Niger Delta Ministry Plans 360 Housing Units …Begins Shore Protection In Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta States

Secretary to Rivers State Government, Hon Magnus Abe (left) presenting the Best Information Officer of the Year Award to Mr Owupele Benibo, during the passing-out ceremony of ICT trained information officers of the Ministry of Information ,yesterday. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs said in Abuja, yesterday, that it had awarded contracts for the construction of houses in the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
A release issued by Mr Soni Daniel, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, said the contracts involved the construction of 360 housing units, made up of three and two bedrooms.
It quoted the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette, as making the information known to members of the Akwa Ibom State community in the Federal Capital Territory when they visited him in his office.
Ekaette said the houses would be completed within three months.
He also said that the ministry awarded three shoreline protection contracts in Effiat Mbo in Akwa Ibom, Kurutie in Delta and Ikuru in Rivers as part of its environmental remediation programme.
Ekaette added that the ministry would execute more land reclamation projects in 2010, adding that the ministry had begun the survey of 11 oil-impacted sites in the Niger Delta region.
“This is with a view to adopting appropriate technology to clean them up for the use of the inhabitants,‘’ he said.
 Responding, Mr Ben Ukpong, the President of the Community, called on the Federal Government to examine all reports on the Niger Delta and prioritise them for the development of the region.
He suggested that the adoption of the model used in developing Abuja would fast-track the development of the region.
Ukpong commended the minister for the steps taken so far in developing the Niger Delta region, and called for adequate funding of the projects to be able to impact positively on the lives of the people.
He prayed for the quick recovery of President Umaru Yar’Adua and commended Acting President Goodluck Jonathan for holding  forte in the President’s absence.