Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Proposal for the creation of Etiti State as the parity state for the South-East geopolitical zone, has received the endorsement of major stakeholders in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency of Abia State.
This is as they urged members of the National Assembly to expedite action on the Bill for its speedy passage into law.
The stakeholders made the endorsement on Saturday during a town hall meeting with the member representing the constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Amobi Ogah.
Rep. Ogah who sponsored the Bill, had while addressing the stakeholders at Isuochi civic hall, Umunneochi, said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was genuinely committed to the creation of the additional state to balance the lopsidedness in the number of states
Ikengaonline reports that South-East has remained the only geopolitical zone with the least number of states.
While four of the six geopolitical zones in the country have six states each, North West has seven, while the South-East has only five states.
Meanwhile, during the constitutional conference organised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2005, the conferees resolved that a parity state be created for South-East, but unfortunately, the resolution was never implemented.
Similarly, the creation of an additional state for South-East was recommended during the 2014 Confab organised by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, but the resolution, also did not see the light of day.
Speaking at the town hall meeting, Honourable Ogah who said the Bill was the only state creation Bill that had passed a second reading, expressed confidence that the Bill would also scale through public hearing which, he hinted, would soon be conducted.
Making a case for Etiti State, the Labour Party lawmaker, said the centrality of the proposed state which cuts across all five existing states in the South-East, gave it an edge above other options being canvassed.
He added that many lawmakers and members of the public are more favourably disposed towards the proposed Etiti State.
Hon. Ogah applauded President Tinubu for his determination to correct the imbalance which has made South-East lose so much resources for decades.
He said: “The good news is that Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, sincerely wants to create additional state for South-East so we can be at par with other zones. When he said he would create the South-East Development Commission, we thought it was a joke but today, we have seen it’s a reality.
“So, he has again shown commitment to balance the inequality in number of states. And we have sponsored the Bill for the creation of Etiti State which is the only Bill that has passed the second reading, and it is generally accepted by my colleagues.
“We know our brothers in Delta State are pushing for Anioma State but what we are saying is that Etiti State should be the first option because it will balance the inequality and injustice against South-East.
“The truth is that South-East has lost so much for having the least number of states in Nigeria. As a lawmaker, I came to Abuja and I found out that Nigeria is running a government of ‘sharing formula.’
“Kano alone has 44 Local Government Areas. The number of House of Representatives’ members from Kano and Kaduna alone is more than the entire South-East put together.”
Ogah who commended the late Senator Chukwumerije and others for initiating the move for Etiti State creation, said the spirit of Chukwumerije had fallen on him to actualise the project.
He, therefore, called for the support and cooperation of his constituents and Ndigbo in general towards realising the proposal, which, he said would help reduce tension in the over marginalised and under-developed zone.
Rep. Ogah noted that the Local Government Areas involved in the proposed state, unfortunately, are the most neglected in the various states where they currently belong.
“There is need for our people to support Etiti State creation movement. From the way it is drafted, 11 LGAs were picked from the current five states with each of them donating two LGAs except Enugu that has three. In Abia, we have Isuikwuato and Umunneochi; Anambra has Orumba North and Orumba South LGAs; Imo has Okigwe and Onuimo LGAs; Ebonyi has Ivo and Ohozara; while Enugu has Aninri, Awgu and Oji River LGAs.”
“If you look at all these LGAs, they are the most neglected in their current states. Where do Umunneochi and Isuikwuato belong to in Abia? They are not even included in the design for electricity that’s why we are having light issues. If you go to Umunze you wonder whether they’re in Anambra or Imo. If you go to Okigwe, it’s the most confused LGA in the South-East. The story is the same in Ivo and Awgu. So, these people need to be remembered.”
Meanwhile, speakers at the town hall meeting who took turns to express themselves, voiced strong support for the proposed Etiti State.
They said that the proposed state stands out as “the most equitable and most viable” of all the states being canvassed, adding that the discovery of crude oil at Nneato has brightened the fortunes of the new state.
In his contribution, the Bishop of Okigwe Methodist Diocese, Bishop Livinus Bereonwu Onugha, said that Etiti State should be the sixth state for the South-East before any other proposal could be considered.
The outspoken cleric commended Ogah for his efforts towards the project, and urged politicians to also give attention to youth empowerment and job creation to help reduce crime wave in society.
Bishop Onugha raised the alarm over an emerging dangerous trend among youths in the area who he said, wake with strong drinks and smoking.
He commended the efforts of Abia State Government and security agencies in quelling insecurity around Umunneochi/Isuikwuato axis which was at a time, the hub of kidnapping for ransom.
In a remark, President General of Nneato Community, Chief George Okafor, thanked Ogah for his efforts towards the state creation, adding that the discovery of oil in Nneato by Shell, has already put the proposed state at an edge above some other proposals.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the occasion and the immediate-past Vice President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Kingsley Dozie, appealed to other regions to support the move to give South-East a parity state as already recommended in both the 2005 and 2014 Constitutional Conferences.
Some of the stakeholders at the town hall meeting were the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Abia State, Mr Chaka Chukwumerije; former heavy weight wrestling champion, Osita Offor (a k.a the Ultimate Commander); oil magnet, Odinaka Igwe; former Council boss, Chief Steve Egbo.
Traraditional rulers, women leaders, youth leaders and stakeholders in Umunneochi, who were at the town hall meeting in their numbers, all expressed support for the state creation movement.
