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Senate Summons Fashola Over N120bn Bodo-Bonny Road

Worried by the abandonment of Bodo-Bonny Road, which links the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) in Bonny, Rivers State, in the last 15 years, the Senate, yesterday, mandated its Committee on Works to summon the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to explain the rationale behind the non-completion of the road.
The Senate has particularly directed its committee to ask Fashola to explain the circumstances surrounding the Federal Government’s inability to partner the NLNG management for the urgent completion of the road project.
The Senate also asked its Committee on Works to carry out an independent comprehensive evaluation of the Bodo-Bonny Road project and report back within four weeks.
The 35km road project was awarded for N20billion in 2002 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion by Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) and co-sponsored by Senators Osinakachukwu Ideozu (PDP, Rivers West) and Magnus Abe (APC, Rivers South East).
Presenting the motion, Sekibo recalled that the road project in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, which links the NLNG in Bonny, was awarded by the administration of former President Obasanjo for a cost of N20billion in 2002, re-awarded by the administration of former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, in 2014, at contract revalidation value of N120billion after years of abandonment.
The Tide source indicated that out of N120bllion, only N20billion was appropriated for the project in the 2015 budget, which was, however, not cash-backed.
According to him, the initial cost of the project, which stood at N20billion in 2002 was reviewed to N120billion in 2014 by the Jonathan’s administration, adding that no money was expended from N20 billion appropriated for the project in 2015.
According to him, “to worsen matters, the all important road project was not captured in the 2016 budget, thus making the lack of understanding of the importance of the road for national economic development obvious.”
He lamented that though the road project was captured in the 2017 budget, only a meagre vote of N9billion was earmarked for it, which according to him, will lead to continued abandonment of the project.
According to him, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, had to approach the management of NLNG for collaboration with the Federal Government on the execution of the project upon which the company accepted to contribute a sum of N60billion (50 per cent) of the contract value, after it was reviewed, while the Federal Government was yet to pay its part.
Sekibo said that despite the good disposition of NLNG to partner the Federal Government on execution of the road project, Federal Government which has business concern worth $13billion has not taken the needed steps to actualize the proposal and commence the execution of the project, which after completion, would earn it more revenues through the NLNG than any other government facility.
All the senators who contributed to the debate, however, supported it by concurring with the prayers as adopted by the Senate.
In his remarks, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, confirmed that the NLNG while on a courtesy visit to his office, had indicated interest to finance 50 per cent of the project cost.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.