The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi has expressed optimism over the recently passed South East Development Commission bill, saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will sign it into law. In an interview with newsmen, the Senator representing Ebonyi north at the 10th senate gave a pass mark to successive governors of Ebonyi state, even as he commended the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike and commissioner of Police over measures put in place to secure Abuja.
EXCERPTS:
Q: The South East Development Commission bill recently passed by the senate, could you give an insight
ANS: South East development Commission Bill is long over due, you remember that after the Nigeria civil war, the Federal government came out with 3Rs…. Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and what have you. The South East is suppose to have a big share of that programme but unfortunately nothing happens in south East Nigeria, we on our own are trying to rehabilitate, Reconstruct and Rebuild the South East, there is no federal government intervention anywhere instead you can see some in Lagos and other part of the Southern Nigeria, where the war did not even affect as affected South-East states.
I believe that the commission is aimed at addressing that lapses and outside that, recently you can see that the South East is under heavy attacks of IPOB and other form of bandits such that we have recorded a lot of losses, lost of lives and damage of properties hence, the need to Reconstruct and Rebuild South East and I believe that Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, been a man who believes in one Nigeria will do justice by assenting to that bill when its eventually get to his table.
Q: Similarly, there was also a bill on Dave Umahi university of Medical Sciences…
ANS: The bill just passed the second reading and it’s has been committed to the committee on Tertiary institution and they are working on it. The university before now has been in existence haven’t been established by the law of Ebonyi State 2021 but following the visit of former President Mohammedu Buhari, who was moved by the determination of the then governor of the state, Senator David Umahi, to develop the young state of Ebonyi, pronounced the taking over of that university, and I believe that was a very good step by the former President, to encourage the young state, and that university is one of the best university not just in Nigeria but in entire Africa, in terms of infrastructure, commitment of lecturers to work, medical equipment, and others, so it’s a welcome development and I believe in no time Mr. President will assent to the bill to give it a legal frame work to operate as one of the Federal University in Nigeria.
Q: Let us look holistically at Education in Ebonyi state
ANS: Ebonyi is actually backward educationally 20 years back, but I must tell you going by the effort made by our successive leaders, starting from Sam Egwu, that gave us free education, followed by Elechi and been amplified by the immediate past governor, Senator David Umahi, Ebonyi of yesterday is different from Ebonyi of today. In the area of education we are above so many states, in the area of infrastructure Ebonyi is number two if not number one, courtesy of the leaders we had in the past. I must commend the sitting governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Ogbonna, who is following the steps of his predecessors in terms infrastructure, social welfare of the people, ensuring quality education of Ebonyi children. I must tell you we in Ebonyi are blessed because we have always had good leaders who are committed and concerned about the development of Ebonyi and our people.
Q: Maintenance culture has been a challenge what is the way out?
ANS: As African we lack maintenance culture and I must tell you from this successful leaders I believe the story will change and also as paliament it is also our duty to follow up to make sure this spirit of maintenace is really incoporated in to our public system through our oversight functions which we are doing very well.
Q: The senate summoned the FCT minister, Nyesome Wike over insecurity in the FCT, what transpired at the meeting?
ANS: It was a very fruitful one, he told us of his determination with the service chiefs in FCT, how to minimize insecurity if not to completely eradicate it in the fct and as paliament we were satisfied with that explanation. I call it a very brilliant response to the query. We gave him a query and he came and we are satisfied, infact the level of insecurity has reduced drastically. It’s means his mesures are working and we in the Senate commended him and in particular the FCT commissioner of Police was commended for the drastic change achieved upon his assumption of office.
