The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PRESIDENCY

  • Yar’Adua, Jonathan never prepared for presidency, says Mbu

    •Late minister  in autobiography: politicians need primary profession  

    FORMER Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mathew Mbu has revealed in his autobiography that ex-Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan did not prepare for presidency, leading to their failure to perform in office.

    He said it was unfortunate that former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, who was ready to lead the nation in 2007, lost to the “antics of a mischievous individual”.

    Mbu said Jonathan became myopic with Ijaw agenda and could not tackle corruption.

    The former minister said corruption was one of the leading reasons for the nation’s political and economic failures.

    He said politics should not be treated as a profession in Nigeria but as a vocation.

    Mbu’s views are contained in his autobiography which will be launched post-humously on April 10 in Abuja.

    The book is titled: “M.T. Mbu: Dignity in service.”

    The ex-minister, who died on February 6, 2012, had left the manuscript of his autobiography which the family decided  to publish to honour him.

    The family confirmed that the autobiography was ready for publication before he passed on.

    The excerpts said: “The South-South got recognition when I championed the South-South People Assembly. We campaigned for the presidency. It was clear to everyone that Dr. Peter Odili from the South-South zone was ready to provide leadership.

    “However, the PDP primaries of 2006 was a fiasco of internal democracy. Jonathan was made the running mate to Umaru Muas Yar’Adua in that convention. Dr. Peter Ofili, our prepared candidate was betrayed by the party hierarchy.

    “Personally, I was sick because of the antics of a mischievous individual, who had hoped that things would degenerate to a level that would lead to crisis and a declaration of a state of emergency.

    “We are all mortals, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua could not accomplish much, not just because he was sick, but also because he was not prepared for the demanding office of president. That was equally of Jonathan as vice president.

    “When Yar’Adua eventually passed the way of all mortals and an unprepared Jonathan became president, Jonathan suddenly forgot that he was the president of Nigeria and became obsessed with the Ijaw nation propaganda with a selected few. That was not the idea of the South-South presidency I championed. It does not mean a narrow agenda, rather a national service from this forgotten zone.”

    The book added: “The obsession of Jonathan with certain characters kept me away from the presidency. A Yoruba man, Olusegun Obasanjo influenced his nomination as vice president; Dora Akunyili, an Igbo woman, intervened in the Federal Executive Council for the transfer of power to Jonathan. Pastor Tunde Bakare of Save Nigeria Group, made the Senate headed by someone from the Middle Belt, to initiate the doctrine of necessity. So, why the obsession with a myopic agenda based on Ijaw propaganda?

    “I deliberately wanted to stay away from the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. In the game of politics, you only engage in exclusion when you fail to fight for your rights. Jonathan was excluding himself and his presidency was heading for precipice. He needed to reorganise himself and strategise. Politics is not a charity, if you fight for what is your right, and you cannot protect it, it will be taken from you.”

    But Mbu said he sent advisory to Jonathan when it was necessary in order to guide him.

    He said: “My distance from Jonathan was not complete incommunicado. I did advise him to properly articulate his agenda and reduce the bogus listed items to three: (1) free and fair election, (2) security and (3) reduce the quantum of corruption that is visible within the corridors of power.

    “If these are achieved, Nigerians in their ingenuity will fashion out the rest in no time. I proposed this to him because these are intrinsically democratic dividends. No other system of government can deliver them thoroughly with checks and balances.”

    On corruption, the ex-minister said it was behind the nation’s political and economic failures.

    The excerpts said: “The second point I proposed to the administration of Jonathan to be tackled immediately was corruption. Corruption is one of the leading reasons for the ongoing political and economic failures. In our active days, corruption like it is today, never existed. In broad terms, corruption is the abuse of public office for private gains.”

    He said politics should not be treated as a profession in Nigeria but as a vocation.

    Mbu said: “Politics to me, is not a profession, it is a vocation… I have always maintained that all those who aspire to elected public offices need a primary profession. Most of the time I served in public offices, I did return to my profession as a lawyer.

    “So, I cannot comprehend why someone will claim politics as a profession and accept being introduced as a politician. If you are called to serve, do not abandon your profession, whatever it is.

    “Politics is always there for you; it is not a profession, it is a calling, if you want to go into it.

