Author: The Nation

• Governor lifts ban on logging

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has said his administration has systems in motion to grow the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and double its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the next four years.

Governor Otu spoke when a delegation from UTM Nigeria Limited, led by the Managing Director, Julius Rone, visited his office.

He said: “We need to grow the economy. We have set a target for ourselves with machinery in motion to double our GDP with attendant increase in IGR in the next four years.

“I am happy that the company has chosen Cross River State as its logistics base because we used to have many companies operating from here, but for whatever reason they moved. We want all of them back and operational again.

Read Also : Bassey Otu: From mythical Phoenix to servant leader 

“Cross River State is very rich in hydrocarbon, with huge gas resources, which we intend to fully exploit during my administration.

“Providing job opportunities to over 3,000 unemployed in the state will be such a huge achievement. If there is anything we are earnestly looking forward to now, it is to provide employment for our youths.”

The governor also expressed happiness with the investors’ plan to host the onshore operational support base of the over 1.5 million tonne, multi-billion LNG project in Rivers. According to Rone, this was because of its proximity to the plant’s location.

Governor Otu said it was good they are working to capture all the flaring and wasted gas resource in this area. He also pledged the government’s support for the project, which the investors claimed would be Africa’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) plant in Nigeria.

Rone, in company of his Japanese and German partners, said the delegation was in the state for site assessment for the setting up of an onshore operations support base for its contractor, Messrs JGC Holdings Corporation of Japan, on the UTM Floating LNG Project.

According to him, the project is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and first time such is being developed by an indigenous private African company.

He maintained that FLNG which will be anchored offshore Akwa Ibom, not far from the Yoho Platform in OML 104 being operated by Exxon Mobil, when completed will produce on annual basis, 1.5 million tonnes of LNG for export, 300,000 metric tonnes of LPG for the domestic market and some quantities of condensate.

The governor has also said plans were underway to reposition the State Forestry Commission and end the 14-year law on forest moratorium.

Otu, who lamented that the state has lost so much revenue to illegal logging, spoke when the Organised Labour visited him. He said the state cannot continue to allow unscrupulous elements rob her of its legitimate earnings from its forest reserve.

He said: “There has been a ban on logging which has generated so much problems for us. But, very soon, we will lift the ban and allow the Forestry Commission carry out its constitutional mandate. As at now, all the woods taken out of the state are stamped in Ebonyi and Benue states, and we want to change the narrative.

“We want all our woods stamped here in our state, where they are gotten, so that government can begin to enjoy the full benefits from its forest resource, and we need the cooperation of all the people in this direction.”

Governor Otu urged the Organised Labour to ‘please be patient with us because we want to capture all government revenue positions to a single treasury account for transparency and accountability’.

• Petition EFCC to recover N1.07t

The association of oil and gas communities in Delta State yesterday stormed headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, calling for the probe of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, for the alleged diversion of N1.07 trillion from the 13 per cent oil derivation fund.

The association, comprising representatives of Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ndokwa ethnic groups, frowned at the non-full remittance of 50 per cent legally prescribed allocation to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) during Okowa’s administration, from 2015 to 2023.

Addressing reporters after submitting their petition to the EFCC, Mulade Sheriff (Ijaw), urged the anti-graft agency to do everything to recover the money.

Read Also : DESOPADEC funds: Okowa responds to Clark’s allegations

The petition reads: “We are leaders and representatives of oil and gas producing Communities of Delta State. We wish to draw the attention of the public, particularly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to the illegal diversion of our entitlement from the 13 per cent derivation funds.

“We are indigenes and members of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in Delta State, and it’s on this strength that we are drawing the attention of your office in respect of the deliberate abuse of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and section 13 (1) of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Law of 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018, established to cater for the wellbeing of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in Delta State.

“We observed curiously in 2022/2023 that the DESOPADEC has become moribund, and the Oil Producing Areas/Communities are nose-diving into abject poverty, which is inciting and causing youth restiveness and agitation. From the records provided from Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the 13 per cent oil derivation fund from the Federation Account to the Delta State, between 2015-2022, amounting to N1,077,450 trillion, was disbursed to the government between July 2015 and December 2022, for the rehabilitation and development of the oil producing communities/areas. In fact, what Okowa received is far more than N1,077,450 trillion, if the allocations of January 2023 to May 2023 are added.

“By section 13(1) of the DESOPADEC Law 2006 (as amended) 2007, 2015 and 2018, the commission is legally and lawfully entitled to 50 per cent from the 13 per cent oil derivation fund from the Federation Account, which is calculated at N538,725 billion from the Delta State government.

