By Omololu Ogunmade
Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, yesterday alleged that opposition governors hijacked most of the federal government’s interventions in the South-east, portraying them as their party’s efforts.
The minister also described as justifiable the heavy presence of military and police in the South-east, saying military presence in the zone has attracted investments to South-east.
Ogah who made the claims while briefing reporters in the State House after the weekly FEC meeting on the outcome of his engagement with the people of his state in accordance with presidential directive to all ministers after the #EndSARS’ protests, however, expressed concern over alleged extortion from motorists by police in the South-east.
He said he briefed FEC on the town hall meeting he had with stakeholders in Abia State after the #EndSARS protests.
Ogah insinuated that the governors’ decision to appropriate federal government’s efforts creates the impression that the central government is not doing anything in the region.
He said, “If you look at it you will know that the entire South-east are governed by PDP, most of the federal government interventions are not communicated to the people.
“They try to appropriate these interventions. That is one reason you need to understand but we have tried as much as possible to let them understand that these are the things that the federal government has been doing.
“In most of the states you see the governors converting most of these interventions as their own party’s interventions rather than the federal government intervention, so these are the reasons.”
