Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has warned that the exclusion of Southeast from the $22.7bn loan approved by the senate will fuel crisis and political uncertainty and may subsequently force the South East out of Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a press statement sent to the Herald on Sunday, by the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the Secretary-General.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide are studying diligently the details of the approved 22.7 billion dollars loan by the Senate for President Muhammadu Buhari to address the infrastructural deficiencies in Nigeria,
“OYC demands that the Federal Government should publish the details of the zones ( with Proposed Projects) that will be beneficiaries for the loan. As an alternative plan to exclude Southeast from being beneficiary will send wrong signals capable of shaking up the foundation and the Unity of the Country as it will not augur well for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which we support.
“OYC state categorically that President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 electoral promise to revamp Enugu Coal Mine had not been formally addressed in the last 5 years. OYC Presents these Southeast federal projects that should be factored into the 22.7 billion dollars loan and shouldn’t be denied for any Political reasons.
“They include completion of 2nd Niger bridge, drainage of Imo River with Establishment of Owerrinta Dry Sea Port in Abia State, revamp Of Enugu coal mine, resuscitation of Nkalagu Cement Plant and Factory Ebonyi State, commencement of federal roads approved during the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council on 22nd May 2019, which the Hon Minister of Power, Works and Housing had kept mum on.
“These federal abandoned expressways approved are “reconstruction and dualisation of ABA-Ikot Ekpene road, rehabilitation and dualization of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, dualization of Owerri-ABA expressways, rehabilitation of Akoka-Okigwe Expressway, reconstruction of Abaomege-Ugep Expressway and Completions of Enugu-Abakiliki-Ogoja Trans African Highway.
“OYC insists that these Capital Projects should be factored into the 22.7 billion dollars loan on behalf of the Southeast Zone, We are still Monitoring the development of ongoing Works on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway,Onitsha- Enugu Expressway and Ohafia-Arochukwu Roads.
“OYC observed that tensions are brewing up in the Southeast, as the mood of the people is tensed up on the rumour of exclusion of Southeast from the 22.7 billion dollars loan.
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“We call on the Federal Government to publish the beneficiaries of the Proposed loan with inclusions of South East Projects to douse the tension, as silence in these situations will be a provocative attempt to push Southeast zone out of Nigeria.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct those involved to include the above listed Abandoned Federal projects for Southeast to save Nigeria from Disintegration.