Edo South Excluded from 2024 Budget Allocation, Stakeholders Demand Equity
By Kabir Akintayo
Stakeholders in Edo State, particularly from the Edo South Senatorial District, express dismay over the lopsided allocation of projects by the Ministry of the Niger-Delta in its distribution of projects to be executed under the 2024 Budget.
Expressing their concerns, Amb. Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo and Comrade Maxwell Uwagboe, representing the Benin National Congress Worldwide (BNCW), on Friday, write to Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki who is also the chairman of South-South states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta (BRACED).
The group also copied President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and other federal authorities, seeking intervention to rectify the perceived injustice and imbalance in the allocation of projects to Edo South Senatorial District.
While seeking clarification from the Ministry of the Niger-Delta, emphasizing the need for fair distribution of resources, the group noted that all major projects are concentrated in Edo North only.
The group argued that Edo South, with its oil and gas production basin, deserves a fair share of developmental projects.
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“In our suspicion that it was a mistake, we believed that it could have been an oversight, and therefore sought to draw the attention of the Ministry and the Honourable Minister to this lacuna in its 2024 Budget projects distribution.
“The document also highlighted the major projects included in the Federal Government’s proposed 2024 National budget favouring Edo North For instance, N1.50b is allocated to the construction of 45km Okpella North, Ibie – Agenobode Road, Phase 1 in Edo State.
“The FG, also allocated N800m for the construction of classrooms in the 9 Niger Delta States (global); design and construction of Ekperi Osomegbe Road, amounting to N545m. Other projects to be executed in Northern Edo State are the construction of Ihievhe – Ihievhe Ogbe Road and the N500m construction of Iyukwu – Atte Road in Akoko Edo, LGA.
“In giving credence to the exclusion of Edo South senatorial district, Senator Oyofo felicitated with the Honourable Minister for these projects given to his area, (Edo North senatorial district) but the same cannot be said of Edo South.
“We are dismayed to read that the Honourable Minister probably did this on purpose stemming from the justifications he had sought to give for concentrating all major projects within his constituency, which is not an oil and gas producing area of Edo State, knowing well that Edo state is Niger-Delta, because Edo South sits on the bight of Benin and other Niger Estuaries such as Gelegele, etc,” the group said.
