The United Progressives Party (UPP) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for demonstrating in clear terms that his Government will support developmental programmes initiated by state governments completely devoid of partisan prejudice.
The Chairman of UPP, Chief Chekwa Okorie who made the commendation in a press release he issued yesterday said that the signing of the N500 billion Enyimba Economic City at the Presidential Villa on Friday 7th December, 2018, between the Federal Government and the Abia State Government was a landmark achievement in every consideration.
Okorie maintained that the federal government’s commitment of 20% equity, amounting to N100 billion to the project was unprecedented and worthy of commendation by every well-meaning Nigerian irrespective of party affiliation even as he further commend Mr. Okechukwu Enelama, who he described as an illustrious Son of Abia State under whose purview this project falls as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment for facilitating the approval and commitment of the federal government to this noble project.
He also congratulated the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu for initiating this project and attracting the core investors who together with the federal government would make this project a reality in due course while commending the various communities that owned the vast expanse of land where the Enyimba Economic City was located.
According to him,” The fact that this project is estimated to provide over 650,000 direct jobs is massive and a huge economic boost not only to the people of Abia State but to Nigeria in general. The citing of this project at the very centre of the former Eastern Region made up of nine States is very significant in socio-economic and cultural context.
“UPP is excited about this development because it conforms with our strong position, well captured in our party manifesto, that while waiting for the restructuring of Nigeria to take place, state governments are enjoined to be creative and initiate projects and programmes that will engender development, create jobs, explore and exploit the comparative advantage of each state for the development of the states in particular and the country in general”.
The National Chairman reiterated that it was worthy to not that in the 16 years of PDP federal government in Nigeria, no such state initiative in any part of the South East geopolitical zone was ever supported by the federal government not to talk of taking up any percentage equity in such project, instead what quickly came to mind was the willful and wicked destabilization and halting of Geometrics Power Project built to provide uninterrupted electricity power supply to the Ariaria Industrial Area covering about nine out of 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State which according to him also had an in-built capacity to extend power supply to Nnewi and Onitsha through high tension cables.
“It is left to the imagination, the gigantic economic and industrial strides that would have taken place in Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha if the PDP federal government had not willfully sabotaged this private initiative that put the promoters, their foreign investors and the banks that syndicated the loans for the project in a quagmire, which economic and financial costs are incalculable. In due course, the United Progressive Party (UPP) will be rolling out the many sins of the PDP against Ndigbo.
“The ongoing construction of the Second Niger Bridge of which the Federal Government has recently injected N33bn, with a definite deadline as to when the project will be completed in 2022, the massive reconstruction works going on at Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and Owerri-Aba expressway have all combined to justify our well thought-out decision to campaign assiduously for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari for his Second and final term in office”, he stated.
He therefore challenged all PDP members and apologists to state any project initiated and completed by the PDP federal government in 16 long years in the South East geopolitical zone.
He continued,”What President Muhammadu Buhari inherited in the South East geopolitical zone was an area dotted with projects in different stages of abandonment. The story is changing for the better. No tag of President Muhammadu Buhari, as an “Igbo hater” will stand in the face of these irrefutable and undeniable facts. We shall soon expose the real Igbo Haters, many of whom are pseudo Igbo Leaders.
“We are by this intervention reaffirming our position that while being in opposition, we shall remain credible, objective, civilized and patriotic”.
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