By Ovie Okpare
The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide has suggested to the Federal Government to use the soon-to-be-repatriated Delta State money to fund the take-off of the newly established Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.
UPU, the apex socio-cultural umbrella body of Urhobo people worldwide, said it will amount to grave injustice for the Federal Government to use the said money to fund projects outside Delta where the money was looted.
A statement on Thursday signed by UPU President-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga, faulted the choice of projects the federal government had chosen to expend the money.
Recall that the federal government, through the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had disclosed that the money being repatriated from the United Kingdom will be used for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano road and Lagos-Ibadan Express Road.
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Olorogun Taiga, while condemning the choice of the projects, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to ensure that the money is used for projects that have direct benefits to the people of the state.
It said, outside Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, the government could also deploy the funds to construct the Delta portion of the Benin-Effurun road, failed portions of the East West Road in Delta State and provide more funding for the Federal University of Petroleum, Effurun.
UPU posited that the money being returned belongs to Delta, adding “it should not be expended on projects outside Delta State, while many federal government owned-asset and roads in Delta State are crying for attention.”
“We urge the Federal Government of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari to use the money being repatriated for the take-off of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, which has just been approved for academic activities in 2022.
“We are not saying the money must be returned to the Delta State government. We are saying the money should spent on projects within Delta State,” UPU President-General maintained.
