The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • This tout from Edo

    There were scores of us in the hall last Friday when I saw the new Toyin Abraham movie ‘The Ghost and the Tout’ currently showing in cinemas across the country. The long queue of men and women with popcorn packs and soft drinks in the ticketing hall as we made her way into the hall was enough warning that the ‘juicy’ seats would have been snatched before many of us would get into the hall.

    Toyin was inside the cinema hall 4 at the Silverbird Cinemas, Alausa City Mall, Ikeja to help fans locate seats in the darkly-lit hall.

    “There is a seat here, there is a seat there,” I heard her say some minutes into the start of the movie.

    The hall was filled with ladies and men. I guess there were more women. Or maybe they were the ones who shouted or laughed the most? There was almost no dull scene. We laughed almost throughout while seeing it.

    As if on cue, almost everybody in the hall clapped when the credit began to roll at the end of almost two hours of laughing out loud.

    I would have been delighted to see the expression on Toyin’s face over this acclamation for a movie that is still receiving thumps up online and off.

    Since I saw it, many others have seen the movie with their friends and families and the best way to capture their summation was – Great!

    Unlike some great films which had bad cinema runs, ‘The ghost and the tout’ is an exception. You may wonder why. The easy answer is to say good publicity by the producers, who seem to have taken to heart the dictum that movies do not sell themselves. The trailer got over half a million views in 48 hours. The publicity online and offline has helped pull in the crowds to cinemas.

    One of the two executive producers, Samuel Olatunji, has incidentally been involved in the promotion of box office hits, such as ‘Wives on Strike’, ‘Alakada Reloaded’ and many more.

    This hilarious movie was worth my time. It was one hell of a production that we never saw what was coming.  It tells the story of a ghost and a tout (Isila) – played by award-winning Sambasa Nzeribe and Toyin.

    Isila’s life seemed to start and end in the ghetto until she met a ghost who was excited that at last he could find somebody who saw him. He recruited Isila into the task of helping him unravel those behind his death.

    Isila was not keen on this assignment which saw people in her neigbourhood regarding her as insane. She was almost bundled to a psychiatric hospital by health officials who saw her talking on the road to a figure they could not see. She was beaten black and blue by the girlfriend of the ghost’s best friend, who turned out to be the brain behind his murder.

    One day while Isila and others in her hood were enjoying themselves at a carnival in which Fuji star Osupa Saheed was entertaining guests, the ghost showed up and saw on the stage one of the men who killed him. He called Isila’s attention to it and pleaded with her to go inform his fiancé and his best friend.

    Unknown to Isila, the best friend, who turned out to be the mastermind, used the information she provided to hunt her.

    Isila eventually unraveled the truth and got her life back on track and in turn freed a ghost from the restlessness of his soul.

    This flick written by Ms. Abraham, produced by Biodun Stephen and directed by Charles Uwagbai,  is star-studded, with actors such as Chiwetalu Agu, Dele Odule, Femi Adebayo, Rachel Okonkwo, Nzeribe, Chioma Akpotha, Omowunmi Dada, Chigurl, Ronke Oshodi-Oke,  Josh2funny, Cute Abiola, Bobrisky, Lasisi Elenu, Oshisko Twins, Iya Ibadan and more.

    One thing that will continue to stand out this film is the fact that the comic elements do not turn into a farce. Uwagbai exercises artistic control that sees the suspense well-sustained.

    The director conveys an uncanny ability to sustain mood and this provides the movie with the ingredient that keeps the viewer immersed in the story.

    The actors give a good account of themselves. Toyin, as usual, is convincing as a tout. If the film were all I know about her, I would have written her off as an Edo tout probably playing her trade at the Ikpoba hill market. All the other actors in the ghetto are great. From Lasisi Elenu to Chigurl to Chioma Akphoha and others, they are truly hilarious.

    The movie ends with a twist I am not sure any of us in the hall could have expected. With the two scenarios created about the possible killers and with Femi Adebayo’s character harmless in all ways possible, he was the last anyone of us in the hall could have suspected. I give credit to the writers and the director that the end is concealed until, close to the end.

    This amazing end brings to mind the conclusion of ‘The Buried Giant’, a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. In this novel, a couple set out in search of their son, who they kept saying was awaiting them to whoever cared to listen. It was at the tail end that it occurred to a reader that it was actually the burial site of the son that they were trying to locate. Ishiguro skillfully kept this end hidden until, well, towards the end.

    Like her great exploits last year, this year has not been different for dear Toyin, who has refused to allow her failed marriage to hold her down.

    The 2017 theatrical exploits of this Auchi, Edo State-born girl, who many still call Toyin Aimakhu — despite the fact that she announced a change of name to Toyin Abraham — was the life of the sequel to ‘Wives on Strike’, produced and directed by Omoni Oboli. Toyin was simply crazy. Not that other actors were not good. But Toyin was the life of that film, which showed that comedy could be full of messages for us all to learn from. There is no scene with this crazy girl that falls below standard.

    In her roles in ‘Pathetic’, ‘Tatu’, ‘Alakada Reloaded’, ‘Okafor’s Law’, ‘The In-laws’, ‘Celebrity Marriage’ and Wives on Strike the Revolution, Toyin gave her all last year. She was like the most-sought-after actor last year and she still remains hot cake this year.

    I am seriously looking forward to her outing in Femi Adebayo’s ‘Diamonds in the Sky’ which was shot last year. With direction from respected Kunle Afolayan, I expect Toyin to surpass her previous records.

    From the look of things, the cinema halls in Ibadan, Akure, Lagos, Abuja, Benin and others will continue to sell out their tickets to viewers keen on seeing this laugh-till-you-drop comedy with message. The major message in the film seems to have been from a song by KWAM 1 urging us to be careful about relying on people, especially strangers. Sambasa became a ghost because of the help he rendered to a man he helped but later became greedy because N30 million was paid into his account.

    My last take: Like Omoni and many others, I am so proud of Toyin. I believe the world will celebrate her and she will be talked about for a long time to come. The accolades and the awards are here!

    And as she gives marriage another shot with her engagement on Wednesday to her boo, I wish her all the best. The afflictions of the first outing in matrimony will not be repeated.

     

  • Communities in Delta kick against proposed petroleum industry bill

    Most communities in Delta State have kicked against certain provisions of the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill. They sought a better deal for oil-producing and impacted communities in the light of prevailing environmental degradation, under- development and alleged insensitivity of international oil companies.

    Several opinion leaders who are members of the host communities made their  positions known during an interactive session between the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill and Oil-Producing/Impacted Communities in Delta State which held in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    Also in attendance at the occasion were the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Deputy Governor Kingsley Utuaro; Chairman Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry, Senator Omotayo Alashoadura, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Senator Umaru Kurfi and Hon. Victor Nwokolo.