     

     

  • Presidency, PDP bicker over alleged hacking of Buhari’s personal data

    • Says allegation of planned rigging of 2019 elections laughable

    The Presidency is demanding response from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the allegation that one of the party’s supporters bankrolled the hacking of President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal data in the run-up to the 2015 elections.

    The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, said yesterday that this is one issue the PDP should address instead of  “raising false alarms in order to gain public sympathy and divert attention from its abysmal past record and failures.”

    The Guardian of London reported on Thursday that an unnamed Nigerian oil billionaire supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan paid a US company, Cambridge Analytica $2m for a covert campaign to stop Buhari.

    Material for the campaign reportedly came from Israelis who allegedly hacked into Buhari’s private e-mail.

    There is no proof that Jonathan, who lost the election, knew about the covert campaign.

    However, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday described the accusation as false. It accused President Buhari’s handlers of concocting the fabrications just to divert public attention from the overwhelming national and international rejection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration.

    The PDP cited the verdict of the American billionaire businessman, Bill Gates on the Nigerian economic policy, which he described as failing to address human capital, as one of the instances of rejection of the nation’s economic direction by the international community.

    Shehu while also reacting to a statement by the PDP that it would drag the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC to the United Nations over alleged plan or plot to rig the 2019 general elections dismissed the claim as not only laughable and puerile, but also a demonstration of the level of desperation that is haunting the opposition leaders.

    He said the PDP should address the concerns raised about its role in the mass data harvesting at the heart of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal.

    He said: “Nothing undermines a country’s democracy as such unfair practices.

    “That is why President Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment when they hacked into the opposition, Democratic Party records, and this is why a Special Counsel is investigating the alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if President Donald Trump’s campaign is complicit in the attempted subversion of democracy in that country.

    “The PDP’s decision to drag the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC to the United Nations over alleged plan or plot to rig the 2019 general elections are not only laughable and puerile, but they also demonstrate the level of desperation that is haunting the opposition leaders.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari is passionately committed to free and fair elections in the country and for a man who joined forces with local and international observers to ensure a free and fair election which brought him to power in 2015, the President would under no circumstances tolerate any attempt to derail constitutional democracy.

    “The outcome of the gubernatorial elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States stand as clear examples of President Buhari’s commitment to free and fair elections in the country, and Nigerians should indeed be wary of PDP’s desperate propaganda.

    “For the PDP to be preaching free and fair elections is like a street-walker preaching about chastity.

    “We must recall that the PDP postponed the 2015 general elections in the guise of national security challenges because defeat was staring it starkly in the face. However, despite the delay tactics, it was resoundingly defeated when the polls finally held.”

    He said that the PDP has lost every moral ground and it is mortally afraid of facing the 2019 general elections because Nigerians will always remember their past and punish them one more time for economically plundering the country.

    The Cambridge Analytica hacking scandal committed against  Candidate Buhari by the PDP in 2015 in which billions of Naira was paid out to the Israelis and others hackers, he said, has shown that the former ruling party lacks both the integrity and credibility to talk about election rigging.

    “Instead of explaining their role in the scandal, the nation is greeted by stunning silence. Do they think this will simply blow away?

    “Rigging is PDP’s main area of core competence and its party leaders are drowning men who won’t mind clutching at any straw for political survival.

    “By dragging the United Nations into its political propaganda, the PDP is indirectly suggesting that it is afraid to face the voters in 2019.

    “Rather than hiding behind allegations of a plot to rig the elections, the opposition party should work harder to win back the trust of voters instead of spreading false alarm to gain international sympathy.”

    According to him, it is unfortunate that the PDP is desperately trying all dirty tricks, including the exploitation of tragedy, for political advantage.

    The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ologbondiyan, said the said report, which came from a foreign media platform, did not mention the PDP or any of its officials as culprit.

    The statement added that the said report also exonerated former President Jonathan who was Buhari’s opponent in the 2015 presidential election, in the alleged scam.

    The statement said, “Since the PDP has never been involved in hacking into any person’s data, we decided to peruse the documents and publications in the Guardian UK, relied upon by President Buhari’s senior special assistant, Mallam Shehu Garba, only to discover that none of them alluded to any involvement of the PDP or any of our officials or members, directly or indirectly of being in any way whatsoever a part of the said saga.

    “It is incontrovertible that the documents had clinically stated that, there is no suggestion that Jonathan knew of the covert operation. Nigerians must therefore be shocked at the extent the Buhari-led Presidency can go in its penchant for beguiling, contrivance, deceit, fabrication and lies.

