You might be wondering what President Buhari have done for the 5 South Eastern States in Nigeria and if the the “Biafra Land” has truly been neglected by the Buhari administration in terms of projects and economic development.
Well, here is a complete list of the projects fully completed or still ongoing, started by President Buhari across the five Eastern States; Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi States as at September 9, 2021.
1. Reconstruction of the Runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu
In 2019, President Buhari approved a 10 billion Naira special intervention fund for the reconstruction of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. Work is also ongoing on the upgrade of the International Terminal Building.
2. The 200 billion Naira Second Niger Bridge Work is also ongoing on the Second Niger Bridge
The project which comprises the Main Bridge across the River Niger, and 10km of a six-lane Expressway, in Onitsha and Asaba, is scheduled for 2022 completion.
3. Reconstruction of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Rail Line
President Buhari has also done the ground-breaking for the reconstruction of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Rail Line which links the southeastern states to a planned new Sea Port in Bonny, and to northern Nigeria.
4. Energizing Education Programme (EEP)
The EEP involves taking clean and reliable energy to the Federal Universities across Nigeria. One of the first EEP projects to be completed and launched was the 2.8MW Solar Power Plant at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi state.
5. Energizing Economies Initiative
This initiative involves taking clean and reliable energy to economic clusters, that is, markets, shopping complexes etc, across the country. One of the first to be completed and launched was the first phase of the Ariaria Market (Aba) IPP, supplying electricity to 4,000 shops in the Market.
6. NSIA Healthcare Investments President
Buhari also approved the establishment of brand new $5.5m Medical Diagnostics Center in Umuahia, It is reportedly completed and operational.
7. Approval for new Air Force Base (Owerri) and Naval Base (Oguta) in Imo state
8. Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI)
According to the presidency, Ebonyi state was among the first set of state governments to sign up for the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI). This led to the revitalization of a moribund Fertilizer Blending Plant in Abakaliki which now supplies NPK Fertilizer to farmers in the state and beyond.
9. ANOH gas processing plant
The presidency also listed among President Buhari’s achievements a financial close on the ANOH gas processing plant with a processing capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet of gas, and 1,200MW of electricity generation potential, in Imo state. The project is reportedly a Joint Venture between Seplat Petroleum Development Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
10. Waltersmith Modular Refinery
President Buhari in 2020 commissioned the first phase of the Waltersmith Modular Refinery, with a production capacity of 270 million litres of petrol annually, in Imo state. The president approved the investment of $10 million by the federal government into the project.
11. Special-Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme
The presidency also stated that Imo state was selected as one of the seven pilot states for the Special-Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme. The initiative is a $500m partnership between the federal government, AfDB Group, and other stakeholders including the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Bank of Industry. With the project, the Buhari government aims at establishing modern agro-processing centres across Nigeria.
12. Approval of new College of Education in Isu, Ebonyi state
13 Approval of new Federal Polytechnic in Ohodo, Enugu state
14. Approval of new Federal Science & Technical College (FSTC) in Amuzu, Ebonyi state
15. Road projects
>More than 60 ongoing Federal road and bridge projects across the five states of the region, financed through SUKUK Bond and other mechanisms. These include:
> Sections 1 to 4 of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway
> Construction of Ihiala-Orlu Road in Isseke Town-Amafuo-Ulli with Spur (Ihiala-Orlu-Umuduru Section) in Anambra state
> Rehabilitation of Oba-Nnewi-Okigwe Road Route Section II: Anambra/Imo states Border-Ibinta-Okigwe Road
> Construction of Oseakwa Bridge in Anambra state Rehabilitation of Old Enugu – Portharcourt Road (Agbogugu-Abia Border Spur to Mmaku)
> Rehabilitation of Nsukka-Obollo-Ikem-Ehamufu-Nkalagu Road in Enugu state
> Rehabilitation of Owerri-Umuahia Road Sections I, II & III Imo/Abia states
> Rehabilitation of Oba-Nnewi-Okigwe Road Section II: Anambra/Imo states Border-Ibinta-Okigwe Road
> Rehabilitation of Bende – Arochukwu – Ohafia Road Section I in Abia state
> Rehabilitation of Abakaliki-Afikpo Road Sections I and II in Ebonyi state, among others.
16. Equitable sharing of 362.5 billion Naira raised in Sovereign Sukuk Bonds
According to the presidency, the 362.5 billion Naira raised in Sovereign Sukuk Bonds so far since 2017 has been shared equally across the 6 geopolitical zones – which means that a little over 60 billion Naira has been allocated to the southeast.