    Others included Majority Leader, Delta State House of Assembly, Tim Owhefere, Secretary to Delta State Government, Ovie Agas, traditional rulers and Presidents-General of Ndokwa, Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw ethnic nationalities and civil society groups.

    During the stakeholders’ meeting, Governor Okowa X-rayed different sections of the proposed bill and urged that the Petroleum Industry Bill should be taken seriously.

    He said when the PIB which deals with issues relating to host communities is passed will reduce the level of hostilities and lack of trust between the host communities and oil companies.

    Governor Okowa, who commended the Senate Joint Committee for visiting the state to take the views of the host communities and know how they live in the creeks, admonished that all components of the PIB should be considered for the desired results to be achieved.

    He said: “I am glad that you are here and this particular bill (Petroleum Host Communities Bill), though, it may be the smallest, is the most important bill, because, if you do not have the buy-in of the host communities, the likelihood of success in the entire petroleum industry will be challenged.

    “Things are getting better in the oil communities but, we believe that more can be done and this bill will actually remove every doubt and every fear will be taken care of when it is signed into law. I believe that it will give a lot of room for development in the host communities and that will reduce agitations and allow for a peaceful environment for the operation of the oil companies and when you have the kind of environment that is needed for oil companies to operate in, then, we know that we have greater resources for us as a people and as a nation”.

    Governor Okowa further stated that communities should, in collaboration with the oil companies, appoint members of board of trustees for the Oil-Producing Communities Development; Inclusion of Enterprise Development into the capital project funding of the trustees.

    He echoed the sentiments of the ethnic groups’ clamour that professional managers for the projects must come from the host and impacted communities, adding that the communities have a pool of professionals in all fields to manage their affairs.

    The crux of the matter in the views of stakeholders among other contending issues, are the composition of the members of the board of trustees for the Oil-Producing Communities Development Fund, adequate equity share from the Petroleum Development Fund, tenure of  members of the board of  trustees , and the issue of 35 per cent affirmative action for women.

    Various stakeholders backed the need to ensure that composition of the board of trustees is not left in the hands of the IOC’s, stressing that the appointment be made in conjunction with oil-producing communities.

    While some stakeholders clamoured for the 10 per cent equity share in the petroleum development fund, others suggested 2.5 per cent sharing formula less OPEX, stressing that following the commencement of drilling activities, OPEX usually goes down with the implication that no money will go to the communities during the period.

    The Ovie of Okpe Kingdom, Maj-General Felix Mujakperuo opined that quantum of production should not be static, stressing that a clause should be inserted in the proposed bill for a review of the quantum of production.

    He said: “When it comes to quantum of production for which the communities are going to benefit, I want you to put in that bill that the quantum of production is not static, it changes from time to time.

    “So, you must tell us when there will be a review, is it two years, three years that the quantum of production is to be reviewed, because my people are suffering from a similar bill in Delta State. The Delta State Oil-producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) bill where it was stated that the quantum of production quota be reviewed every two years and since that bill was enacted, it has not been reviewed.”

    President-General, Isoko Development Union, Chief Idu Amadhe frowned at improper capture of the issue of gas flaring in the proposed bill, stressing that though the IOC’s pay penalty to the Federal Government what goes to the host communities that suffer the deleterious effects of  oil exploration has not been properly addressed.

    He said leaving the appointment of members of the board of trustees in the hands of the IOC’s was unacceptable as the interest of the host communities will not be represented.

    He suggested that traditional rulers and leaders of the communities be involved in the appointment of members of the board of trustees.

    But Wellington Okrika, representing the Ijaw ethnic group and ex-managing director, DESOPADEC, urged the inclusion of the provision of 10 per cent equity share in the PIB initiated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua into the proposed bill.

    His words: “The PIB has changed drastically. This is not the bill that was proposed and initiated by our late President Umaru Yar’Adua and accepted by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and we had a lot of public hearings during that time. The original bill was 10 per cent equity share from the joint venture of 60/40.

    “We are aware during one of the meetings with the NASS where some people, because they were misinformed, threw away the provisions of the 10 per cent equity share. The bill we are going to look at is the bill that was originally proposed and has been on the drawing board for 14 years. Why should be now change the bill to a mere glorified MoU with IOC’s? The original bill has the participation of the IOC’s, the Federal Government and the host communities. It is a tripartite arrangement. But right now, the bill is between us the  host communities and the IOC’s.

    “We will appeal to you to retain the original bill with chapter eight that provides for the establishment of petroleum development fund, the bill, the establishment of petroleum development fund should be between the Federal  Government, the host communities and the IOC’s. The equity share from this fund should not be less than 10 per cent in the joint venture 60/40″.

    Akpere Ikpesime representing the Itsekiri ethnic group backed the suggestion by others for the appointment of members of the board of trustees, but urged single five-year tenure for the board of trustees.

    Emmanuel Avworo, who represented the Urhobo group said a percentage of the penalties from gas flaring be paid into the petroleum development fund, adding that a 20 per cent take-off grant of the license fee of the IOC’s be paid to the fund.

    President-General Ndokwa nation, Johnson Opone objected to bringing in of non-indigenes to run the affairs of the communities.

    He said: “On tenure and management of the board of trustees, we believe when you talk about experts, we do not want outsiders as provided in the bill to be our professional managers. We want the professional managers to come from the host communities which I can assure has the expertise to drive the fund”.

    Ngozi Ochonogor, Assistant Secretary, Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) wondered why no mention was made in the proposed bill for women, and urged an inclusion of a role for the women folk

    She said: “We have observed that all through the bill, there is nothing here for the women folk, not even the 35 per cent affirmative action was covered. It will interest you to note that in the IOC’s what you see are our girls doing menial jobs when we have graduates to work as professionals, the same people who refuse to give us jobs will tag our women as prostitutes, but they will bring outsiders to do this same jobs in our communities. We are praying that for this proposed fund, a certain percentage be spelt out for the women that suffer the most when there is any problem in the communities.”

    Chairman, Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry, Senator Omotayo Alashoadura assured the people that decisions have not been taken concerning the bill and the views of the people would be considered, adding that there will also be public hearing on the bill before it is passed and signed into law.

    He assured that the petroleum industry bill will be passed before campaigns for the 2019 general elections.

    He said: “We are going to pass all the other three bills that have to do with the petroleum industry reforms before the campaign starts. We have set agenda for ourselves of finishing the three bills not later than September, 2018. It is not that we will pass the host-communities bill and leave the others; we are working on the three bills simultaneously so that there will be no lacuna.”

    Alashoadura said due to the negative impact of oil exploration and the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta, the Senate is proposing that the IOC’s be required to pay a certain amount of money for the development of the region.

    He said the proposed oil industry bill will ensure that committees play a major role in determining the projects that will be established, adding that projects embarked upon must be in consultation with the host communities.

