Ihedioha In Trouble.....As Group Queries Agriculture Empowerment Programme

The Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, has attracted the ire of a group, Association For Public Policy Analysis, over his recent Agricultural Empowerment Programme in Imo State.  

Ihedioha, a fortnight ago, launched an Agric Programme where he reportedly empowered over 700 women and youths.

In a Statement made available to newsmen and signed by Princewill Okorie, National President of the Association, they wondered why Hon Emeka Ihedioha will claim that the project is his personal empowerment programme, whereas it was funds provided by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for Imo State.

Part of the Statement reads ‘Our Association has analyzed the 2012 Federal Budget and found out that under the Federal Ministry Of Agriculture and Rural Development, N278, 483,000,00 is appropriated  for three stages of training on Agriculture. The specifics are; Training of Youths In Imo State Micro Agricultural programme – Training of Youths And Women in Imo State in Improvement of Root Crops in Niger Delta- N130, 000,000, extension and training of rural women on value addition of root crops and processing, extension and training of rural women and training of rural women on value addition to root and tuber crops in Niger Delta – N18, 483,000’

It continued ‘Given the fact that Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha is the Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, we analysts that have analyzed the 2012 Federal budget as it concerns Imo State are wondering why the Honourable Deputy Speaker personally initiated a similar programme to that already captured in the Federal Budget 2012 where he was privileged to carry out his appropriation functions as a legislator representing a Federal Constituency in Imo State’

 The group frowned at the fact that it was only PDP women and youths that benefited and participated in the programme, wondering why the Hon Ihedioha must focus on PDP members when the programme is meant for youths and women of Imo State.

The group asked ‘what was the involvement of National Root Crop Research Institute in the programme? Where they the consultants, resource persons or as an arm of Federal Ministry of Agriculture implementing programmes in the South East Zone? N278, 483,000 if divided into 700 participants shall make each participant get about  N397,832,85. We therefore wonder why the Implementation Committee For Agricultural Programme 0f 2012 Federal Budget has not been inaugurated by the State Government in Imo State’

The group demanded that Hon Ihedioha as the highest ranking member of the Federal House of Representatives from Imo State to address Imo people on the issue.