    “Like a bunch of famished broom, it is clear that the sinking Buhari Presidency has become desperate in its bid to divert public attention from its multifarious failures and damning verdicts from national and international figures.

    “Furthermore, it is laughable for the Presidency to say that the PDP is afraid of elections. This is the same Presidency that recently informed Nigerians that President Buhari was delaying his declaration for 2019 for fear of political opponents.

    “Who is afraid of election? Is it the PDP or the President’s APC that has failed to conform to its constitutional provision of constituting a Board of Trustees (BOT); a party which is so afraid to conduct even internal election and had to extend the tenure of its executives because its stuck 2019 presidential candidate is even afraid of other possible contestants within its fold?”

    The PDP added that from the actions of the APC, it is manifest that the party is not only mortally afraid of elections but also engaging in all manner of shenanigans to suppress opposition in the country.

     

  • 2019: PDP’s decision to drag APC, INEC to UN laughable – Presidency

    The Presidency on Saturday described the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to drag the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the United Nations over alleged plan to rig the 2019 general election as laughable and puerile.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement the PDP’s action demonstrated the level of desperation haunting its leaders.

    He challenged the opposition party to address the concerns raised about its leaders’ role in the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal.

    The statement read: “The Presidency has advised the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop raising false alarms in order to gain public sympathy and divert attention from its abysmal past record and failures.

    “They should, instead, address the concerns raised about their role in the mass data harvesting at the heart of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, following the revelation that they hacked into President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal data in the run-up to the 2015 general elections.

    “Nothing undermines a country’s democracy as such unfair practices.

    “That is why President Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment when they hacked into the opposition, Democratic Party records, and this is why a Special Counsel is investigating the alleged Russian interference in the United States presidential election, and if President Donald Trump’s campaign is complicit in the attempted subversion of democracy in that country.

    “The PDP’s decision to drag the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC to the United Nations over alleged plan or plot to rig the 2019 general elections is not only laughable and puerile, but they also demonstrate the level of desperation that is haunting the opposition leaders.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari is passionately committed to free and fair elections in the country and for a man who joined forces with local and international observers to ensure a free and fair election which brought him to power in 2015, the President would under no circumstances tolerate any attempt to derail constitutional democracy.”

  • 2019: APC mediates in Presidency, NASS rift

    The leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) has resolved to constitute a committee to look into differences between the Executive and the National Assembly and proffer solution to the matter.

    The resolution, according to the Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, was fallout of a meeting between the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party and the APC Caucus in the Senate, held in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Lawan told journalists after the meeting that membership of the committee would be drawn from the Executive, Legislature, the Governors’ Forum and the party’s National Secretariat.

    He said the team the team was charged with the responsibility of reducing the level of misunderstanding among members of the party across board.

    Lawan said the committee would investigate the disagreements at different levels of the party ahead of the 2019 general election.

    He said: “The purpose of the meeting was to discuss happenings in the party across the country and across all levels of government.

    “Senators took turn to express the way out of some of the issues bedeviling the party and I believe that it was a worthwhile, very frank discussion.

    “The party will soon constitute a team that will comprise of the executive, the legislature, the party itself and representatives from our governors and we have 24 of them.

    “We are very happy as a caucus that the interaction was worthwhile and I am sure that our party was also glad to be here with us this afternoon.

    “We, as members of the National Assembly will remain committed to ensuring that we continue to support the change agenda of our administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The party is the platform for all of us, both the legislative and executive and in my own view, the party has done well by coming.”

    In his remarks before the commencement of the closed-door meeting, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, said the meeting was aimed at discussing issues in the polity.

    He said happenings within the polity necessitated the party leadership to meet with the Senate caucus “to reason and strategise for 2019 elections.

    “We hope to have a better party after the meeting,” he said.

    The NWC was led to the meeting by Odigie-Oyegun while President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, led the APC Senate Caucus to the meeting which lasted two and half hours at the National Assembly.

    NAN

     

     

     

  • Presidency: private sector to play role in food council

    THE Presidency has said that the private sector will play an advisory role in the National Food Security Council announced by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the President was aware of the huge interest indicated by the private sector since the composition of the council was announced as well as the reservations expressed by groups that felt left out.

