By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), warned Sunday that the purported sum of #250 billion appropriated for the newly created South East Development Commission, (SEDC) under the chairmanship of Dr. Emeka Nworgu and supervised by the former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzoh Kalu, who is the Senate Committee Chairman of the Commission, should not be shared.
Sounding the note of warning through her spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the movement warned further that, "If this information is true, we wish to warn Senator Orji Uzoh Kalu and those handling this money to ensure that the money is not shared among individuals but should be utilized in the development of Alaigbo.
According to IPOB the money is meant to initiate and complete developmental programs and projects in the region stating that South East is in need of so many social intervention projects and industrialization that will create jobs for the teaming youthful population of Ali Igbo at this time.
It listed such developmental programs and projects to include, rehabilitation projects that will involve the construction of new roads and the expansion of existing ones, rehabilitation of Federal government hospitals and building of new ones.
Others are, building of electricity power plants for the provision of affordable and reliable electricity, construction of free trade zones or industrial parks in Abia and Anambra States to create jobs for our teaming population.
Also the building of a functional Seaports and International Airports even as it lamented that the money woukd not build airport or Seaport but admitted that it is yearly acrude money that must be well utilized.
It stressed the need for investing in human capital development such as supporting youths with technical and creative skills to develop their natural potentials as Ndigbo are naturally endowed with ingenuity and creativity.
"All they require is a safe environment and government support to reach their potential and therefore reach their goals. There are many projects that the SEDC can engage in that will benefit the people of the South East Region.
" We do not want to hear that the Abuja politicians have looted the money and shared it among themselves by organizing frivolous seminars and conferences or going abroad for anything conferences.
This is not the time for politicians to loot the common treasury without anyone asking them questions.
"IPOB is here to monitor and expose every activity and call out those against the people of the South East Region. The purported appropriated funds if true is for the people of the South East Region. It is not for a particular state, Local Government Area, or community. All the intervention programs that SEDC may wish to embark on must go around to all the states and communities in Alaigbo.
" The SEDC board members must conduct themselves in a manner that the whole Igboland will feel the impact of the #250 billion. No state or community should have a favorable advantage over the other. Let there be equity and justice to avoid any form of strife.
"Most importantly, the money should not be stolen or shared among the political actors in Alaigbo. Otherwise, those who will be involved in the sharing of the funds will have a price to pay.
"The success and failure of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) will be dependent on these key Igbo actors, Dr. Orji Uzoh Kalu(Senator), Dr Benjamin Kalu(House of Rep Deputy Speaker), and Dr. Emeka Nworgu (SEDC Chairman).
"These actors are to be held responsible if the SEDC fails and will be praised if the Commission succeeds. IPOB is monitoring them and will not fail to hold them accountable," the movement warned.
