Northern elders cry to Buhari — 17th April 2016 Say region shortchanged in 2016 budget Want Biafra crushed We’ll open up discussion
to accommodate all grievances
–Reps From Iheanacho Nwosu and Fred Itua, Abuja NORTHERN elders have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to upwardly review capital allocations to the North in the 2016 budget, claiming that the region was shortchanged.
This is as the elders advised the president not to buckle in dealing with the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), and urged him to ensure that the full weight of the law was brought against the agitators.
The elders in a five-page letter signed by elder statesman, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Sule equally enjoined President Buhari to continue to show sympathy to initiatives that channel “funding and expertise to the North from the country as well as from international financing and other support sources.” The letter entitled ‘Advice on National Issues ‘was written under the aegis of Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on March 7.
Describing allocations for capital projects given to the North-east, North-west and North-west as inadequate, the group claimed that the region was shortchanged. It reminded the president that the backbone of his administration is the North and cautioned that if the allocations were not upwardly reviewed, it would pose a huge problem for his government.
NEF said: “We have conducted some analysis on the 2016 budget estimates which Mr President submitted to the National Assembly.
We are concerned over the absence of equity in the allocation of capital spending. The three geo- political zones in the North are severely shortchanged.” The group continued: “For a region deserving greater resources and attention as well as being the political backbone of your administration, this situation will pose serious problems for your administration.
“We advise Mr President to review the proposed allocations in consultation with the
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