Enugu Assembly approves N801m loan from Nigeria Infrastructure Bank

The Enugu State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved a loan of N801 million from the Nigerian Infrastructure Bank PLC to complete ongoing projects in the state by the executive.
The approval followed an executive motion presented to the assembly by the Leader, Ikechukwu Ezeugwu and seconded by his deputy, Onyinye Ugwu.
The Leader said the loan would enable the state Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to carry out more development projects especially in the rural communities.
Ezeugwu, while presenting the motion, implored his colleagues to approve the loan to enable the executive carry on with the different infrastructure developments going on in various parts of the state.
He said that the importance of the loan would not be overemphasized as it would bring a lot of development to the state.
The Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Donatus Uzogbado, while supporting the motion, said that the loan would bring a lot of goodies for the state when accessed.
Uzogbado described Governor Ugwuanyi as a ‘good manager’ of resources adding that he would utilise the loan to the betterment of all.
He said: “This is a governor you can trust in managing resources.  Ugwuanyi is a financial guru who knows what to do to move the state forward.”
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi set up another six-man committee to look into allegations of extortion at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu.
The speaker said that it was alleged that first year students were compelled to pay accommodation fee of N40,000 whether offered hostel accommodation or not.
Ubosi explained that another committee was constituted following the non-acceptance of the report presented by the first committee headed by Committee Chairman on Education, Matthew Ugwueze.
The adhoc committee headed by Chinedu Nwamba, member representing Nsukka East, was given three weeks to look into the matter and report back to the House.
The Speaker expressed dismay at series of crisis in the institution including inability to access the Education Trust Fund because it could not complete projects funded by the fund.
Ubosi said: “Now, the institution is battling with another crisis of alleged extortion of money from new students for accommodation it did not provide.
“Do not look at faces. Do a thorough job and bring us a report.’’
Chief Matthias Ekweremadu and Dr. Emeka Ogbuobor, representing Aninri and Isi-Uzo Constituencies respectively had spoken against the report presented by Ugwueze.
They pointed out that the committee chairman did not mention the N64 million collected from the students for same hostel fee by the previous school management.
The lawmaker said that the N64 million was refunded to the affected students by the present management of the school but it was not mentioned in the report.
Ekweremadu said: “We have to clear certain things in order not to mislead the public.’’