    He said IOC’s will no longer solely determine the projects to be sited in communities.

    He said 20 per cent will be set aside yearly from the money generated and managed to earn interest for the benefit of the host communities.

  • Alumnae donate studio to alma mater

    The Auchi Polytechnic Alumni Association (APAA), on Monday, handed over a 200-capacity engineering drawing studio it constructed for the institution.

    The facility was inaugurated by the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Hairu Momoh at the school’s premises in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

    While handing over the studio, the National President of APAA, Mr Victor Okhaimo said the studio had 14 offices and other state-of-the-art facilities.

    Okhaimo said the facility was part of the association’s contributions to the yearning for more learning spaces in the engineering department of the polytechnic.

    “The alumni will continue to promote academic excellence and attract more infrastructure development to the institution.

    “These days, we have reached a milestone in our collective desire to promote the growth of the institution, whether as students, graduates or sons of the land.

    “In one voice, it is obvious we seek more robust collaboration in the best interest of the polytechnic.

    “We see this project as a beginning of other greater projects and look forward to working together with the management to ensure the polytechnic becomes the best in the country.

    “We assure the management that the alumni would be very willing to continue to be development partners, and support all growth plans of the school,” he said.

    He advised that a maintenance strategy be put in place by the polytechnic to ensure that the facilities served the purpose for which it was built.

    The Rector, Dr Sanusi Jimah, commended the association for donating such a huge project to the institution.

    “For the first time in the history of the polytechnic, the alumni have constructed a storey building studio that will take 200 students at a time.

    “This is something that gives me joy; it is something that needs to be encouraged.

    “The Auchi alumni association has come to where we want them to be; to partner with us in all the other efforts, strive for the growth of the institution,” he said.

    The rector, however, urged the association to key into the programme of one point agenda of no corruption in the institution.

    Earlier, the traditional ruler of Auchi, Alhaji Momoh, described the gesture as not only enviable but also wonderful and commendable.

    “The spirit of togetherness and promptness in responding to some of the challenges in the school has, indeed, shown the alumni association’s concern for the development of the institution.

    “This will encourage others to give back to the institution that had nurtured them.” Otaru said.

  • ‘Bayelsa is Nigeria’s best kept investment secret’

    Bayelsa State Governor  Seriake Dickson, in this interview granted Africa Today’s Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kayode Soyinka, explains why he has changed the tenor of governance in his state for posterity. Having served the state for more than six years now, he recounts his achievements in education, health and infrastructure and what his government has in store for investors, local and foreign. Excerpts:

    An unorthodox politician 

    Yes, did I come into office with anger? Yes, I came with plenty of anger and also plenty of fire in my belly to redress, in a radical manner, the decades of underdevelopment and neglect, and should I say, bad governance that I met on ground when I became governor.

    Those were some of the things I addressed in my inaugural speech. So, I came very prepared because I have been involved. I have been in the trenches in the politics of the state, and in the politics of the Niger Delta for quite some time before becoming the governor. I was Attorney-General here; I was state chairman of the party here. I served in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) here. I was involved in the Ijaw nationalism at all levels-in the youth side and also with the elders.

    I was the legal adviser and one of the chief strategists of the Ijaw movement. So, I am a product of the Ijaw establishment, product of the Ijaw movement and product of the Niger Delta movement. And also, I have been involved in a lot of progressive causes in our country in my own very quiet way.

    So, I knew firsthand the challenges of our people. I knew their aspirations. I had a clear understanding of what should have been done. I also had a clear understanding of what had not been done, and what, therefore, could be done, and I was in a hurry to get those things done. My inaugural address, if you read it now, six years after, it’s as if I wrote it today because I was very clear about the issues I wanted to address and the way forward.

    For example, in that address, I talked about the reform of the governance culture, I talked about fundamental paradigm shift in the way governance should be done in the state, and the need for everyone to subscribe to those ideals that I brought with me – including myself!

    I made it clear that education was going to receive prime attention; it was going to be topmost priority for me. If at that time you asked me what would be my three topmost priorities in office, I would say education, education, education, and I made it clear.

    In that same inaugural address, I declared an emergency in education. I also made it clear that we were not going to play politics with security, and that I was going to pursue our agenda of Ijaw nationalism in the positive sense.

    So, everything I have been doing in the past six years is encapsulated in that address. I finally ended by saying that after me, I was sure that by the grace of God and the support of the people, this state and the Ijaw nation would not be the same again.

    Six years in the saddle

    I can say looking back six years after those ideals were promulgated, it has been six years of hard work by me and my team; six years of sacrifice, I can confidently say. Majority of the people of this state monitoring the affairs of Bayelsa, and who know the state, would also agree that those objectives have been largely achieved. As a matter of fact, a number of people feel that I have over-achieved and asked how I have been able to establish stability relatively, how we brought down the crime rates, how we have been able to reverse our negative indices in health care, education, in infrastructure and all of that. But I will also be the first to admit that the state is not where I will want it to be yet. I think that is the normal thing to say; to always have an ideal to strive for.

    In that context, I always tell a lot of people that, yes, a lot of ground has been covered but we are not yet where I would want the state to be. And, of course, that shouldn’t be surprising, and it should not, in anyway, detract from the great work that we have done. That is to acknowledge the fact that states and nations are not built in four years, or in eight years, or even in one’s lifetime by any one government – it’s a work in progress, from government to government, from governor to governor, from one team to the other. But no one can deny the fact that this state has changed.

    Endorsement given you and Bayelsa State by former President Olusegun Obasanjo

    First of all, I would like to thank former President Obasanjo for accepting to come and for all the generous endorsements and words of encouragement and advice that he gave. He has left a very positive impression in the minds of everybody as to what we are doing.

    Yes, President Obasanjo’s endorsement lifted our spirit – yes, clearly, especially when you realise that in this terrain you don’t get such endorsements and an acknowledgment of good performance in office easily. One of the challenges in trying to uplift an underdeveloped, underprivileged, oppressed and neglected society such as Bayelsa State that has suffered for so many decades, if not centuries, is sometimes the disconnect between the people and their leaders, and sometimes people don’t even see the good side of things you do because of the level of literacy, poverty, and deprivation.

    In this environment, people still live in the Stone Age because of the difficulties of providing them with access. A combination of all this makes it impossible for government to be positively appreciated. So, there is a prevailing negative political culture where even leaders don’t openly appreciate good things that are going on, in addition to the usual constant political squabbles.

    This kind of endorsement coming from one of the most powerful brands in our country, in Africa, all over the world – and President Obasanjo is known as someone who doesn’t flatter people, who speaks his mind, who writes letters also, so he is known for speaking and writing his mind – is good. Here he came, went through our programmes and was very satisfied and said so openly. We are very grateful to him for coming and for the words of encouragement.

