The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) has faulted the stance of President Muhammadu Buhari on his claim of developmental strides and economic performance index of Ebonyi State under Governor Dave Umahi.
Speaking at a dinner organised in his honour during his two day visit, President Buhari had said he was impressed with
the economic development records of the state under Umahi administration and the investment opportunities stimulated by the critical infrastructures in place.
The AESID in a statement by its President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu however said the claim by President Buhari was not in sync with the findings by the National Bureau of Statistics which has adjudged the south east state as poverty capital of the South.
AESID also noted that the claim of giant infrastructures development was not a reality in Ebonyi State.
“On President Buhari’s obnoxious claims on improved economy for our dear State, AESID feels obligated to inform Mr. President, remind Umahi and the rest of the world that our Ebonyi still remains the poverty capital of the entire Southern Nigeria according to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS and that fact has not changed. Rather, it has only worsened.
“As a group which has been compelled to intervene in providing succour to some Internally-Displaced- Persons due to communal conflicts, we are aware that the awful rating of Ebonyi as the poorest State in Southern Nigeria with about 80% Poverty index according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics is very real and the people cannot wait for the Umahi cup to pass them over so their over-taxed and burdened means of livelihoods could breathe some fresh air.
“As a body, desirous of seeing a genuinely prosperous and economically viable Ebonyi which has severally lamented about Governor Umahi’s locust years in governance which has deliberately created massive hunger and poverty as a coercive tool to whip the poor Ebonyians into his line of subjective submissions, AESID seriously condemns the concocted lies, infantile deceits and elitist mockery which the wasteful jamboree called Presidential visit has brought upon our poor state.”
The group faulted the handover of a medical institution to the federal when the same Ebonyi Government had handed same school to the Catholic missionary to manage.
“To drive home our points, we recall that in December last year during the inauguration of the new Bishop of Abakaliki Catholic Diocese that the Governor, in his usual spur-of-the-moment candour officially handed over the so-called King David Medical University situated in his Uburu village and said to be officially registered in his name to the Church to manage it as a Mission’s school.
“How come the same institution which modalities have already advanced for full takeover by the church was again handed over to the Federal Government? Does Umahi think that Ebonyi people are that unthinking not to even deserve an answer and the following of due process?”
“We may live and do businesses elsewhere but there’s no denying the fact that Umahi’s seven years reign has delibrately impoverished Ebonyi arguably more than any government in Nigeria’s history! We are therefore at a loss as to who fed Buhari with the lies and claims he dished out to discerning members of the Nigerian public and the rest of the world?
“Ironically and as people in diaspora who are knowledgeable about the goings on in Nigeria particularly as it concerns our nation’s economy, we are aware that Buhari’s understanding of simple economics and it’s indices vis-a-vis national growth and development is horribly shallow. A leader with such a credential cannot therefore in our wisdom be in the right stead to pass a right verdict on Ebonyi’s economic growth and development.
“On the hand, we most sincerely commend the Catholic Church in Ebonyi State and particularly the Bishop of Abakaliki Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Fr. Peter Chukwu Nworie for their roles in ensuring that Rev. Fr. Timothy Ngwuta was finally granted bail by the Court just as we commend the judiciary for the role it played. As his trial continues, we further urge them and the Church to be fair and firm in ensuring that justice is not only seen to be done but very well done!”
and then