2017 budget: Youths reject N35bn capital allocation for South-South

Posted by Abbas Jimoh | 19 June 2017 | 2,184 times

•Budget Minister Udoma Udo Udoma.

The Pan Niger Delta Youth Leadership Forum (PANDYLF) has rejected the N35.31 billion allocation for capital projects in the South-South zone in the 2017 budget as unjust and unacceptable.

The Forum's National President, Hon. Famous Daunemigha told reporters on Saturday in Abuja that the figure appropriated was insignificant compared to what other geo-political zones of the country got.

He described the capital projects’ funds for the region as meager in the face of monumental infrastructural challenges confronting the zone, wondering why the area that laid the golden egg should be so treated with disdain.

The breakdown of funds appropriated for capital projects in the six geo-political zones in the 2017 budget showed that, North Central got N207 billion, Northwest N73.7 billion, Southwest N48.97 billion, Northeast N46.69 billion, South-South N35.31 billion and Southeast N28.22 billion.

Hon. Daunemigha urged the Federal Government to take urgent step towards preparing an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to address the in-balance and forestall impending unprecedented protests in the region.

“Every single member of the National Assembly, especially, those from our region, failed us. They ought to have said that this is not fair to our people and we are rejecting it. The aspect of funds for the capital projects is insulting and they must find a way to address it because we can’t accept this,” he said. (Daily Trust)

Source: News Express