News
East-West Road: Orubebe Got It Wrong – Stakeholders
Stakeholders in the Niger Delta have insisted that the
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godsday Orubebe’s unguarded outburst recently
on the performance of the Rivers State Government was totally diversionary,
misguided and flippant, and warned the Federal Government not to politicise the
reconstruction and dualisation of the East-West Road.
A cross section of stakeholders, who spoke to The Tide at
different fora in Port Harcourt, expressed strong exception to the diversionary
attack on the person of the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi by the
minister, saying that he failed to win
the confidence of the people of the region, following his embarrassing and
abysmal performance thus far.
President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle
Zilly Aggrey, told The Tide in an interview that it would be wrong for the
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godsday Orubebe to politicise the
reconstruction of the East-West Road, as according to him, the road was very
critical to the economic well-being of the people of the region.
Apostle Aggrey, who decried the intolerable carnage and
wanton loss of lives on the road, faulted the award of contract for the stretch
of the road from Warri in Delta State to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to only
one contractor, and also described as unserious comments made by Orubebe that
the Federal Government was shopping for a loan of N50billion to complete the
all-important road.
According to Aggrey, the most effective measure to fix the
East-West Road is to “allocate portions of the road to different major and
competent contractors with definite specifications”, adding that, “only contractors
that deliver on schedule should be rewarded with another contract while those
who fail to deliver or default on agreed terms should be sanctioned”.
The cleric called on Orubebe to exercise caution and
restraint while making public statements, saying that his recent vituperation
was unnecessary.
In his reaction, Barrister Barinada Baragbara said that the
Niger Delta governments could complete the East-West Road project only if there
was clear understanding between them and the Federal Government.
“My opinion is that the various tiers of government have
jurisdiction. But where the road that is meant for the Federal Government is
being abandoned, and other tiers of government are worried because its failure
negatively impacts their development, then they owe their people the
responsibility to fashion out workable means of getting the road completed as
quickly as possible in partnership with the Federal Government”, he noted.
George Nwobilor, a politician, warned against further
politicising of the road, as its continuous neglect has led to series of
accidents and loss of lives of innocent people of the region, urging the South
South governors to wade into the stalemate, and take over the road project to
save the people from further hardship and deaths.
Also speaking, Barrister Humble cautioned that any attempt
by the state governors in the region to take over the road project would mean
stepping beyond their bounds, stressing that what the governors need to do is
to bring pressure to bear on the Federal Government to complete the road.
In his opinion, a human rights activist, Chukwu Nkendu
likened the East-West Road to the Second Niger Bridge, which the Federal
Government is asking the catchment states to contribute money for its
execution, emphasising that the Federal Government seems to be treating the
people of the South South and South East as though they were second class
citizens in Nigeria.
But for Sampson Sunday, a driver, the East-West Road is the
responsibility of the Federal Government to deliver, insisting that the
government must diligently execute the project to its logical conclusion to
save users of the road from unnecessary accidents and deaths.
Also contributing, Dayeh Bereyin, a development analyst,
said the Federal Government has the constitutional mandate to construct the
East-West Road, arguing that allowing the South South governors to take over
the completion of the road amounts to dereliction of duty on the part of the
Federal Government.
He argued that the Niger Delta governors have their hands
full already with people-oriented
developmental projects, saying that diverting funds meant for the
development of their various states to complete the East-West Road would starve
them of scarce resources to drive development, reduce poverty and create jobs
in their states.
Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Rivers State, Comrade Chika
Onuegbu, called on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to seek more funds to
complete the road on schedule rather than employing diversionary and offensive
tactics to delay the road’s completion, advising him to concentrate on
pragmatic and proactive efforts to deliver an all-season road before the end of
the tenure of this administration.
“The Ministry of Niger Delta is still playing politics with
the road. The Federal Government must rise up to its responsibility, and fix
the road”, he said.
President, Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence, Lekia
Christian, argued that “the Ministry of Niger Delta has failed on its part to
deliver the East-West Road”, advising the ministry to concentrate on finding
ways of quickly fixing the road instead of engaging in unnecessary political
adventures.
According to him, “if the governors of the South South
states have decided to take over and complete the road, so be it. The people are
disappointed and will welcome any intervention measure that could put the road
in better shape.
“The minister should resign for failing on his duties. He
has failed Niger Deltans. He has even failed the President, Dr Goodluck
Jonathan, who appointed him”, he added.
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
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.
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