By joshua AIGUOBASINMWIN Gives Momoh 14 Days To Publish Details Of 500 Claimed Edo Projects
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
Fresh controversy has trailed claims by the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, that more than 500 projects have been executed in Edo State under his watch, as AIGUOBASINMWIN Movement Worldwide has demanded a comprehensive breakdown of the projects, questioning their visibility across the state.
In a statement signed by its President, Mr. Iyamu Osaro Culture; Secretary General, Mr. Osayuki-Osa Benson; and Diaspora Coordinator, Mr. Monday Ohuimumwen, JP, the group called on the minister to publish a detailed account of all the projects, broken down by each of Edo State’s 18 local government areas.
According to the group, the report should include the name of each project, its exact location, current implementation status and the cost, insisting that such disclosure is necessary to promote transparency and public accountability.
The movement recalled that when Momoh was appointed Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, now under the Ministry of Regional Development, concerns were raised by stakeholders in Edo South over what they described as the marginalisation of the area. It said it had appealed for patience at the time, urging residents to allow the minister the opportunity to deliver on his mandate.
However, the group maintained that three years after the appointment, many of the concerns earlier expressed by stakeholders remain unresolved, making the minister’s recent claim of executing over 500 projects difficult for many residents to reconcile with realities on the ground.
“Edo people deserve transparency. As a Niger Delta state and a major contributor to the national economy, Edo State must not be shortchanged in the distribution of federal intervention projects,” the statement said.
The group stressed that its demand was not intended to discredit the minister but to ensure openness in the management of public resources and federal intervention programmes, adding that accountability remains a fundamental pillar of good governance.
AIGUOBASINMWIN Movement Worldwide consequently gave the minister 14 days to make public the detailed list of the projects, saying the disclosure would help address growing public concerns and strengthen confidence in the ministry’s interventions in Edo State.