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.