    Investment and economic summits 

    Well, let me tell you, Bayelsa is Nigeria’s best-kept investment secret. And our policy as a government is to open Bayelsa State up for investment. And that is why we are embarking on an aggressive investment, infrastructure agriculture and tourism campaign.

    And with security, we are providing a stable and secure environment. This is vital to us and we have done remarkably well with that. By the way, everyone knows that Bayelsa is one of the safest states in the country. It is the most stable states in the Niger Delta. Why are we doing all of this? It is to bring the world to Bayelsa and take Bayelsa to the world. That is why we have the heliport, which we have just unveiled, and we also have the airport, which will be inaugurated and put to use this year.

    So, people will no longer be coming here and landing at Port Harcourt International Airport. They will be able to fly from anywhere in the world and land here directly in Yenagoa. So, we are doing that. And we are seriously attracting investors. We have a package of incentives, which our investment promotion agency is in a better position to engage depending on the area people are looking at. But if you are looking for investment in the area of creating an aviation hub in Nigeria, in the Gulf of Guinea, Bayelsa is the place to be. If you are looking for investment in aqua culture, Bayelsa is the place to be. If you are looking for big time palm estates to be such as Malaysia, Bayelsa is the place to be. If you are looking for rice plantations such as in Vietnam and Thailand, with our vegetation Bayelsa is where you can easily turn to. We have fertile land, so Bayelsa is good for agriculture.

    With the opportunities we have just opened up in the medical field, Bayelsa is poised to lead in the area of medical tourism in Nigeria. And with some of the world-class medical facilities we have here, we can compete with any hospital anywhere on the continent. So, Bayelsa is ready for business, but it is Nigeria’s best-kept secret.

    People go somewhere else; they don’t know that there are some other places to explore. In Bayelsa, we have oil and gas, we have energy and power because God has blessed us with abundant natural gas. Bayelsa is therefore an unavoidable and compulsory investment destination here in Nigeria.

    Industrial Park project

    The work is on, and we are working very hard. A land has been provided, and survey has been concluded. Very soon, clearing will start. We are looking for partners to help us work on it. It will be one of the most suitable and profitable places to put investment and business in because we have access to gas right there, which will convert to power.

    So, if there is any state in Nigeria that will have the capacity very soon to deliver 24-hour power for manufacturers, it is going to be Bayelsa and that will be cheering news for those who want to manufacture. A lot of work is going on on the Industrial Park, which is one of our flagship programmes. We also have the seaport we are working on at Agge. It’s a natural seaport. Work has already started. The engineering corps of the Nigerian Army is already building the first installations there to make it even safer.

    Specific investment opportunities 

    Well, I have talked about aqua culture. We have done plenty of work in that sector. We have an Israeli company on ground constructing modern aqua culture farms. We, on our own, have started the construction of aqua culture villages. President Obasanjo came to inaugurate one, which is a 150-hectare farm settlement. There you have a one-stop shop for aqua culture. You have the breeding ponds, feed mills, processing plants – everything they need to do is there and we have over 500 ponds in that place. We want to replicate that in each of the eight local government areas. Work has reached advanced stages in the second local government. We have dug over 200 ponds. And we have also put in place a process to buy up all the produce and process them.

    Gas reserve and fortunes for the state and Nigeria as a whole

    We have the gas and energy Master Plan, and the energy hub we want to create for those who want to invest in that sector to use our abundant gas resources to power. This state has over 30 per cent of the gas and oil reserves in Nigeria – I am not talking of offshore, I am talking of onshore. So, if you are looking for investment in those areas Bayelsa is where one should be. We have set up a gas development company and we are working with both the international oil companies and the federal agencies that have control and ownership of the gas. Of course, part of what we suffer here is that we have no ownership of the resources that are deposited here and yet we suffer the consequences of exploitations. Our rivers are polluted, livelihoods have disappeared, the ecosystems are destroyed, the culture of our people destabilised, innocent traditional societies invaded and destroyed forever, and yet there’s nothing given in return.

    So, those challenges are there. And then to cap it all, we have this continuous flaring of gas that you talked about, which has been going on since 1956. So, what it means is that we need investors to come in to work with us to see how we can turn this gas that has been flared and wasted for so long and put it to profitable use, which is why Bayelsa is creating the energy and power hub and we have made some significant progress.

    All we are waiting for is the private sector coming in to see how we can make Bayelsa the gas and energy hub of Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

    Brass Free Trade Zone and deep seaport at Agge

    The Brass Free Trade Zone is a very important programme that we have. There is already an approved licence for that. And we also have an approved licence for the Agge deep seaport as a free trade zone itself. I am also applying for the airport that we will inaugurate this year to be a free trade zone on its own.

    We want people to come and build big warehouses, manufacturing companies to come there, airport administration to handle planes so that people can come in to do a lot of trading. That’s what we are planning.

    But the Brass area is receiving a lot of attention. We have been to China to give confidence to the investing public there and we are making a lot of progress. The Brass fertiliser project is about a three to five-billion-naira project, and we are pleased that it is coming on stream. The state has equity in it. And we did so to encourage investors to let people know that not only are we inviting them to come, that these are profitable ventures and we ourselves have bought into them, so we are part of the investment. I have already given them the certificate of occupancy to the land.

    So, we’ve contributed to it. And we are encouraging them to make a success of that because it will be a game-changer for us if they do – it will change the narrative. Then there is also the Brass LNG, which has been on the drawing board for a very long time, but unfortunately the Federal Government and their agents have slowed down and I think we lost a window and our case is that that project is so critical, it has to be brought back on the table and we are in touch with other players and we are hopeful that the Federal Government will also see the need to bring that project back.

    Melford Okilo Memorial Hospital

    Well, that was a very ambitious project that was conceived well before its time. My view is that not enough planning and seriousness in terms of job execution went into it. It actually became a drainpipe on state resources running into billions and billions of Naira, which people can’t account for.

    Anyway, I am not looking back. I have devised a new way of dealing with that issue. The assurance I can give you is that before the end of this year, that place will be put into productive use.

    Education levy

    In order to make it sustainable even after my government, we have introduced the education development trust fund by law, by which five per cent of the IGR of the state goes into that fund and independently managed. Every worker in the public sector in Bayelsa State, and ultimately everybody working and doing business in Bayelsa State will contribute to it.

    Our target is to produce between 20,000 and 30,000 young people kept in a controlled environment, trained to reason and behave and act like decent human beings, better taken care off than in their communities and families before. A number of them now, even during holidays, refuse to go home because they can’t get the sort of care they are given in our schools. We have doctors, chaplains and pastors in those schools – changing their mindset and world view and incubating them, keeping these young people at vulnerable age, that age where we can easily lose them to militancy and criminality.

