By PETER OKUTU
Ebonyi State government Monday said the N14 billion federal allocation lost to the last economic recession that affected the economies of the world was responsible for the delay in the completion of all developmental projects started by his administration.

Governor Elechi, who made the statement during a radio phone-in-programme in Abakaliki, added that the shortfall impacted negatively on the speedy completion of most projects earmarked for completion within the period under review.

He accused his political opponents of not seeing anything good in every policy initiative of his administration, but vowed that nothing would distract him from providing democracy dividends to his people in line with his campaign promises.

On security concerns and allegations by opposition that the PDP-led state government was recruiting and sowing fake police uniforms for some youths to use in causing crisis during the general elections, Governor Elechi stated that the opposition had over the years perfected the tactics of first accusing the state government of crimes they intend to commit.

He noted that the same old antics was being re-enacted.

Governor Elechi dispelled insinuations that he was desperate for second term, despite his old age, saying he was only responding to the demands of youths, workers, founding fathers and the clergy that he continued in office in order to consolidate on the numerous developmental projects and programmes he had started.

Elechi announced that despite the state having lost N14 billion in her cash flow from federal government, his administration had completed 25 of 33 bridges as well as most of the road projects it embarked upon.

Governor Elechi stated that the state government embarked on two regional water schemes, the biggest state secretariat in the country, the biggest market in the zone, which are all on going; and the first to build a modern digital radio station in the zone.

He sated that if re-elected for second term, massive housing and industrialization projects would be the major thrust of his administration even as the remaining infrastructural development that formed the major focus of his first term would be completed.

Governor Elechi dismissed his political opponents as people who have no pedigree, stating that he graduated at the age of 25, joined the movement for Ebonyi state creation at 27 and was appointed as commissioner into the old Easter Government at 29, where he served for 62 months and was never found guilty of any misdeed even after facing five panels and two lawsuits.

He urged the people of the state not to be deceived by empty promises of his political opponents saying that those who are opposing him in other parties today are people rejected in PDP, as according to him no other political party exists in the state even though government was tolerant of opposition and dissenting voices.