    He said “We wish to emphasise that the council constituted by the President was more of a think tank that would focus mainly on policy, while various groups from the private sector would be called upon to make sectoral presentations from time to time.

    “Everybody will be carried along as the council will work closely with all stakeholders.

    “The council will be inaugurated by President Buhari on Monday, March 26,” he said.

     

     

  • Private sector to play advisory role in Food Council – Presidency

    The Presidency said on Monday the private sector would play an advisory role in the National Food Security Council recently announced by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    A statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said President Buhari was aware of the huge interest indicated by the private sector since the composition of the Council was announced as well as the reservations expressed by groups left out in the arrangement.

    He said: “We wish to emphasise that the Council constituted by the President was more of a think tank that would focus mainly on policy, while various groups from the private sector would be called upon to make sectoral presentations from time to time.

    “Everybody will be carried along as the Council will work closely with all stakeholders.

    “The Council will be inaugurated by President Buhari on Monday, March 26.”

  • 2019: Why Buhari is yet to make  intention known, by Presidency 

    Will the President run in 2019?

    The question remains unanswered, with the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, yesterday explaining why President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to speak on his political future.

    According to Adesina, Buhari’s stand is to prevent opponents from sabotaging the country.

    If the President speaks too early about his ambition, he said, that it may arm opponents, who may throw everything at him and sabotage the country.

    In Adesina’s view, the President cannot speak on his intention to run or not to run with the election still about one year away as he knows the consequences of doing so.

    On when the President will declare his intention, he said: “You know the peculiarity of Nigeria, particularly now. If the President speaks too early, it’s a problem. There is a lot of sabotage in the country.

    “You have also heard so many have said ‘don’t run’. Because they know that if the President runs, other people should just run a way because they don’t have the foggiest chance in hell to beat him. So, they want to discourage him from running.

    “Now, if he tells you, ‘I’m going to run’, and elections are still one year away, it gives them one year to sabotage the entire country from all fronts – politically, socially, economically – they would throw everything at him just to dissuade him from running.”

    “So, when you know that, why then do you speak early? I think it makes a lot of sense for you then to keep things close to your chest till it is time for you to then say, ‘ok, I’m running’ by which time they can do less damage,” he added

    Hinting of his intention to run in 2019, the President had in November, last year while speaking with some members of the Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire said that he came to the meeting with two governors so that  their people may vote for him in future.

    While apologising for turning up late at the occasion, he said: “First, I want to apologise for keeping you for too long sitting. This is because I insisted on the governors attending this meeting.

    “This is why I came along with them so that when we are going to meet you, when you are going to meet the rest of Nigerians, if you tell them that their governors were in the company of the President, I think that will be another vote for me the future. I’m very pleased that they were able to turn up.”

    On his visit to Benue State over herdsmen killings, Buhari had also said at a stakeholders meeting that he could only make promises to them when he returns there for campaign if indeed he would be coming to campaign.

    Adesina also explained the President’s proposed visit to Rivers State, which Governor Nyesom Wike is faulting because of what he described as being based on a wrong premise.

    The Presidency had listed Rivers among the states the President will visit over killings in parts of the country most of which are blamed on herdsmen.

    When told that Wike does not understand why the President is basing the Rivers visit on a crisis, Adesina said that Buhari wanted to condole with the families of those affected by various killings in the state.

    He recalled the Omoku killings and the beheading of other victims whose heads were taken away by their assailants.

    He said: “If he (Wike) doesn’t understand, the rest of the country understands. We understand; other Nigerians understand. Even people in Rivers State understand because on New Year’s Day, a minimum of 24 people were killed in Omoku.

    “So, is that not crisis? And can you count the number of people that have been beheaded in Rivers state in recent times?

    “People will be killed and heads will be cut off and the assailants will go away with the heads. So, can anybody say that there is no security issue in that kind of place?

    “It’s left to the governor. He’s the chief security officer. If he says there’s no security crisis in his state, good luck to him.”

    On what will become of the trip if the governor does not welcome it, Adesina said: “I’m sure he will be formally informed of the date. So, if he now says he doesn’t want the visit, it’s left to him and the Federal Government to decide the next step.

    “But the President is visiting so that he can condole with people who lost their loved ones; 24 people minimum, were killed in Omoku.

    “So, those people are the reason. Those people and the many beheaded; relations of those beheaded and their heads taken away, are the reason why the President is visiting the state.”

