By Tony Edike

ENUGU—The N13 billion proposed new state secretariat complex, which Enugu State government intends to build, attracted angry reaction, yesterday, from the state chapter of Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, which has vowed to mobilise stakeholders in the state against the project.

CLO declared that a new secretariat complex was not priority programme for the government or its people, saying it was like “pouring salt into a soak-away pit.”

Also criticising the government’s decision to embark on such a gigantic project in the face of high level unemployment, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Enugu State chapter, alleged that the Sullivan Chime administration and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, intend to use the project to save money for the 2015 elections.

CNPP comprises nine political parties, namely Action Congress of Nigeria, can; All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP; All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; Justice Party, JP; Labour Party, LP; National Solidarity Democratic Party, NSDP; Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, and Republican Party of Nigeria, RPN.

A communique signed by Adonys Igwe and John Nwobodo on behalf of the opposition parties, said: “The proposed building of a new secretariat at a cost of N13 billion is unacceptable. We advise the governor to put his priorities right.

“What is wrong with the existing secretariat? The structure is still solid and was built in accordance with international best building standards and could still last longer than a century. It is an ancient heritage, a monument that must be guarded jealously.

“Building a new secretariat in the midst of alarming levels of youth unemployment is a wild goose chase. The governor should channel the money earmarked for the proposed project into building at least one industry in each of the three senatorial districts and in revitalising moribund industries such as AVOP, Sunrise Flour Mill and Nigergas, among others.”

Meanwhile, it was alleged that retired teachers were being owed pension arrears of over 27 months.

Speaking with Vanguard on the development yesterday, Enugu State chairman of CLO, Mr. Osmond Ugwu, said the proposed secretariat complex was the most “wasteful project” the Chime administration would ever embark upon.

Ugwu said: “I see the government’s plan to build a N13 billion secretariat as one trying to pour salt into dirty water in a soak-away pit and is of no benefit to anybody.”