    Restructuring and state police

    State police is a necessary element of federal system. In our multi-ethnic, multi-religious society, in a federal system, Nigeria is overdue for state policing. I am a former policeman. I know how my colleagues feel, because we are all in this federally controlled police force.

    Yes, it has its advantages, but then the downside has become very, very apparent and frightening now, especially with the population explosion and the intricacies of our societies, our country has to adopt state policing. I have spoken severally in support because I am a committed federalist. That does not mean they should wind up the federal police. No, we will still have room for the federal police. But state should have the authority to handle day-to-day policing. But when we have serious issues bothering on federal offences, the state police can co-operate with federal police. So, the two can exist side by side.

    All we need to do is for the leadership to be committed, meet and sit down to work out the details of the relationship and the checks and balances. There are fears on the part of those who do not want state police. But these fears can be assuaged.

  • Niger Delta group blames Fed Govt over FUPRE

    A niger Delta rights group, Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI) has lambasted the Federal Government for failing to allocate funds to the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun,Delta State.

    It warned the government to appropriate resources or its members would return to the creeks over the matter.

    Its National President, Austin Ozobo, in a statement, said: “As critical stakeholders, we make bold to say that the Federal Government is pushing the Niger Delta region and its agitators back to the creeks, as starving the University of Fund is provocative and capable of fanning the embers of discord.

    “We believe that FUPRE is starved financially because the university is located in the Niger Delta. This is a threat to the peace in the region.

    “The government should learn a lesson from how nepotism and injustice against the Niger Delta region could crumble the country’s economy and put it under unimaginable recession.”

    It claimed FUFRE was not captured in the 2018 Budget, thereby depriving the institution of cash.

    Noting that the varsity was established by the Federal Government to promote local training, development and research in the oil sector, it lamented that the FUFRE was grappling with under-funding and infrastructural deficit.

    IPDI said: “To starve FUPRE of funds while the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and National College of Petroleum, Kaduna, established in the north, were granted N15 billion and N10.4 billion by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) at takeoff stage is not good. FUPRE has graduated students, yet for 11 years, it has not received any funding from PTDF.’’

    Alleging that N45 billion was appropriated for the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) in this year’s budget, the body said this was shocking because the NEDC Act was signed a week after that of FUPRE Act.

    The group recalled that the House of Representatives, in a motion: Implementation of Laws Enacted by the Eighth Assembly on December 21, last year, mandated the House Committee  on Appropriations to ensure that adequate budgetary provisions were made in the 2018 Appropriation Bill for the university.

    “Still, the lawmakers and Federal Government shared over N152 billion from increase in the oil benchmark without consideration for FUPRE Act, while all representations made by stakeholders to the Federal Government and the National Assembly seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

    “We, thus, feel disturbed that this is a deliberate neglect of the university and feel that the Federal Government has abandoned its responsibility to the varsity.

    “As Niger Delta stakeholders, we demand that funds be made available for FUPRE from the excess crude funds realised from the increase in oil prices which rose from $45 per barrel, thereby yielding an excess of about N152 billion.

    “However, N152 billion has been disbursed for projects the government feel were more important than FUPRE, located in the Niger Delta area from where the funds were derived,” the statement added.

  • ‘Royal Kingdom’ excites Benin Monarch 

    The management of Guinness Nigeria Plc has presented its new product, ‘Royal Kingdom Lager Beer’ to the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II and the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki. The product was presented to them in Benin-City, the Edo State capital last week.

    It said the new product redefines quality, heritage, culture and royalty for the proud people of Edo and Delta states as well as having a refined, crisp and refreshing taste made with pure ingredients for a rich and rewarding experience.

    Chairman of Guinness, Babatunde Savage, who made the presentation at the palace of the Benin monarch, said the new product was brewed in line with the tradition of the people.

    Savage said: The ‘Royal Kingdom’ was as a result of years of extensive research, and the need to celebrate the indigenous people in the heartbeat of Nigeria with a beer that stands as a symbol of their pride, heritage, communal life and kingdom.

    He said the company is the biggest employer of labour in the state as Edo has become part of the firm’s heritage.

    His words: “We believe that we will continue to look at the culture of the heritage and the royalty that this place is known for in actually crafting the best brew that is best for this area.

    “We have been bringing new innovation. The beer is a local lager of international standard. It is something that Edo people will be proud of. We believe they will cherish it. We will be able to ensure employment for our people and farmers will be encouraged to cultivate our local ingredients.

    “We are the biggest employer of labour in Edo State and we are proud of the products that are coming from here.”

    The Benin monarch said it was good to refine a product with the cultural insignia and symbol of the people.

    Oba Ewuare II also said the environment has been conducive to businesses to thrive as he has curbed activities of Community Development Associations.

    He opined that the company would make a fortune from the product with a view to adding value to the economy of the state.

    “We are, particularly proud of a beer like Royal Kingdom. We respect and honour our roots, history and culture and tradition. We are pleased that Guinness Nigeria is uplifting and promoting Edo culture and traditions. We believe that every day is a step forward and by investing in our land, they play an active role in pursuing our desired future.”

  • Day rain storm destroyed cars, buildings, others in Rivers

    Storm, on Monday evening, destroyed buildings, cars and other properties in various parts of Rivers State.

    The heavy rain began around 4:00 p.m.  Trees, electric and other poles and telecommunication masts, among others were blown down. The storm left in its trail destruction as the polls and trees collapse on buildings; damaging roofs and properties. Roofs on high rise buildings were either completely removed or seriously damaged.

    Though unconfirmed reports said some lives were lost, even as the state police command was not sure anyone died in the storm.

    The spokesman of the command, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said: “As we speak now, we have not had any report that anyone died. Let the rumour bearers tell you the location the people were said to have died.”

    The worse hit in the storm that lasted barely one hour was “Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic (aka) Port Harcourt Polytechnic, established by the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration three years ago.

    Eight of the structures on the campus were severely damaged by the storm, disrupting their ongoing second semester examinations which began the same day.

    The building housing the office of the Rector and his Deputy were not spared, the roofing sheet were partly blown off, apparently sacking the duo from their offices. Tables, chairs and documents were reportedly drenched by the rain.

    When our reporter visited the scene in the afternoon, officials of the institution were stranded, lurking around their office buildings, with no place to operate from. Some of them were busy sorting the documents and taking them to unknown destinations.

    The structure housing Niger Delta Science School (NDSS), established in the institution and operated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was also destroyed by the storm. The roof and ceiling boards of the administrative block were removed, and the offices flooded.

    Officials of the state government, including the Commissioners for Special Duties and Education, have visited the scene to ascertain the extent of damage.

  • Jude Ngaji: Portrait of a young political Turk

    For Jude Ogbeche Ngaji, life is like a river of energy, clear, fast and in constant flow, with everyone desiring a drink from it.

