The 2023 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ebonyi State, Chukwuma Odii, has accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of wasting the resources of the State on the state-built Chuba Okadigbo Airport, Abakaliki.
Odii, in a statement signed by Moses Idika, Head of Media of his campaign organization, Anyi’ Ga Emeya Movement, alleged that Nwifuru has “wasted” billions of naira on the airport that was deemed to have been completed by the past administration of David Umahi who is now Minister of Works.
He disclosed that after spending about N20bn for the rehabilitation of the airport runway, the Governor wasted more billions by pulling the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and wives of Governors from different States of the federation to Ebonyi to inaugurate the upgraded runway.
“Perhaps the most astonishing show of profligacy amidst excruciating poverty and hunger is the wasteful spending of Ebonyi State Resources on the Chuba Okadigbo Airport, Onueke at the slightest snap of finger,” Odii agonized.
“Recall that the Airport was inaugurated on May 26, 2023 by then President Muhammadu Buhari. However, by September 2023, Governor Nwifuru announced that he had awarded a N13 billion contract – information from government sources indicate close to N20 billion – for the rehabilitation of a three-month old runway!
“This is aside from the fact that just four months earlier in April 2023, then Governor David Umahi announced that the Ebonyi State Government spent 36 billion to build the airport (unofficial reports say over N42 billion).
“Despite these humongous amounts that were said to have been spent building the airport, on Friday November 15, 2024, Governor Nwifuru again rolled out the drums to commission yet again, the runway of Chuba Okadigbo Airport!
“This time, Governor Nwifuru invited the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu who came to Abakaliki with a retinue of other first ladies and top government functionaries and with that visit yet another set of billions of Ebonyi State allocation have been spent on duplicitous re-commissioning of a runway that is barely one year old.
“Airports are economically strategic investments that are planned and backed up with data of return on investment (ROI), but since the Chuba Okadigbo Airport was constructed, no kobo has been generated for Ebonyi State and there is no plan anywhere as to how the airport can become economically viable.”
Odii accused Nwifuru of non-performance, arguing that since May 29 2023 when he took over the mantle of leadership, the state has suddenly taken a nose-dive in all possible parameters of assessment.
“From the economy, infrastructure, education, health services, environment, human capital development and sanitation, there is hardly any visible plan to extricate the people of the state from the stranglehold of poverty, disease, ignorance and mass starvation,” Odii further agonized.
“According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Ebonyi State has the highest poverty ratio in Southern Nigeria with a staggering 80% of its close to 4 million estimated population classified as living in poverty.
“According to data sourced from the office of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Abuja as published on their website, Ebonyi State is one highest indebted state in Nigeria.
“According to DMO data, as at June 30, 2024 Ebonyi State is owing external debt of $92, 655,060.01 or N157 billion.
“Ebonyi State’s cumulative internal debt stands at over N70 billion aside from various commitments to some other domestic financial institutions.
“In fact, a walk on the now dirty and unkept streets of Abakaliki clearly shows countless evidence of the grim reality facing Ndi Ebonyi today.
“An unfortunate fact is that Ebonyi State under the command of Hon. Ogbonnaya Nwifuru is currently bleeding, hemorrhaging and the lives of the people are thinning out in droves due to hunger and poverty. Ebonyi State today is seemingly directionless.”
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