PORT-HARCOUT – Edo State government on Tuesday recounted tales of unfulfilled promises made to it by the federal government over the years.
The other states in the South-South geo-political zone, said their cases were not better, especially since the commencement of this fourth republic.
Edo state Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen who presented the state’s position to the Implementation Committee of the UNDP/National Assembly Support Programme in Port- Harcourt, said the number of unfulfilled promises to the state, was unparalled.
The committee was in Port- Harcourt for the South-South zonal consultative and sensitization forum on National Assembly’s inclusive National Budgeting Initiative.
According to Mr. Imasuen, Edo State has been short – changed in endless manner, citing promises made in respect of the Benin / Ore road, University of Benin (UNIBEN), Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, the Federal government / Edo state government collaboration water project in Edo Central Senatorial district, which is almost abandoned in spite of Edo State government’s fulfillment of its side of the bargain.
While not giving credence to the activities of militants in the Niger – Delta region, he urged the federal government to see to their grievances as the region had been neglected for so long.
He said ex- president Olusegun Obasanjo led government’s promise to find lasting solution to the Benin /Ore road few years back, never yielded the desired result, adding that the road had “expired and calling for urgent attention,” due to its importance.
According to him, the ex-President Ibrahim Babangida promise of infrastructural development of UNIBEN and Auchi Polytechnic has remained unfulfilled.
Speaking on Gele-gele community, Mr. Imasuen remarked that while the access road to the community was in a sorry state, the state government was making effort to give the people a sense of belonging.
Chairman of the implementation committee, Senator Iyiola Omisore said the consultative forum was aimed at ensuring that national budget reflected virtues which truly reflected the articulated views, needs and preferences of the people.
In the deputy governor’s entourage to the forum was the commissioner for Health, Dr. Wilson Imongan, his counterpart in the Agriculture and National Resources Ministry Hon. Jen Ihensekhien as well as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr. Elvis Omoregie.
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