Posted by By NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha on
The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Anambra State chapter has written the Anambra State House of Assembly, urging it to expedite actions on the passage of the 2008 Appropriation Bill of N84.2 billion which Governor Peter Obi had presented to them since December 21, last year.
The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Anambra State chapter has written the Anambra State House of Assembly, urging it to expedite actions on the passage of the 2008 Appropriation Bill of N84.2 billion which Governor Peter Obi had presented to them since December 21, last year.
CLO said it is more worrisome that the continued delay in the passage of the budget is not in the best interest of the state.
In a petition to the House members, through the Speaker, CLO which described the budget as the live wire of every society, called on the lawmakers to resist pressures from unscrupulous politicians whose intentions are to hold the entire state to ransom and at the same time, sabotage efforts of Governor Obi's administration to implement its Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS).
The petition which was jointly signed by the State Chairman of CLO, Mr. Aloysius Attah and his predecessor, Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi and made available to newsmen in Onitsha, read in part: 'We are deeply concerned over rumours that some politicians are instigating your hallowed chamber to play a bad game with the budget bill so as to stifle the government activities against the backdrop of the upcoming 2010 gubernatorial polls in Anambra State which if given an opportunity to implement the budget, Obi's present Executive Arm may soar in popularity and be returned in 2010."
The CLO therefore advised the lawmakers not to allow party interests to override the overall interest of the state, adding that for Anambra to move forward there must be cohesion among the three arms of government.
CLO stressed that the seeming irresolvable stand-off between the Executive and the Legislature should not be allowed to degenerate into anarchy.
The group further disclosed that the delay in passing the 2008 Appropriation Bill has halted economic and social activities in the state which resulted in the inability of the government to complete most of its capital projects, stressing that though the delay is excusable, it should not be capitalized to undermine the efforts of the State government and thereby make the State ungovernable so as to prepare the needed ground for impeachment of the governor as alleged.
However, CLO, urged the Lawmakers to impress the Executive to build a study Centre in Awka, the State Capital or in Onitsha for the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), by appropriating funds for that purpose, noting that this will compliment the educational development drive of the state government.
According to them, 'since the scheme is designed to target teeming unskilled young productive population, and Anambra being a State with the highest concentration of ‘wasted brains' can richly benefit from the scheme and every opportunity geared towards the development of Human capital must be seized and supported."