    Right from his college and university days at Mary Knoll College, Ogoja, University of Uyo Jude’s life has taken the pattern of a fast-flowing river, demonstrating that the act of giving should be a continuous process of circulation that stretches the flow of one’s life’s energies.

    For over two decades, the philosophy of this young herald of hope has been premised on the understanding that for one to receive, someone else has to give, a latter role he has long assumed for himself and with no hint yet of wilting.

    Weaned on the diet of love, care and compassion, Jude had, early in life, cultivated the art of charity, care and empathy for the less-fortunate around him. Call it his destiny, if you like. Truth is, it has remained his passion and a ministry he has since been running with it.

    A chip off the old block, Jude’s compassion for the vulnerable has its tendrils from his father, Senator Greg Ngaji, one-time Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    As member of the upper legislative chamber from 2003 to 2011, testimonies still swirl attesting to Greg’s humanity. According to several of the Senator’s beneficiaries, you never went back the same way you visited Senator Greg in Abuja.

    He would guarantee your comfort and ensure a fitting return home. His kindness was indeed that legendary. And like a family heritage, Jude has since been touching lives, restoring hope and putting smiles on the hitherto forlorn faces of the less-privileged.

    Seen by many as an Iroko among shrubs, Jude is a medley of many things and different things to different people. As one time Organising Secretary of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jude ensured a coordinated and collaborative effort that led to howling successes of the party’s activities.

    Graduating from the position of the organising secretary to Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Liyel Imoke, Jude earned his stripes to later become the substantive Chief of Staff to Governor Imoke in the twilight of that administration.

    He has been the State Security Adviser since the coming of the administration of Prof. Ben Ayade as Governor of Cross River State.

    A young man with an insatiable appetite for learning, Jude, following his graduation from the University of Uyo, quickly proceeded to the Federal University of Technology, where he bagged a Master’s degree in Marketing Technology.

    Currently studying Law at the University of Calabar with a PhD admission in International Relations in the kitty, Jude has undergone several overseas security trainings spanning the Dubai Police Academy, where he emerged the best student of his set, as well as Enforcement and Regulatory Management at Harvard University, USA.

    To several who have crossed paths with Jude, they have varied accounts of his personality.

    As then Chief of Staff, he was without airs and graces and operated an open door policy that ensured an unfettered access to his office. His office and house were literally reduced to a Mecca of sorts with tens of hundreds of people milling around for one favour or the other.

    A father of two,  and a cross bearer for the abandoned and the poor, a man of charity and compassion, while drawing on the art of giving and sharing, Jude is usually roused by the plight of those with an uncertain tomorrow.

    A man with a sunny heart, Jude radiates a ray of light through the cloudy world of society’s most neglected and forgotten species as they struggle through the storms and turmoil of their uncharted and uncertain future.

    As an uncommon gift to his generation, the State Security Adviser is widely seen as a radiant and compassionate beacon of hope, a twinkling instance of what it means to care and the necessity and joy of sharing the suffering of others.

    Having rgarded charity as his divine lot, Jude has been playing the role of a “father to the poor,” a symbol of compassion to the homeless, hope to the hopeless in the entire five council areas of the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River State.

    In fact, as a way of sharing in the core misery of the poorest of the poor and the very vulnerable in the state, the former Chief of Staff has, through his various initiatives such as the Ikaba Ngaji Foundation, been offering succour to the sick and many others afflicted with other forms of ailments.

    For instance, in January this year, as part of his commitments to assisting patients who cannot pay their medical bills, Jude personally undertook a tour of two hospitals, the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) and the General Hospitals in Ogoja respectively, and settled the medical bills of well over 100 patients across the various wards of the two hospitals. On the same day, food items as well as beverages were donated to the motherless homes in Ogoja.

    Without prior information about his visit, mammoth crowd of supporters from Bekwarra, Obanliku, Obudu, Ogoja and Obanliku, bearing different banners had thronged Igoli, the council headquarters of Ogoja to receive the young philanthropist.

    Similarly, over 3,000 people from the five local government areas of the northern part of the state have equally benefited from eye treatments and surgeries sponsored by the former PDP Organising Secretary. Also, people with eye-related ailments are currently in different Indian hospitals under the auspices of Ikaba Ngaji Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, with Jude as chairman.

    Coordinator of the foundation, Mr. Tony Idagu said since the establishments of the foundation, over 500,000 people have been touched in one way or the other, noting that Jude is ready to sacrifice everything he has to bring happiness to the teeming populace in the northern part of the state and others outside the zone.

    Interestingly, as his humanity continues to resonate all across the five council areas, there is increasing pressure on the Young Turk to assume higher political responsibility by vying for a seat in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There has been a huge clamour from many support groups across the length and breadth of the five local government areas of Bekwarra, Obanliku, Obudu, Ogoja as well as Yala, persuading the State Security Adviser to vie for the Senate.

    Coming under different names such as Generation Next; Team Jude; The Eagle Squad; Judified; King Jude; Ladies for Jude, among others, the support groups have produced T-shirts, face-caps, banners, handbills, if anything, to underscore their unflinching commitment and seriousness to the “Jude for the Senate” emblazoned on them.

    The position of the groups, according to Justin Isorji and Peter Ikpen Ilefa, is that the time has come to have a more vibrant and younger representative with fresh ideas in the Senate.

    To further reinforce their belief in Jude, the groups are ready to pool resources to pick up nomination form for him, even as they threaten to drag him to court, should he decide otherwise.

    While Jude is yet to respond to the clamour to aspire to the Senate, he is to the youth, a Senator who is awaiting a formal inauguration on May 29, 2019. The youth have thrown a challenge, and the ball is now in Jude’s court.

    For Jude, there seems to be a tide in his affairs which might lead on to fortune.

    For the youth, it is Jude or nobody else.

  • Queens gather in Bayelsa for peace in Niger Delta

    For the first time in the Niger Delta, queens from various kingdoms came together. The wives of monarchs from the nine states of the region met recently in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. Their agenda was peace.

    Peace was paramount in their minds as they travelled by road and waterways to Yenagoa. The convener and originator of the crucial maiden assembly of the queens is Her Majesty, Dr. Josephine Diette-Spiff. She is the queen of the oil-rich Brass Kingdom in Bayelsa. Her husband, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, a former Military Governor of the old Rivers State, is the Chairman of the Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council.

    Her Majesty Josephine is highly respected for her elegance, beauty, carriage, academic prowess and generosity. A kind, calm and intelligent woman, Josephine has always been at the vanguard for the promotion of peace and unity. She brought a team of resource persons to engage her colleagues in the three-day summit.

    Little wonder an array of queens in their splendour and affluence trooped to Yenagoa to attend the maiden summit. Like a galaxy of stars, the queens shone forth in their paraphernalia of offices. Adorned on their heads were various colours, sizes and shapes of crowns. Most of them were accompanied by their beautiful palace maidens.

