Politics
Rep Faults Siting Of NLNG’s Ship Yard In Lagos
Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule (right), presenting to the House an Amendment Law on Kidnapping in Rivers State at the sitting of the House in Port Harcourt, recently.
Photo: Chris Monyanaga
The member representing
Bonny/Degema Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Randolph Iwo Oruene Brown, has criticised the concluded plans by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited to site its proposed ship yard building in Lagos State rather than site it at the key operational base in Bonny Island in Rivers State.
Hon Brown who stated this through his political pressure group, “Advocacy 2015’’, expressed disappointment over the planned relocation describing it as a gross violation of the Nigerian content Act of 2000 and a great injustice on the people of Bonny Kingdom and Rivers State in general.
According to him, ‘’ This is a clear violation of the Nigerian Content Act 2010 sections 25-27 and the psychological contract of the good people of Grand Bonny Kingdom and the entire Niger Delta region.
The People of Bonny and Rivers State are deeply concerned that a project of this magnitude that would have a direct positive impact on the socio-economic well-being of our people will be sighted elsewhere.
Bonny Island, despite her strategic role in the Nigerian project has not yet been connected to the national grid, even as the potential for economic sustainability has been increasingly threatened by the continuous exploitation and degradation of our environment with gas flaring and emissions from other industrial sources’’, he said.
He reminded that the people of Bonny Kingdom where relocated from their ancestral homes for the purpose of the construction of the NLNG facility, and have since continued to live peacefully in spite of the pain of vacating their ancestral land and the sacrifice for the economic well being of the nation.
The lawmaker said it is sad to note that the plans have already been designed and concluded, adding that it is not only unjustifiable but morally wrong and totally unacceptable by the people.
He also said that, the proposed project, if cited as planned will not only rob the state and local government of opportunities, it will further increase unemployment level and untold hardship.
Hon. Brown however called for the immediate
reversal of the proposed plan by the management of NLNG to site the
shipyard project away from where they have significant operations.
“The people of the Niger Delta have been neglected for too long. The gas is from this region; our environment is the most exploited and degraded, our ecosystem destroyed. Yet we are the most marginalised people in the scheme of things. Further, it is quiet disheartening that whilst our people bear the risk of the everyday pollution, from gas flaring and emission from other industrial sources, the management of NLNG will contemplate to indulge in such an irresponsible act to site a project of this magnitude that will ameliorate the plight of our people’’ away from where they have major operation.
“The people will resist by any means necessary the plans by NLNG and their partners to further impoverish the people of Rivers State’’, he said.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
As the news of the defection of 17 members of Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP )to the All Progressives Congress (APC) continue to make the rounds, a cross section of Rivers people who spoke to The Tide have expressed varying views regarding the development.
At Etche, a senior lecturer with the Rivers State University, who did not want his name in print, said even though defection was the right of politicians, peace and stability remained more fundamental than any action that could further challenge the fragile political situation in the state at the moment.
He also warned that the situation should not be used to witch-hunt any one, adding that the state had suffered enough and needed to be at peace.
In his reaction, Engr Polycarp Geoffrey said even though citizens and residents of the state had cause to be concerned about the decision of the lawmakers, there was nothing to worry about if it was done in good faith.
“I don’t think there is any big deal about it – defection is defection. But people are worried because of past events in the state. So, for me, I don’t see anything about it”, he said.
Engr Geoffrey also urged the Governor Siminalayi Fubara to also openly declare political affiliation in a bid to douse the political tension in the state and to provide clarity regarding his future political direction.
Another respondent, Mr Ebere Alex, alleged ulterior motive behind the law makers’ defection but urged both the law makers and the governor to work for the peace and development of the state.
However, speaking on the development, a chieftain of the PDP in the state, Hon Nname Ewor, told The Tide that said his party would reach out to the remaining lawmakers who have not defected.
He also denied an alleged internal squabble within the PDP, adding that there was no crisis in the party.
It would be recalled that 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Martin Amaewhule, during plenary last Friday, announced their migration from the PDP to the APC, citing internal party crisis.
Other members who also defected were the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Dumle Maol, representing Gokana Constituency; House Leader, Hon. Major Jack, representing Akulga Constituency 1 and Deputy Leader, Hon. Linda Somiari-Stewart, representing Okrika Constituency; Hon. Solomon Wami, Port Harcourt Constituency 1 and Hon Granville Tekena Wellington representing Asari Toru Constituency 1; Hon. Ofiks Kagbang, representing Andoni Constituency; Hon. Peter Abbey representing Degema Constituency; Hon. Arnold Dennis representing Ogu/Bolo Constituency; Hon. Chimezie Nwankwor representing Etche Constituency 2 and Hon. Franklin Nwabochi representing Onelga Constituency 1.
The rest were, Hon. Azeru Opara, representing Port Harcourt Constituency 3; Hon. Smart Adoki representing Port Harcourt Constituency 2; Hon. Igwe Afforji ,Eleme Constituency and Hon. Lolo Opuende representing Akuku Toru Constituency 2.
By: John Bibor
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