By Samuel Itsede
Member representing Mbaitoli-Ikeduru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Henry Nwawuba, has condemned in strong terms, the House of Reps approval of $22.7b loan request submitted to the National Assembly for approval by the Executive, despite agitation by South East Lawmakers over the exclusion of the South East in the loan utilization plan.
Rt Hon Henry Nwawuba had earlier in March on the flour of House of Representatives, stopped the passage of the loan request vide a petition from the South East Elites pin pointing the deliberate exclusion of the South East in the distribution of key infrastructural projects to be funded with the $22.7b loan. In this same vein, Nwawuba also called for a review of the spending plan to accommodate projects from the South East.
It is regrettable, and very undemocratic to note that the loan request got the approval of the National Assembly without the South East which contributes substantially to the GDP and revenue earnings of the Federation.
It has become very difficult to fathom the rationale behind the stark discrimination against the South East in such critical matter that affects not only the present generation, but generations unborn. More worrisome is the fact that, despite the exclusion of the South East in the utilization plan of the loan, the South East will contribute to the repayment of the loan.
The Federal Government by this singular action, have succeeded in implanting in the psyche of South Easterners, a feeling of distrust, discrimination and marginalization.
As representatives from the South East, my colleagues and I have on different occasions communicated the displeasure of our constituents to the leadership of the National Assembly, on the need to redress the injustice done to our geopolitical zone. Unfortunately, our arguments were drowned out by the voice votes of the rest of the members of the House and the “Ayes” carried the day
I hereby call on all political leaders from the South East, irrespective of political affiliations to join forces with National Assembly members from the zone in demanding that federal projects in the South East are given the same level of priority as projects in other geopolitical zones are given.
There is need for the Federal Government to convince the South East that they are an integral part of this country by seeking alternative ways of funding the Eastern Corridor Rail Line that runs from Port-Harcourt through Enugu to Makurdi, down to Maiduguri, just as they seek to fund projects like the Western Rail Line that runs from Lagos through Ibadan to Kano, with the approved $22.7b external loan.
