Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to establish a Federal Secretariat in the state to promote sustainable development.
Ikpeazu made the appeal while receiving Mr. Henry Ogbulogu, the Commissioner, representing Abia in the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in Umuahia.
He said that the initiative would facilitate effective implementation of the Federal Character principles in the state, and as well promote sustainable development.
Ikpeazu said: “The mere absence of a Federal Secretariat shows that Abia can hardly boast of any federal presence.
“Also, there is nothing to show that Abia is an oil-producing state because companies that drill oil here have their secretariats in Rivers. Their staff live and pay taxes in Rivers.
“Similarly, a good proportion of the gas supplied to the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) comes from Abia, and we started making our contributions to the nation’s economy over 60 years ago.
“I urge you to join us in the clarion call to the Federal Government, that Abia is ripe for a Federal Secretariat,” Ikpeazu said.
The governor directed the state Ministries and parastatal Agencies to provide the commission with the information required to enable it to do its job.
Ikpeazu noted that the state government was poised to give its support to the commission for it to achieve success in its programs in Abia.
Earlier, Ogbulogu said that the commission has the mandate to monitor the state’s compliance with the guidelines for “employment provision associated with economic activities”.
He expressed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with the state government to achieve effective implementation of federal character principles in Abia.
“I appeal to the state government to compel all ministries and parastatal agencies in Abia to avail the commission with a nominal role to enable the commission to do its monthly reports,” Ogbulogu said
