The United Progressive Party (UPP) has lauded President Mohammadu Buhari over the recent signing of agreement on the N500 billion Enyimba Economic City project.

Chief Chekwas Okorie, the national chairman of the party gave the commendation in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

Okorie said by signing the agreement, the president had demonstrated that his government would support development programmes initiated by state governments without partisan prejudice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the N500bn Enyimba Economic City was signed at the Presidential Villa on Dec. 7, between the Federal Government and Abia Government.

The national chairman described the step as a landmark achievement considering FG’s commitment of 20% equity of about N100bn to the project.

He also lauded Mr. Okechukwu Enelama, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment who hails from Abia for facilitating the approval and his commitment to the project.

According to him, the project is estimated to provide over 650,000 direct jobs and boost economic development not only to the people of Abia, but to all Nigerians.

He said the citing of the project conformed with UPP’s manifesto of job creation, infrastructure development and exploring comparative advantage of each state for national development.

He said in the 16 years of PDP, no initiative of such massive advantages was supported by FG in any part of the South East.

He accused the PDP of willful halting of geometrics power project built to provide uninterrupted electricity power supply to the Ariaria Industrial Area covering about nine out of 17 local government areas of Abia.

He also lauded the FG for injecting N33 billion to the ongoing construction of the Second Niger Bridge which the Federal Government scheduled to complete in 2022.

He listed reconstruction works going on at Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and Owerri-Aba expressway as justification to campaign for the re-election of the president. (NAN)

Dec. 10, 2018 @ 17:19 GMT |