Onwuliri from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Education as Minister
of State, certain issues were left lying low and Imo people did not
know much about the number of federal projects in the state.
Onwuliri, from Umuzi in Ahiazu Mbaise council, has consistently
disclosed in various fora that the twin-storey building in each of the
305 electoral wards in the 27 councils, which many believed were
executed entirely by the administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha
were actually executed by the federal government
She revealed that many projects had been executed in Imo, contrary to
Okorocha's accusations that Jonathan did not execute any single
project in the state.
Onwuliri disclosed that billions of naira worth of projects had been
executed in various schools, including those jointly funded by the
state and federal government at the cost of over N40 million to the
federal government, through its Universal Basic Education Commission
(UBEC), while the state government provided the counterpart funds.
But the Chairman of the Imo State Universal Basic Commission
(IMSUBEB), Mrs. Gertrude Oduka, faulted the claim recently in Owerri
while briefing some journalists.
Okorocha had earlier disputed the minister's claims.
But Onwuliri has continued to tell Okorocha and his aides to forget
about politics and access the records in Abuja to ascertain the true
facts of these federal projects in the state.
The minister also disclosed that the federal government has so far
expended about N5 billion on the 100,000 metric tonnes silos project
in Ezinachi in Okigwe, which has reached 90 per cent completion.
She stated that the state-owned university in Owerri has received
about N6 billion from the federal government, adding that the Faculty
of Law she recently commissioned was built by the federal government,
while many Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), an agency of the federal
government, constructed more buildings at the university, Federal
University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and Alvan Ikoku Federal
College of Education (AIFCE).
The minster also explained that the state polytechnic at Umuagwo,
Ohaji had accessed federal funds to build an ultra-modern e-Library,
among other developmental projects in the road and health sectors.
Onwuliri noted that federal projects became a bone of contention and
has sparked disaffection between the All Progressives Congress (APC)
government in the state and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led
federal government, leading to the minister being regarded as a thorn
in the flesh of the state government.
Onwuliri has, however, remained unrelenting in debunking claims that
Jonathan has not sited any project in the state.
The political tension in the state heightened as the two parties
employed various means to win sympathy and popularity of the Imo
electorate.
But the bad blood between the state government and Onwuliri boiled
over recently when suspected thugs attacked widows that assembled near
the Government House in Owerri, apparently to protest alleged spate of
killings in the state and the humiliation meted on Onwuliri by
Okorocha and some of the government agents.
The widows, under the aegis of Imo Widows Association (IWA), led by
Mrs. Elizabeth Odoemena, with affiliated groups, such as Widows in
Christ, Royal Women Widows and Jesus Triumphant Widows were said to
have been dealt with by suspected agents of the state government,
allegedly supervised by some its officials, leaving some of them with
injuries.
The Guardian gathered that the women did not carry any mock coffin,
as alleged, but only assembled at the popular Old Garden Park Business
Centre arena, near the Okigwe Road Roundabout when the hoodlums
alighted from various vehicles with dangerous weapons and pounced on
them.
Some of the women were allegedly abducted and taken away, but later released.
A cameraman attached to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr.
Etuk Eric, was stabbed.
The intensity of the crisis led to the intervention of soldiers at
the entrance of the Government House gate, causing further panic and
apprehension, especially among state government officials and agents.
The state government swiftly issued a statement accusing Onwuliri of
recruiting some persons from the neighbouring Abia State to cause
mayhem.
Another statement made available to The Guardian by Okorocha's Senior
Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, reiterated a petition
to the Presidency by the Attorney General and commissioner for Justice
over the alleged drafting of soldiers to the area.
Read more at The Guardian, click here:
t.co/SP1pVVnR91
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