The Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Dr. Denge Josef Onoh, has criticized the Federal Government’s recent approval of ₦610.13 billion for major infrastructure projects, alleging a deliberate exclusion of the South-East region from key road network investments.
Speaking during a press briefing held on Friday at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu, Onoh expressed strong dissatisfaction on behalf of the forum regarding the distribution of the newly approved federal infrastructure funding.
Addressing journalists and key regional stakeholders, Onoh noted that despite the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) rollout of massive capital expenditure for national transit corridors, major arterial highways connecting the South-East continue to face systematic neglect.
”The recent approval of ₦610.13 billion for infrastructure projects across the country, while commendable in scope, reveals a disturbing pattern of exclusion,” Onoh stated. “The South-East region has once again been left out of the primary distribution for strategic road corridors, raising serious questions about inclusive governance.”
Onoh, who also previously served as the South-East Spokesman for the presidential campaign council, stressed that critical trade corridors in the zone, such as essential linking routes between regional economic hubs require urgent federal intervention.
He argued that omitting major South-East road networks from high-value allocations undermines regional integration and commercial activity.
Also speaking at the venue, the Forum’s Secretary, Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, backed the chairman’s position, noting that the group remains committed to advocating for equitable distribution of national resources.
Ezeugwu urged the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Executive Council to review the funding framework to ensure the South-East receives an equitable allocation of major federal road rehabilitations.
The forum called on the President and the Minister of Works to urgently address the imbalance by incorporating key South-East road networks into subsequent infrastructure funding cycles to foster national unity and balanced economic development.