    The assemblage of the queens showcased the traditional and cultural beauty of the Niger Delta. A stretch of bold red beads arranged in circular forms lined their necks dropping beautifully on their chests. Their wrists were festooned with big bangles of beads. They radiated in overflowing fabrics of high quality.

    Beyond their beauty, Josephine and her co-queens meant business. They were happy with the peace in the region. But they wanted to deepen and sustain it. They desired the removal of obstacles or roadblocks to peace.

    To ensure queens’ participation in peace processes in their various kingdoms, the convener wanted her colleagues to be enlightened, hence the theme of the summit: “An Enlightened Queen is an Enlightened Community. The summit was declared open by the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Anglican Communion, Ignatius Kattey.

    King Diette-Spiff, who was the Chairman of the occasion, praised her wife for being the brain behind the crucial gathering. He said he was happy that a “full-blown collection of the queens of the Niger Delta”, attended the summit. He explained that an average of five queens were invited from each state and apologised to others who could not make the list because of logistic constraints.

    While commending them for honouring the invitation, the king also thanked his colleagues for allowing their wives to attend the programme. He said the country had grown from a population of 63 million in 1963 to 200 million. The king said youths were a significant part of the growth.

    Addressing the queens, he said: “Logically, you could see that Nigeria is made up of young people, who can agree to agree; agree to wake up early in the morning and go to war or sit around and waste their time or foment trouble for the sake of it.”

    In her address, Josephine, who has been a queen for 24 years, said the summit was anchored on peace-building. She said the Niger Delta has had a fair share of the twin monsters of poverty and insecurity facing the world, including Nigeria.

    The queen of Brass said the occasion signposted the maiden gathering of the wives of traditional rulers in the Niger Delta to discuss, learn and empower themselves for onward impartation to their respective traditional domains.  She said the occasion was designed to promote peace and economic prosperity within their domains.

    She said though their husbands were imbued with the task of leadership in their various kingdoms, it became necessary to play supportive roles in fulfilment of their “help ministry” and the overall interests of their domains. To effectively play such roles, she said all the queens required mental, social and economic capacity.

    Mrs. Dickson appealed to the queens to fight for the interest of the vulnerable in the society, especially the girl child. She implored the queens to stand against rape and ensure that rapists were made to face the wrath of the law instead of negotiation to grant them freedom.

    She said the recent pronouncement by the state government of providing support for expectant mothers in the state was part of efforts geared towards reducing maternal and infant mortality. She said the government was concerned about the well-being of expectant mothers and had put in place measures to ensure they got monthly stipends and other benefits until they are safely delivered of their babies.

    Mrs Dickson expressed worry over the number of avoidable deaths, saying most of them would not have occurred if adequate care was given to the women. According to her, every expectant mother is very important to the government as the nine months’ period of pregnancy is very sensitive and requires the needed attention.

    While calling on expectant mothers to take advantage of the offer by visiting government-owned hospitals, she also advised them against foods that were not good for them during their pregnancy. Mrs Dickson equally urged the visiting queens to use their positions to support women, especially girl child education.

    The queens later went into a technical session of the summit. The resource persons engaged them and explained elaborately how they could deploy resources within their means to maintain peace in their kingdoms. They brainstormed, interacted and interrogated their roles as queens.

    At the end of the technical session, the queens, who hail from various kingdoms in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states came out with a communique with a central message to sustain the existing peace in the region.

    The queens, in the communique, said they would henceforth address issues bordering on peace affecting the region under an association to be called the Niger Delta Royal Queens’ Forum (NDRQF).

    The forum appealed to government at all levels to intensify efforts to protect women, the girl child and children from abuses and deprivation.

    The royal queens said they would launch sustained campaigns to end all forms of gender-based violence. The forum urged all royal queens to advocate the education of the girl child and promote adult and functional education to change the status of women and girls in the region.

    They insisted that tackling such issues would promote peace, end restiveness and attract development to the region. The forum also asked its members to be proactive in supporting their husbands in developing their domains and empowering their subjects. They vowed to work against rape, defilements, trafficking, organ harvesting and abuse of orphanages.

    The queens commended Governor Seriake Dickson, his wife, Rachel, Senator Ben Bruce, Mr. Sunny Goli, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Belema Oil for supporting their peace summit.

  • Niger Delta: reaping rewards of Fed Govt’s fresh vision

    When the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo embarked on tours of some of the states of the Niger Delta region, he promised that the Federal Government would transform oil-producing communities into industrial hubs for oil and gas activities. He also promised that members of the communities would benefit directly from such activities through projects, direct labour commerce and job opportunities. MIKE ODIEGWU reports that with the inauguration of the oil and gas city project at Emeyal 1 in Bayelsa State by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu the Federal Government has begun to realise most of the promises

    It was not in vain that the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo toured states in the Niger Delta region. During the tour, Osinbajo unveiled a new roadmap crafted by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for the development of the oil-rich region.

    As part of the new vision, rural communities, without having a go-in-between, would benefit directly from government’s investments. The investments would be driven by ministries, boards and parastatals. Oil-producing communities would be transformed into industrial hubs for oil and gas activities. Members of the communities would benefit directly from such activities through quick-win projects, direct labour; commerce and job opportunities.

    Osinbajo, in his historical tours also promised that the controversial Maritime University, Okerenkoko would take off. He said licences had been issued for the establishment of modular refineries, adding that the government would help to ensure the setting up of the refineries.

    Walking its talks, the Federal Government has gradually ensured the realisation of the promises it made through Osinbajo. The Maritime University has taken off. Modular refineries are springing up and other deliberate measures and projects to ensure the transformation of communities in the Niger Delta into industrial hubs for oil and gas business have begun.

    The recently inaugurated Oil and Gas City project is one of them. The groundbreaking for the project located at Emeyal 1 close to Otuoke, the community of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was performed by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu.

    Situated on 25 hectares of land, the park, when completed, will generate at least 3,000 jobs. It will create a regional low-cost manufacturing hub for the production of equipment component and spare parts for the country’s oil and gas industry.

    The multi-billion dollar project is the brainchild of the Nigeria Content Development Management Board (NCDMB) led by its Executive Secretary, Simbi Wabote. Wabote and his board designed and developed it in line with the new vision of the government for the Niger Delta.

    It is interesting to note that Wabote, with his board, is working to ensure that such industrial city is established in five oil-producing states of Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Imo and Delta. Already, the project has taken off at Odukpani in Cross River State and recently at Emeyal 1 in Bayelsa State.

    The groundbreaking at Emeyal 1 was a joyous occasion. It had the full representations of traditional rulers, Bayelsa State Government, board of NCDMB, community folks, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) and all stakeholders to the project.

