Ebonyi Speaker Warns Against Sabotaging Ebonyi Developmental Strides

- As State House of Assembly Fumes at Declining Result In The State’s IGR.
- Leader describes the situation as worrisome and dangerous.
- Constitutes a powerful 7-man ad-hoc Committee to Investigate all Contractors.

From Leo Ekene Oketa

It was the first plenary of the year 2020 and Ebonyi State House of Assembly showed no sign of relapse in discharging their duties. Rather, the 24 distinguished members of the Hallowed Chamber in Ebonyi swung into action for better legislation and improvement of the lives of Ebonyians.

Top highlight during the proceedings of the day’s plenary, Thursday, January 16, 2020, amongst others, was a clear displeased mood by the Honourable Speaker and all Honourable Members, at the sharp declining strata of the State’s Internally Generated Revenue - IGR.

This was contained in a motion under matter of urgent public importance rightly raised by the Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and Member representing Ezza North West Constituency - Hon. Victor Uzoma Chukwu. Speaking during his presentation, the Leader who is equally the Chairman, House Committee on Ethics, Privileges and House Services described the situation of the State’s IGR as highly worrisome and dangerous.

“Mr Speaker, the IGR of our State has been on a steady decline and fall for a very long period of time. A situation I find to be very worrisome since this fall or decline has led to a kind of stampede on our collective progress and prosperity. It has led to stagnation of our peoples-oriented projects and programs of the Governor of the State, a situation we’re afraid will spell doom for the collective wellbeing of the State.

“Mr. Speaker more worrisome on this issue of IGR is that it is not as if relevant laws have not been enacted to provide for proper collection of IGR in the state, it is not also as if our people are not compliant, my worry, Mr Speaker is that there is more to this decline than the eye can see. I have reason to bring this information to this Honourable house because we represent the entire state, because the entire Ebonyi is dissolved in this place. It is  dangerous if we are the representatives of the people and our people are milked, yet the State has nothing to show for it. I thing the problem is at the point of collection and remittance to the coffers of Government.” - Hon Victor Chukwu said.

“I bring this matter to us that we should make hayes while the sun shines. It is dangerous that IGR are collected and all of a sudden, they grow wings. Mr Speaker I urge you and all of us to use our good offices to attend to this dangerous trend in the State.”

Seconding the motion, Hon. Moses Ije Odunwa, member representing Ikwo South Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Environment was livid at the decline of the State’s IGR, taking the situation in his constituency as a reference point.

“I want to draw our attention to a particular development in my constituency. Now as I speak, river sand is being collected from my constituency. We have four beaches, points of collection. How do we know that these collections go to the purse of the State? So I feel that more effort should be put in place for this IGR to be coordinated so that the State will not be ripped of its revenue.”

Still reacting to the motion, Hon. Christian Usulor of Ezza South Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Education noted that a good IGR for a state can project the state positively on the federal level.

“In every fiscal year, part of the appropriation bill is dependent on the Internally Generated Revenue of the State. Certain measures should be put in place to beef up the IGR and when this is done, it attracts a lot of things from the Federal Government including the projection of the State to be self-sufficient, creation of more constituencies and lots more.” - Hon. Usulor said

Hon. Chidi Ejem, representing Afikpo South and Chairman House Committee on Solid Minerals equally gave his voice in support of the the motion, saying it is not just a matter to be discoursed lightly, that those in-charge of the IGR should be invited for proper interaction.

In his remarks, the Honourable Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru was obviously furious at the nature of the State’s IGR. Having listened to the reactions of other members, he said;

“If by the end of every year, the IGR keeps declining, then it means we are facing a lot of challenges. I know the problem is from the board and not the public because people are already agitating on daily basis. Those that are collecting the money are not remitting properly.

“Our people cannot be suffering to pay taxes and paying a lot of charges, at the end of the day the State will not see it. We will constitute a committee to call all the contractors to appear before it, urgently and the committee will just have 2 weeks, all the contractors must appear, all the MDs of those companies not even the staff or the manager and tell us why they are not paying what they are collecting. Any company that is not competent to do that job, it should be terminated and prosecuted if found guilty, unless they pay arrears especially in the areas of solid minerals. This is causing hardship for our people, a threat to our development and we cannot agree with that. No one has the right or privilege to truncate the development of Ebonyi State.”

A 7-man ad-hoc committee was set up and they include - Hon. Christian Usulor (Chairman), Hon. Victor Uzoma Chukwu, Hon. Victor Aleke, Hon. Chinedu Awoh, Hon. Chukwuma Igwe, Hon. Chinwe Lilian Nwachukwu and Hon. Chidi Ejem. Speaker Nwifuru charged the committee to do their duty with astute dedication without fear or favour.

Remaining nominees of His Excellency the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi (fnse, fnate) for appointments as members of Management Committee for Development Centres and Liaison Officers for Wards were screened and confirmed, as part of vote and proceedings of the day’s plenary.