South East chairman of the Zikist-Buharist Movement (ZBM), Stanley Ohajuruka has accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of marginalising the South East and South West regions in its intervention programmes.
Ohajuruka, in a statement in Enugu on Monday, said the group had watched “helplessly as CBN patriotically funds agricultural intervention programmes in South South, the home region of its Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the northern states, while the South East and South West are abandoned.
“We want the presidency to immediately call the CBN Governor to order before he jeopardises the genuine intentions of this Next Level government of President (Muhammadu) Buhari.”
The group said the two zones could also be “marginalised” in the livestock programme if things were not done properly.
It added: “Whereas the Zikist-Buharist-Movement (ZBM) appreciates the agrarian revolution of President Muhammadu (Buhari) via the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention programmes, we wish to report to Mr. President that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, seems deliberately to be marginalising the South East and South West geopolitical zones.
“We have watched helplessly how the CBN has patriotically funded Cross River, Kebbi and other geopolitical zones’ gigantic rice projects, the cotton, sorghum, soyabean projects in the north; while the cocoa, palm produce and cassava belts in the South West and South East are more or less abandoned.
“ZBM appeals to Mr. President to rein in the CBN Governor, as what is good for the goose is good for the gander. For our understanding of Mr. President’s agrarian revolution is for every nook and cranny of the federation to produce what we eat and to diversify our mono-oil economy.
“As things stand, the CBN Governor may marginalise the South East and South West in the upcoming livestock projects, forgetting that they want to advance our poultry, piggery, goat farming and fisheries.”
