The Guardian (Nigeria)

Ex- ASUU president alleges distributi­on of national resources skewed against Igbo

- From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

Tformer President of the Academic Staff Union of Universiti­es ( ASUU), Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, has challenged the formula for the distributi­on of national resources, insisting that it was one of the injustices against the Igbo nation and one, which Ndigbo must speak up against.

Speaking shortly after his election as the President of Alaigbo Developmen­t

Foundation ( ADF), an Igbo think- tank group, he stated that the unequal distributi­on of national resources had affected the developmen­t of Igbo land.

He said: "Igbo are challenged in several places, in government, establishm­ent, and even in the five states we have. The challenges are enormous. If you look at it, the five states of the South East have 47 members of the House of Reps. The Old Kano State, which includes the current Kano and Jigawa, has a total of 34.

"This is a challenge because it affects how we distribute the national resources. It also affects employment, because we are talking about federal character. So, there are a lot of things that are involved.

“The whole of Kano and Sokoto Emirate controls twothirds of local councils in Nigeria. When you put all these together, you will see that even the so- called 13 per cent derivation given down here is nothing in terms of what happens. Look at the allocation.

"I am saying that we have to talk and we have to write. We have to create pressure groups. And if our people support what we are saying, you have to put pressure on them. That is how to change things in the government. We are not going tonight, but we shall use intellectu­al wealth."

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