Rt. Hon. Ben Kalu, Scoring The Big Goal Through Purposeful Legislation.
By Uche Aguoru
Since the return of democracy in 1999 the Southeast has been shortchanged in so many areas for reasons of either lack of effectual and purposeful representation on the part of those we sent to represent us at the National Assembly or most of our representatives have not seen the need or even where they do, haven’t got the political propellant needed to move for the attraction of federal facilities which other zones have been enjoying, most of the bills meant to attract the much-desired development to the Southeast is usually stepped down, abandoned, killed or not given the necessary force required to make it a law.
The Southeast has experienced infrastructural and economic deficit since the end of the civil war even when the PDP was the party at the center and enjoyed the massive support of the region, a period when we had a robust relationship with the presidency, the positive overcounts of that strong relationship that is supposed to have benefitted the region then was neither seen nor felt in adequate developmental amounts anywhere in the Southeast.
As a direct fallout of the effects of the civil war, the zone was afflicted with deliberate neglect and marginalization hence the underdevelopment and infrastructural decay that had placed the zone at a disadvantaged position if placed in comparison with other zones in the Federation despite our globally acknowledged reputation as a highflyer in commerce and education, it has also robbed the Southeast zone of major Federal establishments and facilities including the privilege of luxuriating in the gains and accruals of such federal government-owned institutions and democratic derivable.
The realization of the South East Development Commission, a visionary initiative from Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu as of today remains the biggest goal ever scored by a Southeast legislator designed to foster inclusive development across the region.
The overriding disadvantageous effect of not owning a federal commission directly responsible for the rebuilding of the zone after the ravaging effect of the civil war just like we have it in the North East and the Niger Delta scores the bill sponsored by Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member representing Bende federal constituency astronomically high, given the requisite and timely nature of the bill.
That Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has shown finesse in representation since his first term in the green chambers is not in doubt, but this all-important bill is borne out of noble-mindedness and therefore deserves all the accolades.
Let me, therefore, use this medium to plead with all the Southeast Governors, The Leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Southeast Intelligentsia, the Igbo Leaders of Thought, the political class, and colleagues of Rt. Hon. Kalu, to desist from engaging in unnecessary fighting and pulling him down but rather imbibe the spirit of patriotism and love for the region by joining hands with him to ensure that the SEDC when established will precipitate inclusive development of the zone and assist our region back on the road to peace, inclusive economic and infrastructural development, and end the restiveness and separatist agitation that escalated insecurity in the southeast.
Aguoru is a public affairs analyst
