South-East Governors Attack Federal Government Over Poor Implementation Of Budgets In The Zone

Governors Reveal Second Niger Bridge Had Never Been Captured In The Budget

Governors from South-East zone of Nigeria, on Tuesday, expressed their dissatisfaction with the implementation of federal budgets in the zone.

They alleged that the region has continued to suffer in the execution of projects as captured in the budgets.

A report by the governors on the performance of the 2017 federal budget indicated that the construction of the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State was never captured in the document.

The governors, who Naija News gathered were represented by Prof. Simeon Atuanya, the Director-General of the Forum, urged the Federal Government to implement the budget of this year for the zone in view of a plethora of projects needing attention.

He stated that the budgets were designed to ensure the restoration of the national economy on the path of sound and sustainable growth across all sectors and geographical spaces around the country.

He stressed that the government at the centre should fulfil expectations of the public.

He said: “We believe that such re-balancing must take into consideration the concepts of equity and fairness vertically and horizontally in order to develop every nook and cranny of the nation.

“We will continue to work as think tanks to review budget allocations and implementations at the state and national levels for all the years forward with special interest on how they are helping the region towards economic renaissance.”

Dr Uzochukwu Amakom, an economist and fellow presenter of the document, stated that projects allocated to the South East in the 2017 budget were either not started, abandoned, poorly executed or still ongoing.

While speaking on the Second Niger Bridge, he stated that the project which was proposed at an initial cost of N 117 billion in 2013 and later adjusted to include railing and increase in the number of lanes from two to three, has never been captured in the budget.

“The project, which is supposed to have been completed in four years after its foundation stone laying ceremony in 2013, is still at the primary stage. Progress of work is very slow.

“Although the work was started with Julius Berger, they are yet to be awarded the contract formally. This was the story of the people at the site and was confirmed by the ministry.

“We made efforts to speak to the Controller of Works in Awka to clear the matter without success at the time,” Amakom added.