Today, during the House of Representatives plenary, the member representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency, Hon. Godwin Offiono’s bill for the alteration of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create Ogoja state was read for the second time.
The bill, HB. 1555– which passed second Reading and referred to the Committee on Constitution review for further legislative action was co-sponsored by Hon. Peter Akpanke, Hon. Mike Etaba and Hon. Victor Abang, seeks to create Ogoja state thereby increasing the number of state in Nigeria from thirty-six (36) to thirty-seven (37).
Hon. Offiono in his speech said the essence of the “bill is rested on the principle of equity which is a substratum of the existence of the Nigerian State. In the light of the multifaceted challenges we face.”
The lawmaker revealed that, in terms of demographic consideration, manpower availability, education, the energy sector, etc, Ogoja state will be sustainable.
“Mr. Speaker, my dear honourable colleagues, Ogoja as one of the original provinces, can only join the group of fast-paced regional growth areas, when it becomes a state with all the advantages of infrastructures and institutions, with its population of slightly above two million people on a landmass of 12,158Sqkm with reasonable economic viability, propelled by arable farm lands with bountiful produce of cash crops such as Cocoa, Banana, Rice, Rubber, Groundnut and so on. Also the availability of several mineral deposits such as Limestone, Sodium Chloride, Quartz, barite, and notable Tourism sites such as the Obudu Cattle Ranch and Agbokim Waterfall. That is when the towns of Ogoja, Obudu, Obubra, Ikom, Okundi, Bansara,
Okpoma, Okuku, Yahe, Wanakom, Bebi, Abouchiche, Apiapum, Utugwang, Eyamoyong, Agbokim,
Orimekpang, Ajasor, Utanag, Gakem etc, could become the epicentres of the new state, thus, galvanizing unprecedented dynamism that would propel growth and development and create wealth.”
“The truth is that Calabar is just too far from the people of Ogoja and it is practically impossible for the area to develop and for the people to feel the impact of government.”
“My highly respected colleagues, Ogoja people should be given a state, as they had a province, so that new local government areas that are concomitant with creation of states would spread development.”
“All states accord to a people political right of existence, as the provinces did.”
The Honourable member thereafter enjoined his colleagues to support the bill.