  • 2019: Why Buhari is yet to declare his intention – Presidency

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, on Sunday gave reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari is delaying the declaration of  his ambition in the 2019 presidential election.
    According to him, its an attempt to prevent opponents from sabotaging the country.
    If the President speaks too early about his ambition, he explained that it may give ammunition to unnamed opponents to throw everything at him and sabotage the country.
    He said that the President cannot speak on his intention to run or not to run with the election still about one year away as he knows the consequences of doing so.
    On when the president will declare his intention, the he said: “You know the peculiarity of Nigeria  particularly now. If the president speaks too early, it’s a problem. There is a lot of sabotage in the country.
    “You have also heard so many have said ‘don’t run.’ Because they know that if the president runs, others people should just run a way because they don’t have the foggiest chance in hell to beat him. So, they want to discourage him from running.
    “Now, if he tells you ‘I’m going to run,’ and elections are still one year away, it gives them one year to sabotage the entire country from all fronts – politically, socially, economically – they would throw everything at him just to dissuade him from running.
    “So, when you know that, why then do you speak early? I think it makes a lot of sense for you then to keep things close to your chest till it is time for you to then say, ‘ok, I’m running’ by which time they can do less damage.” he added
    Giving hints of his intention to run for the election in 2019, the President had in November last year while speaking with some members of the Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire said that he came to the meeting with two governors so that  their people may vote for him in future.
    While apologizing for turning up late at the occasion, he said: “First, I want to apologize for keeping you for too long seating. This is because I insisted on the governors attending this meeting.
    “This is why I came along with them so that when we are going to meet you, when you are going to meet the rest of Nigerians, if you tell them that their governors were in the company of the president, I think that will be another vote for me the future. I’m very pleased that they were able to turn up.”
    On his recent visit to Benue state over herdsmen killings, he had also said at a stakeholders meeting that he could only make promises to them when he returns there for campaign if indeed he will be coming for campaign.
    Adesina also explained the president’s proposed visit to Rivers state, which Governor Nyesom Wike is faulting because of what he described as being based on wrong premise.
    The Presidency had listed Rivers among the states the president will visit over killings in parts of the country most of which is blamed on herdsmen.
    When told that Wike does not understand why the President is basing the Rivers visit on crisis, Adesina said that Buhari wants to condole with the families of those affected by various killings in the state.
    He recalled the Omoku killings and the beheading of other victims whose heads were taken away by their assailants.
    He said “If he (Wike) doesn’t understand, the rest of the country understands. We understand, other Nigerians understand. Even people in Rivers state understand because on New Year Day, a minimum of 24 people were killed in Omoku.
    “So, is that not crisis? And can you count the number of people that have been beheaded in Rivers state in recent times?
    “People will be killed and heads will be cut off and the assailants will go away with the heads. So, can anybody say that there is no security issue in that kind of place?
    “It’s left to the governor. He’s the chief security officer. If he says there’s no security crisis in his state, good luck to him.”
    On what will become of the trip if the governor does not welcome it, he said: “I’m sure he will be formally informed of the date. So, if he now says he doesn’t want the visit, it’s left to him and the federal government to decide the next step.
    “But the president is visiting so that he can condole with people who lost their loved ones, 24 people minimum, were killed in Omoku.
    “So, those people are the reason. Those people and the many beheaded; relations of those beheaded and their heads taken away, are the reason why the president is visiting the state.” he said

  • Presidency, Senate rift over electoral bill ‘ll be over soon – Boroffice

    The lawmaker repre-senting Ondo north senatorial district at the national assembly, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, at the weekend, urged traditional rulers particularly in the four local government areas of Akokoland to support him in his bid to bring more developments to the area. Besides, he expressed optimism that the disagreement between the presidency and the Senate over the reordering of 2019 general election would soon be resolved.

    Boroffice spoke at Ikaram-Akoko in Akoko North West local government area of Ondo State, during the inauguration of a multi-million skill acquisition centre he constructed. Though he admitted that lawmakers are divided over the issue, he is optimistic that the controversies would soon be resolved in the interest of the nation. “After we passed the bill, some of us, including myself, had a second thought and we are thinking it should be reviewed,” he said.

    “This is a democratic society and you’re free to change your mind. This is not a crisis but a difference in opinion. The Senate has a way of resolving its internal differences,” he added. He said the House would explore all areas over the issue before taking a final stand and decision. On the delay in passing the 2018 budget, Boroffice explained that national assembly was working on the document and would pass the appropriation bill into law by end of this month.

    He noted that unemployment had become a cankerworm in the country, stressing that the skill acquisition centre would provide employment and turn many graduates to employers of labour. Boroffice said the skill centres would be duplicated in three more locations in the district. The Akala of Ikaram, Oba Andrew Momodu, eulogised Boroffice on behalf of other monarchs in Akoko Northwest.

  • Presidency: First set of Maritime University students to resume in April

    Presidency: First set of Maritime University students to resume in April

    •Says shipment for two modular refineries ready for installation in Delta, Rivers
    •NDDC completes 372 projects in 2017, sets up Job Placement Centres to engage 200,000 youths in Niger Delta

    The waiting is over for the formal take off of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.

    The institution is scheduled to commence the admission of its pioneer students for the 2017/2018 academic year next month and lectures  will start immediately.

    The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice President, Laolu Akande, confirmed the development last night.

    He said the decisions were taken by the Niger Delta Inter-Ministerial Committee at a meeting on Friday.

    The meeting which was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo evaluated progress on the implementation of the Buhari administration’s New Vision for Niger Delta.

    It also received reports on ongoing development projects being implemented in the region.

    The Maritime University will take off with 196 students although 76 applications are pending.

    Akande recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved an increase in the take-off grant allocated to the university from the N2bn earlier announced to N5bn.

    This sum was included in the 2018 budget presented to the National Assembly in November 2017.

    “Similarly, an additional N1B was approved by the President to support essential infrastructure works and staff recruitment in the University in November 2017,” he said, adding: “The Delta State government has also donated two 500KVA generators to the University.

    “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had listed the University in its Central Admissions Processing System in January 24, 2018, while interviews for academic staff positions were conducted between 1st and 2nd of March, 2018.

    “The NUC had approved that academic activities commence in three faculties namely; Transport, Engineering and Environmental Management, with a combined total of 13 departments with various specializations – from Marine Engineering, Marine Economics to Climate Change, Fisheries and Aquaculture.”

    Akande said the meeting was also briefed on the progress of the modular refineries.

    “One set of modular refinery package shipment has since arrived Nigeria, and after undergoing clearance at customs, would be installed in Delta State; while another set, which is expected to arrive the country in April this year, would be installed in Rivers State.

    “The operation of the modular refineries would include the involvement of communities where they are located. Prof. Osinbajo said this would ensure that communities benefit directly from the refineries which would help create jobs and engage youths in the region.”

    The Inter-Ministerial Committee, last December, received a report that 38 licensed privately financed green field and mini-modular refineries investors have so far indicated interests in the establishment of refineries in the region, with at least ten (10) of the licensed refineries investors at an advanced stage of development.

    The NDDC in its report at the meeting said it completed a total of 372 projects covering roads, bridges, electricity, water, amongst others in the Niger Delta last year.

    The development projects include the 25.7 km Nembe-Ogbia road, which will  be commissioned soon; the construction of Otueke Internal roads in Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State; Kira Dere Mogho road and Bridge in Gokana LGA, Rivers State.

    Also on the list are :the  construction of Iselu-Okaigben-Idung-Boko- Onicha Ugbo road, in Edo State; the Orie Ukwu Amaoji market road, Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Abia State and the Ashikem-Ufono-Betwaswan road in Obudu, Cross River State.

    The rest are: Iselu-Okaigben-Idung-Boko- Onicha Ugbo road, in Edo State; the Orie Ukwu Amaoji market road, Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Abia State and the Ashikem-Ufono-Betwaswan road in Obudu, Cross River State.

    The Commission is also working with all related parties, including AMCON, to ensure the establishment of Amakpe modular refinery in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

    The refinery has a capacity of producing 6,000 barrels per day.

    Akande said the NDDC has also established Job Placement centres which is expected to engage about 208,000 youths in the Niger Delta with a view to reducing unemployment and youth restiveness in the region.

    On the progress of Ogoni clean-up, he said the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) under the Ministry of Environment, is set to commence the procurement process for contracting experts for the remediation and clean-up of impacted sites. This process is open to competent national and international companies involved in environment, water and livelihood projects.