    The state government’s delegation was led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Kemela Okara. In Okara’s entourage was the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

    In his welcome address, Wabote listed the benefits of the project. He said the park would accommodate warehouses, manufacturing shop floors, factories, training centres, hostels, administrative blocks, mini-estate, security posts, fire station, including truck parking and holding areas.

    He said the park would have uninterrupted electricity supply. He described the groundbreaking as a crucial step to achieving the board’s key mandate. But Wabote specially appealed to host communities in Bayelsa State to protect the project. He warned against any attempt to disrupt work at the project site.

    He said the NCDMB would relocate the project any time it found it difficult to operate from the area following restiveness. He noted that there were many communities beckoning to have the facility sited in their areas.

    Wabote said: “I am glad that the stakeholders are holding up to their commitments to see the project succeed because there are so many communities that wish that this project is sited in their area.

    “The very minute we cannot operate from this place, I make bold to say that we will not hesitate to move the project elsewhere. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to see this as your project and to protect it with all that you have.”

    He assured members of the community that when completed, no fewer than 3,000 jobs would be created and many of them willing to work would be engaged.

    Wabote said:  “With this facility, development is coming to your community. So, if you don’t create the enabling environment for this project to succeed in line with the plan, the only conclusion to draw is that you don’t like the future of your children, because the future of your children is also here.

    “So, if you destroy and interrupt a project that will foresee the future of your children, then I take and conclude that you don’t want to plan for your children.

    “Few weeks ago, I had the cause to call for a town hall meeting with key stakeholders from the community and beyond on the need to support this project which was aimed at bringing development and investors to this area of the state.

    “Therefore, the project will not tolerate situations where people don’t want to work but all they want to do is to become ghost workers to be earning salaries or wages where they have not sown. That we will not tolerate with regard to this project.

    “Luckily, I am also from Bayelsa. Therefore, so many communities are beckoning for this project. I hereby solicit your support and co-operation. If there are any issues you think that are not going according to plan, please do not hesitate to draw our attention; but don’t get into a situation of destroying the project.”

    He also urged the contractors handling the project not to abandon it, even as he appealed to them to do their best to ensure safety and security at the site and promote cordial and harmonious relationship with the communities. Wabote also urged the contractors to ensure that the facility is delivered on time according to specified standards.

    He said: “I beg you (contractors) to remain within the budget and also ensure that the community youths and able-bodied men that are prepared to work are given a fair chance.”

    Inaugurating the project, Kachukwu, assured that it would be completed within its timeframe, adding that he would like to be remembered as a minister who did not abandon any project after leaving office.

    Addressing dignitaries, traditional rulers and other members of the community that witnessed the ceremony, he said: “President Muhammadu Buhari completely believes in this project. He thanks you for the audacity of hope and the challenge to develop self-help and the co-operation you gave to NCDMB. He has promised to do everything in his powers to ensure that this is not one of such projects that are started and abandoned.

    “The challenge most of my colleagues and heads of parastatals do have with me is that I don’t go to visit projects unless you can show me the tracks to completion. I don’t want to be one of those ministers who, when they leave office, have lots of commenced but abandoned projects.

    “I want to be one of those remembered for few of completed projects. The Executive Secretary showed me the tracks to completion. My promise to you is that we will complete this project in record time.

    “We will work with Wabote to provide everything he needs to get it done. After the five Niger Delta states where this project will be sited, we will extend this innovative intervention process to other parts of Nigeria.”

    He said when completed, the park would bring the localisation of indigenous companies to the state to engage in fabrication, pipe milling, procurements and gas-related technology. He reiterated that the oil and gas activities in the park would generate over 2,000 to 3,000 jobs in the near future. He called on the host communities to support the project.

    Kachukwu replied critics querying the achievements of Buhari in oil and gas sector since he assumed office and said the Federal Government had done very well to reposition the sector.

    He said from zero per cent, investment in the sector was increasing in excess of $60 billion following innovative financial concepts introduced by the government. The Petroleum Minister added that the government tackled the issue of peace which brought oil production from all-time low of 800,000 barrels to over two million barrels a day.

    He said: “Without getting into politics, this sector has performed very well. When we came in, we looked at our institutions, NNPC, NCDMB, DPR and if you go back into these institutions, they are not what they were when we came.

    “We have revolutionised the need for the sector to be opened to communities and to the Nigerian populace that owns the assets. We have continued to do a lot of work in terms of how we bring development into this community.

    “We targeted the issue of peace which was very challenging when I came in but thankfully, through your co-operation, we find peace to go back and oil production from a very all-time low of 800,000 barrels, today it is in excess of two million and still striving to go up.

    “Because of the financing ingenious concepts we put in place, financing in the oil sector has taken a very big leap. So, over the two, three, four years at most with projects such as Egina, Zagazaga, Nigerian LNG 2 and Nigeria LNG 7, we are about to see the investment in excess of $60 billion.

    “Before 2016, investments in this sector had ebbed to zero. Here is a massive investment in the oil sector. With these investments jobs will come and with the jobs will come peace and with peace will come development.

    “A lot is ongoing and a lot still have to happen. Major policy changes are in the works and major regulatory changes are in the works. Major emphasis areas are in the works.”

    Kachukwu, however, challenged Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and other South-South governors to form a synergy and evolve an economic model similar to Lagos State in the development of the region.

    He said it was time for the governors to walk their talk by forming an economic bloc to make their zone economically independent of the centre.

    He said: “But there is no change that is as important as the change I anticipate in the way to run this nation. This is a change where south-south governors are able to sit down and see how to develop the south-south to the point where they take economic independence from the centre.

    “It means that there should be cross-border development, cross-border roads and cross-border specialisation areas on health, finance, education and others. Frankly, there is no bundle of states that has the opportunity and resource base and the human resource to be able to develop and face synergy of independence similar to what Lagos is doing for Lagos State more than this bloc of states.”

    On his part, Okara, who represented Governor Seriake Dickson, commended the Federal Government and Wabote for siting the project in the state, saying it formed part of his key programmes to industrialise the state.

    He said the state government would support the construction of the project, adding that it was in line with the government’s policy on industrialisation.

    He said: “Industrialisation is the only way to go if we are to create jobs on a massive scale and also to create opportunities for business on a massive scale. This groundbreaking is the beginning, in many ways, of the process of industrialising Bayelsa State in particular and the Niger Delta in general.

    “We see the NCDMB as a partner and this partnership to transform the Niger Delta and bring about specific investments here in Bayelsa and the Ogbia can, in no way, be in doubt.”

    Also speaking, the Chairman, IYC, Central Zone, Mr. Tari Pori, thanked Wabote for attracting such massive investments to the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation. He said the youth were ever ready to partner with Wabote to ensure the completion of the project.