17. The Enugu-Onitsha Expressway
MTN Nigeria has recently announced its intention to reconstruct the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, under President Buhari’s Executive Order 7 (the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme), signed in 2019. The MTN Board has approved the company’s participation in the scheme.
18. Revival of ANAMMCO Limited factory
According to the presidency, the committed implementation of the automotive policy of the federal government has helped support the revival of the old Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company Limited (ANAMMCO Limited) factory in Enugu state.
Since 2016 the revived factory has reportedly assembled more than 4,000 trucks, valued at tens of billions of Naira.
19. N-Power Build Programme
The formal flag-off of the N-Power Build Programme, the Buhari Administration’s Vocational Training and Apprenticeship programme, took place in Enugu state, on the premises of Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company Limited (ANAMMCO Limited), on Friday, May 18, 2018.
20. Completion of a new 120MVA 132/33kV Substation in Awka, Anambra state
The substation will reportedly deliver an additional 70MW of electricity capacity to Anambra state.
21. Other power projects
Completion of the following:
>Installation and commissioning of 2Nos 132kV circuit breaker at Abakaliki Transmission Substation (T/S)
>Installation of 33kV Nnewi Industrial CB at Onitsha T/S
>Construction of a new 33kV IGI Feeder at Aba 132KV T/S
>Energising of the 1X40MVA Substation at Nsukka
>Installation of a 60MVA Transformer at GCM, Onitsha
>60MVA Transformer in Aba
>2 of 60MVA Transformers in New Haven, Enugu.
>Completion of installation and commissioning into service of a brand new 300MVA 330/132/33kV power transformer in the Alaoji Transmission Substation, increasing the station’s installed capacity from 450MVA to 750MVA. The new Transformer has reportedly boosted supply to Enugu Distribution Company, benefiting Abia North (Ohafia, Arochukwu, Item, Abriba), Imo State (Okigwe, Arondi-izuogu), and parts of Ebonyi and Rivers state.
>Ongoing construction of 2x60MVA Substation in Amasiri and a 150MVA 330/132kV Substation in Abakaliki, both in Ebonyi State.
>Ongoing construction of a 2x60MVA transmission substation in Ogbunike/Ogidi communities of Anambra state.
>Completion in 2016 of a 330kV Switching Station (and associated Double Circuit lines) in Essien Udim/Ikot Ekpene local government area (LGA) of Awka Ibom state, to serve the southeast and North Central Nigeria. The Switching Station wheels power from 4 power plants into the National gridat , at Ugwuaji, in Enugu State, and onwards to other parts of the country. Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1433159-full-list-buharis-completed-ongoing-projects-southeast.html
22. Payment of pension arrears of former Biafran police
President Buhari in 2017 paid the pension arrears to police officers who were granted Presidential pardon in 2000 after serving in the former Biafran Police during the Nigerian Civil War. The officers, and their next of kin, allegedly waited for their pensions for 17 years since the Presidential pardon before the backlog was cleared.
23. Completion and commissioning in 2018 of the Zik Mausoleum in Awka, Anambra state, 22 years after construction started.
24. Nigerian Army’s partnership with Innoson Motors The president also listed as Buhari’s achievement in the southeast the partnership between the Nigerian Army and Innoson Motors, for the local production, modification and repair of armoured fighting vehicles and other military hardware.
25. FG’s electric vehicle pilot
There is also an ongoing deployment of the federal government’s Electric Vehicle Pilot Project which is spearheaded by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
26. Completion of an MSMEs Shared Facility in Anambra
The presidency said an MSMEs Shared Facility at the Ogbunike Leather Trading Cluster, in Anambra state, has also been completed under the Buhari administration’s National MSME programme.
27. Water projects
Completion of Adada Dam in Enugu state and Amauzari Earth Dam, Imo Completion of the Inyishi Regional Water Supply Project in Imo state Completion of Ofeme Water Supply Project in Abia state Completion of Uburu Water Supply Scheme in Ebonyi state
28. Development of Nigeria’s Eastern Ports
In a bid to decongest Lagos and to better serve the population in the southeast and south-south, the Buhari government said it is developing the eastern ports.
According to the presidency, the Calabar, Rivers, and Onne Ports have witnessed significant infrastructure upgrades and fiscal incentives to promote their attractiveness.
An LPG tanker berthed in the Eastern Ports (Rivers Port) for the first time ever in October 2019. Also in 2019, Onne Port received its first container ship in twelve years, while Calabar Port received its first container vessel in eleven years.
The Concession of Onitsha Inland River Port is reportedly now in its final stages.
Credit: Legitng