From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, admitted that the oil producing communities in Imo State have not been fairly treated by Federal Government which he said had given rise to the restiveness and militancy in the communities.
This was just as he stated that the federal government would re-address the situation.
Similarly, Governor Rochas Okorocha lamented that the state which is the only All Progressives Congress (APC) state in the South East could only boast of a Minister of State Education.
Osinbajo, who made the statement when he paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri (Eze Imo), at his palace in Owerri, said the state and, indeed, oil bearing communities have been marginalised by the Federal Government.
The acting president revealed that his visit to the state was in continuation of the consultation with the Niger Delta states as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“My visit here is in continuation of the consultation which Mr. President said I should have with all the states of the Niger Delta and, I can say that the oil producing communities of Imo have been largely ignored. But, the federal government has resolved to redress the injustice by ensuring, henceforth, that more attention is given to the state as an oil producing state.
However, he disagreed on the alleged marginalisation of the state on federal appointments and siting of federal projects raised by Governor Okorocha, saying President Buhari has been fair to Imo people. He pointed out that Katsina, the home state of President Buhari and Kaduna both have ministers of state.
“You said the highest appointment given to Imo under Buhari is minister of state for education, I will like to equally inform you that Katsina, the home state of Mr President and Kaduna State where Buhari resides all have ministers of states.
“If there is any governor in this country that has the listening ear of Mr. President, I will say it is Okorocha and, therefore, it is not correct for the governor to say that the state is marginalised by APC-led federal government,” Osinbajo said.
Speaking earlier, Okorocha welcomed the acting president to the state.
He lamented that the state had nothing to show for her efforts in entrenching the party in the South East and even fought political battles that brought victory to the party in 2015.
Okorocha said: “If you take a look at the situation in Imo, there are no appointments and siting of federal projects which we can boast of. Apart from minister of state education, there is nothing else to show for all our efforts.
He stated that all the state needs is to be treated the way, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and all the Niger Delta states are being treated, and called on the federal government to ensure that all NDDC projects in the state are completed.
The governor, equally requested that the state be refunded the monies it had spent on upgrading of Imo International Cargo Airport.
Osinbajo was accompanied on the visit by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of State Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of the Niger Delta and many other dignitaries.