“From the information obtained, it is obvious the government grossly underfunded the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, as it was in the habit of consistently and deliberately disbursing less than N20 billion annually in the last eight years.”

“Sir, unfortunately all efforts by our community leaders and other well-meaning personalities to have the government obey, observe and comply with the DESOPADEC law and render account for the said misappropriated fund have been unsuccessful, hence this petition.

“We appeal to the commission to probe immediate-past Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to recover and return our money, and render necessary account for the said illegally and unlawfully misappropriated balance to DESOPADEC coffers, to enable them develop our communities.”

The petition, which was received by EFCC, was signed by Sheriff (Ijaw), Sir Mathew Itsekure (Itsekiri), Mrs. Patience Afujue (Ndokwa), HMark Ikpuri, (Urhobo) and Chief John Etenero (Isoko).

President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has said plans are underway to redesign and restructure the organisation’s outlook.

Iwuanyanwu spoke when members of the Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Imo State Chapter, visited his office in Owerri, to felicitate him for accepting to lead Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Iwuanyanwu, while welcoming the visitors, told them that ‘Ohanaeze will wear a new look which will be the pride of all’. He also assured them of his assistance at all times, adding that Ndigbo is a race blessed and loved by God.

The president-general hailed the association for its contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), noting that since new vehicles are not allowed into the country, they have contributed enormously in maintaining the ones available.

Read Also : Ohanaeze’s blather, Iwuanyanwu’s walk-back

He also praised the association for supporting his ambitions, especially during his time in partisan politics.

Iwuanyanwu, who recalled that the late Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Okpara used agriculture to make the Eastern Region the fastest growing economy in Nigeria in their time, added that there was a glass factory in Aba with its raw materials available in Ukwa.

He stressed that there are great potentials in the Southeast that can sustain its industrial and economic development, and even for export.

NATA President Kyrian Nnadi said they were very excited with the news of Chief Iwuanyanwu accepting to serve Ndigbo.

He said that: “It is our belief that the new position will spur Chief Iwuanyanwu to do more for the welfare of Ndigbo as well as the development of Igboland in general.”

The association also prayed God to grant Chief Iwuanyanwu the wisdom, sound health, protection and every enablement to project Igboland to greater heights.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has condemned the state’s relationship with the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) in Onne, saying it lacks mutual benefits.

Fubara said henceforth, his government would only engage OGFZA in respect of Onne Free zone and Ikpokiri Green Island in a relationship that would benefit host communities.

The governor spoke when the Managing Director of OGFZA, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, led a delegation to visit him in the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Read Also : Fubara appoints SSG, CoS

A statement yesterday by his media aide, Boniface Onyedi, said the OGFZA failed to expand opportunities for host communities and improve their standard of living. He wondered why the free zone authority was not worried about the poor state of the East-West Road, ‘which had caused untold hardship to motorists’.

Governor Fubara thanked the OGFZA for identifying with his administration, but hoped to leverage on the relationship to attract increased investments to the state. He insisted that for the proper take-off of any business activities at Ikpokiri, the state must know accruing benefits to the residents before committing to it.

According to the governor, his administration will continue to create friendly environments for investors, but insisted that issues concerning the development of structures and full utilisation of the Ikpokiri Green Land in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area would be negotiated to bring tangible benefits to the people.

Fubara said: “We are only remembered when there is a need to explore from Rivers State. Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne, has never and is not contributing to the welfare of this state. We all have to look at things properly, it is no longer charity because, this time around, we mean business.”

Senator Kaura urged the governor to support them to make full use of the Ikpokiri Green Land as an Economic Free Zone. Kaura identified opportunities for wealth and job creation saying a number of investors were already jostling for the zone.

Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo has resolved a 30-year communal crisis in Amorka Community, Ihiala Local Government Area.

The resolution following a meeting with members of the community and Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne.

The Nation gathered that the bone of contention was the nomenclature to operate with, either Amorka Improvement Union (AIU) or Amorka United Union (AUU).

After the meeting, Nwabunwanne directed that the community be known as addressed as Amorka United Union (AUU), as directed by the ministry.

According to him, the nomenclature will start reflecting during the proposed Town Union election, while the change will be effected during the poll.

The commissioner urged community leaders to desist from acts which can engender crisis and disunity in, explaining that traditional institutions and Town Union governments are two separate administrative entities expected to work together to entrench peace and unity.

“The government will always allow communities elect their leaders, in tandem with the extant laws guiding Anambra Communities. Government does not interfere in town union matters, but will not watch unnecessary intimidation and harassment from any community leader,” he added.