“I’ve given Igbo people some appointments they’ve never had before” – Pres. Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan says his administration has ensured that Igbo people are well represented in government, and that he has appointed them to positions that previous administrations did not give them.

He stated this during the  annual World Igbo Congress Day in Houston, Texas, which took place on Saturday, August 3oth, Punch reports.

Here are excerpts of the speech he gave at the event, said to be provided to the press by presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati:

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, in pursuit of productivity and excellence, we have appointed competent and capable men and women to positions of high authority and strategic responsibility in all fields of national endeavour.

In our dogged determination to develop our country, the Igbo are well represented and in some of these appointments, the Igbo are having them for the first time.

Some have said that this government has done more in appointments than any other in our history for the Igbo, but that is a matter for the pundits and historians. Let me state that appointments by this administration, across the country, will continue to be based on equity, fairness and competence.

Similarly in projects and policies, we have continued to do our best. Throughout the South-East, we inherited federal roads in very poor conditions.

In spite of the highly competitive demand and constraints on funding, we have taken on most of the major roads, realising the impact that their improvement will have on business and life in our country

The Owerri-Onitsha road, which was under construction at the outset of my administration, has been virtually completed. Three other very important roads, the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, the Enugu-Port Harcourt road and the Nguzu-Edda-Nkporo-Ohafia road which cuts across Ebonyi and Abia States, are steadily progressing…

Even when some utilise politics to undermine our commitment to fairness and justice, we will deploy the principle of Federal Character to progressively correct it. No part of Nigeria under my leadership will be shortchanged…”

Read more from the speech here