A bill to alter the 1999 Constitution as amended to create Etiti State in the South-East passed through first reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
The bill is sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, representing Isikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency and four others representing the affected communities.
They include Hon. Princess Miriam Odinaka Onuoha representing Okigwe and Onuimo Federal Constituency, Hon. Kama Nkemkama representing Ivo/Ohazara Federal Constituency, Hon. Princess Chinwe Nnabuife representing Orumba South and North Federal Constituency and Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu representing Oji River/Awgu/Aninri Federal Constituency.
The proposed state is to be created out of the present Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
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When created, the new state will have 11 local government areas drawn from the five states with headquarters at Lokpanta.
The bill 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 government according to states and transfer the 11 local government areas from their current states to the new state.
The local government to be affected are Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia), Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra), Ivo and Ohaozara (Ebonyi), Aninri, Awgu and Oji River (Enugu) as well as Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo).