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Raymond Ozoji, Awka
The Anambra State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved Governor Willie Obiano’s request to access federal government’s loan facility to the 36 states of the federation, following a letter the governor wrote to the legislature seeking their consent and approval.
Speaker of the state assembly Rt. Hon. Uche Victor Okafor who read the letter during plenary, put the request to a voice vote where the majority of the lawmakers consented and the Speaker hit the gavel signifying the backing of the legislature to the said loan.
However, some of the lawmakers who spoke with journalists shortly after plenary maintained that inasmuch as they were not against such facility, further efforts would have been made to state in clear-cut terms the expenditure framework for the said loan.
Noble Igwe who represents Ogbaru one state constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 7th legislature of Anambra state, said the legislature required more briefing from the executive as to what the loan would be used for.
Also, Douglas Nwachukwu Egbuna who represents Onitsha-North one state constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said although the legislature has consented to it, he was not in support of the loan unless the House is furnished with specifics of disbursements and deployments concerning the said loan.
The lawmaker representing Oyi state constituency Hon. Charles Chinedu Obima, who is also of the APC, demanded a detailed information as to the real reason for the federal government loan. Obima said loan wasn’t a bad decision but the nitty gritty of it would have been explained.
Furthermore, Nonso Smart Okafor representing Nnewi-North state constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who doubles as the Deputy Chairman Finance and Appropriation, said it is incumbent on the executive arm to provide more details as to why Anambra state is accessing the loan.
Okafor said lawmakers should be properly briefed as to why it is consequential that the loan should be taken so they can explain to their constituents if the need arises, adding that lawmakers seek to know if their respective communities and constituencies were reasons for the over N18 billion federal government loan facilities.
