By Nathaniel Zacchaeus Abuja
Yesterday, senators from the South-East geopolitical zone drew the Senate’s attention to the region’s successive strategic exclusion from key federal development projects.
According to them, the latest is the N3.2trn Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Funded irrigation development projects under the 2025 Appropriation Act.
Their protest was a sequel to a motion moved by Kenneth Eze from Ebonyi State.
Rising under Orders 41 and 51, the Senator expressed frustration over what he described as mounting complaints from his constituents and the wider South-East geopolitical zone about the region’s recurring marginalisation.
Eze noted that Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the National Assembly to make laws for equitable national development.
Sections 14(3 and 4), he added, mandate fairness and justice in resource distribution.
He added that the 2025 budget allocates N3.2 trillion under the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, with N38 billion set aside for irrigation projects nationwide.
However, Eze pointed out that while the programme is designed as a national initiative, its implementation plan excludes the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority.
He said it is the only authority serving the entire South-East.
He described the omission as “unjustifiable” and contrary to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, emphasising equity and inclusivity.
He said, “The South-East, with its vast arable land and long-standing contributions to Nigeria’s agriculture sector, deserves to benefit from this fund.”
He cited statistics showing the region accounts for 30% of national yam production and over 15% of cassava output.
He also referenced major regional agricultural initiatives, such as IFAD, FVCDP, and the ADAMA project.
Eze listed key irrigation and agricultural projects in the Southeast—such as the Auzara and Okaku Agro Business clusters and the Ivo Dam Irrigation Project—that could significantly benefit from the fund if included.
Therefore, he prayed to the Senate to urge President Tinubu, through the Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and Water Resources and Sanitation, to urgently address the imbalance in the allocation of the N38 billion irrigation fund.
In addition, he asked them to mandate the creation of an ad hoc committee to investigate the causes of the Southeast’s exclusion from the irrigation programme and report back within four weeks.
Furthermore, he urged the Senate to direct the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation to include provisions under the 2025 budget’s omnibus or discretionary allocations to support irrigation projects in the South-East immediately.
Other senators contributed to the debate on the motion, including Orji Uzor Kalu, who seconded the motion.
He urged the federal government to include specific dam projects such as Uzoakoli, Igbere, and Abba in Arochukwu, noting their importance to communities in Abia State and the region’s agricultural growth.
For his part, Osita Ngwu lamented that the South East never seems to receive a lion’s share in any federal project. He described the omission as an “expensive one” and declared that “the South East cannot continue to be treated the way they are.”
In an attempt to calm the angry lawmakers, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the situation as likely an administrative omission that could be corrected.
He assured the Senate leadership that he would interface with the relevant ministries and agencies to address the issue.
“We will ensure there is equity and fairness in the distribution of resources,” he pledged.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, advised that the motion be stepped down temporarily to allow the Senate leadership to engage with the Minister of Water Resources.
He said the findings from this engagement would then be brought back to plenary for appropriate legislative action.
Based on his advice, the motion was rested to allow the Senate leadership to interface with the relevant authorities on the matter.
