House Passes for Second Reading Bill to Create Additional State in S’east

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The move by the House of Representatives to create an additional state in the South-east received a boost after a Bill to create Etiti State passed first reading at plenary on Tuesday.

The Bill seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution as amended to create Etiti State.

The bill also seeks to alter three sections of the 1999 Constitution, to delete the word 36 and replacing it with the word 37 to accommodate the new state and to insert the word Etiti, immediately after Enugu in the list of states contained in the constitution. 

It also seeks to alter the listing of local governments according to states and transfer the 11 local government areas from their current states to the new state. 

The Bill was sponsored by Hon. Amobi Ogah, representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency and four others.

Other co-sponsors were Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha, representing Okigwe and Onuimo federal constituency; Hon. Kama Nkemkama, representing Ivo/Ohazara federal constituency; Hon. Nnabuife, representing Orumba South and North Federal Constituency and Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, representing Oji river/Agwai/Aniri federal constituency.

The proposed state is to be created out of the present Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. 

When created, the new state would have 11 local government areas drawn from the five states with headquarters at Lokpanta. 

The local government to be affected are Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia), Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra), Ivo and Ohaozara (Ebonyi), Aninri, Agwu and Oji River (Enugu), as well as Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo).