Akpabio Hits Ogoni Stakeholders On Condition of East West Road
…Blames Niger Delta For Its Problem
From MAUREEN DICK and ERIC MOORE, Port Harcourt
Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has accused stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, particularly from Ogoni extraction for being responsible for the deplorable state of the East West road.
The Senate President unveiled this when he spoke at the 2024 Niger Delta Stakeholders’ Summit held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said that the Eleme Junction section of the East West road would have been completed under his watch as the Minister of Niger Delta during the last administration, stating that some stakeholders from Ogoni told former president Muhammadu Buhari to reallocate the project to the Ministry of Works.
He explained: “On my part as a son of the Niger Delta, the East-West Road would have been completed under my tenure as Minister of Niger Delta under the last administration.
“But, some stakeholders particularly of Ogoni extraction led a delegation to meet with the then president, Muhammadu Buhari, to inform him that they did not want the Minister of Niger Delta to complete the road. They wanted the road to be transfered to the Ministry of Works, at that time headed by my brother, former governor Fashola of Lagos state.
“I was very shocked. We had just secured about N75 billion to conclude at least particularly from the Eleme Junction when that came. And the person (Buhari) said if that is what you want, so be it. The road at that time was then transferred to the Ministry of Works that had no budget that year for the East-West Road.
“Even the N75 billion that we secured could not be used. I am saying it is Niger Delta that sometimes brings down Niger Delta.”
The Senate President, who represented President Bola Tinubu, expressed optimism the outcome of the conference should be like no other before.
He said with the Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for sustainable development of the Niger Delta region, people of the region should stop being enemies to the region.
“This summit must resolve to abolish the syndrome of PHD, which is Pull Him Down syndrome. From the day the Ministry of the Niger Delta stepped out of that road, no progress has been made till today.
“The Ministry of Niger Delta left the road at five percent; and as at the time our brother with some kings from Niger Delta came, they said the money should not be used by the Ministry because they were afraid that the son of the Niger Delta was going to utilise the money; and it is that same son of the Niger Delta that convinced the then president to convoke that meeting in order to stop I standing in front of you to complete that project.
“So it saddens me when the narrative years after is still about East-West Road. That should have been put behind us by now, knowing my antecedent as a man who could bring our water from the rock in terms of transformation like I did in Akwa Ibom State.
“So, the MD of NDDC, let it not be said that your management led a delegation to the President in spite of the good work you are doing they don’t want you to continue, far from it.”
He commended the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, for his leadership traits, assuring that National Assembly will continue to support him to ensure transformation of the the region.
“We here, the National Assembly, are very satisfied with the work you are doing and with the kind of cooperation the management and the board are having in the Niger Delta Development Commission. Ours is to assure you that we will continue to support you to bring development to the Niger Delta region.
“We are not talking about the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are practicalizing it. The NDDC today, has changed.”
Akpabio commended former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying his presence at the conference was a delight to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope mantra.
He said: “The former President here, underscores his love for Niger Delta, President Goodluck Jonathan. You have renewed the hope of unity in the Niger Delta region with your presence and I am happy they we are here with you and President Tinubu who is watching you on television is also happy that you have given direction to the people of Niger Delta to continue to support his renewed hope agenda and by implementation support his administration.”
The Senate President added: “Today, Mr. President is very committed to ensuring the development of the Niger Delta. The Bayelsa-Rivers-Akwa Ibom Road called East-West Road will be tackled. The National Assembly standing here will do everything possible to ensure that the project is completed within our time.
“The Lagos-Calabar coastal road started by the President. It will not only start from Lagos; Mr. President has also agreed that it must also take root from Niger Delta simultaneously; then, it will get up with the one in Lagos.”
On the NDDC budget, Akpabio said: “The Niger Delta Development Commission has never had the kind of budget that they are having in 2024. The President has approved that they can go ahead and get a soft loan of N1 trillion to add to complete all the other projects that they have in mind in order to bring quick development to this region. So, the MD of NDDC is no longer going to be in lack of funds. It is going to be the issue of commitment.
“Things have changed; we will not have people from Abuja coming here to stay in the hotel and requesting to be in NDDC to collect money and take back to other states of the federation. We are going to spend the money of NDDC right here in the Niger Delta region.”
He charged: “The Niger Delta can feed itself, even in terms of agriculture, take up. Empower the people of Niger Delta. Make sure we are not defined only by oil, but by agricultural output for the rest of this country.”
Chairman of the occasion and former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, attributed challenges of NDDC to interference from politicians.
He, however, advised NDDC to look for ways to manage the infrastructure and continue to maintain the roads they have built than abandoning them after completion.
The former president continued cautioned that the future of fossil fuel is so a blink, the region should start thinking of alternative.
He said: “Oil may dry up and even if we stil have it, with the environmental challenges, we may stop exploitation. The people of Niger Delta should see how they will start building a Niger Delta without hydrocarbon. We must prepare our children and youths on a future without hydrocarbon.”