N6 billion Post-Amnesty Fund For Imo, Inadequate – Speaker

As the federal government begins its post-amnesty programme with the approval of N200 billion worth of projects  for the Niger Delta states, the Imo State House of Assembly has protested over N6 billion given the state for developmental projects.

The complaint over the amount was made known to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette by the House members when they paid a visit to the minister at Abuja to discuss what they termed federal government’s indifferent attitude to the state in Niger Delta affairs and post-amnesty development programme.

According to the leader of the Imo delegation and Speaker, Chief Goodluck Opiah, who led the entire members of the House to discuss with National Assembly members of Imo extraction as well as other government bodies involved in the post-amnesty programme, the sum of N6 billion to the state from the ear marked N200 billion is inadequate and unacceptable to the people of Imo State.

Opiah who described the action of the federal government as unfair and shocking stated that oil producing communities are  sad over the inadequate quality of projects allocated to the state from the N200 billion.

Speaking to newsmen, at the sum Mleakwe Airport, Owerri after the Abuja visit, the speaker said all issues regarding oil exploitation and exploitation were the same and Imo State should not be left out in the schedule of things.

“The case of Imo should be the same with other Niger Delta States, because we suffer the same ecological, environmental and mental problems with our oil producing area neighbours.”