.
He said the creation of a parity state for the South East would address a lot of injustice against the zone and help fast-track development in the region.
Ogah who informed his constituents that he sponsored the motion for Etiti State creation which he said has already passed a second reading at the House of Representatives, stated the proposal enjoys wider acceptance and support of both lawmakers and the masses.
“The good news is that Mr. President sincerely wants to create an additional state for the South East so we can be at par with other zones. When he said he would create the South East Development Commission, we thought it was a joke but today, we have seen it’s a reality.
“So, he has again shown commitment to balance the inequality in the number of states. And we have sponsored the Bill for the creation of Etiti State which is the only Bill that has passed the second reading, and it is generally accepted by my colleagues.
“We know our brothers in Delta State are pushing for Anioma State but what we are saying is that Etiti State should be the first option because it will balance inequality and injustice against the South East.
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“The truth is that the South East has lost so much for having the least number of states in Nigeria. As a lawmaker, I came to Abuja and I found out that Nigeria is running a government of ‘sharing formula.’
“Kano alone has 44 Local Government Areas. The number of House of Representatives’ members from Kano and Kaduna alone is more than the entire South East put together.”
The lawmaker stated there was need for his people to support Etiti State creation movement, adding from the way it was drafted, 11 LGAs were picked from the current five states with each of them donating two LGAs except Enugu that has three.
“In Abia, we have Isuikwuato and Umunneochi; Anambra has Orumba North and Orumba South LGAs; Imo has Okigwe and Onuimo LGAs; Ebonyi has Ivo and Ohaozara; while Enugu has Aninri, Awgu and Oji River LGAs.”
Ogah who commended President Tinubu for the steps he is taking towards addressing Igbo marginalisation and urged his constituents to key into the Etiti State movement.
He said part of the reasons Nnamdi Kanu was agitating for the restoration of Biafra was because of the entrenched marginalisation by the Nigeria State against the Igbo nation, stressing that creation of a parity state will help reduce tension in the South East.
“The genuineness of Kanu’s agitation cannot be questioned. He may not get it right but through the government we can get it right if we have people speaking for us. There was a vacuum, and our people see him as the saviour. But we cannot get anything by fighting. Dialogue and engagement are what we need.”
Ogah announced he influenced the inclusion of projects worth over N4b for the constituency in the 2024 budget, but regretted that non release of funds installed the execution of some of them.
He, however, vowed not to relent in lobbying and mounting pressure on the relevant Ministries and agencies to ensure the constituency gets its fare share of the national cake.
He also promised to sustain his empowerment schemes which, according to him, preceded his entry into politics, arguing that the only way to crash crime rate is through meaningful empowerment of youths.
The Bishop of Okigwe Methodist Diocese, Bishop Livinus Bereonwu Onugha, said for the sake of equity, Etiti State should be the sixth state for the South East before any other proposal could be considered.
Bishop Onugha commended the efforts of Abia State Government and security agencies in quelling insecurity around Umunneochi/Isuikwuato axis which was at a time, the hub of kidnapping in the state.
Others who spoke including the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Abia State, Mr Chaka Chukwumerije; former Heavyweight Champion, Osita Offor (a k.a the Ultimate Commander); oil magnet, Chris Igwe; former Council boss, Chief Steve Egbo; traditional rulers, women leaders, youth leaders and stakeholders in Umunneochi, all commended Ogah for his quality representation and pledged their support for the Etiti state creation movement.
