Group To Sue FG Over Abandoned Bonny-Bodo Road

A non-governmental group, “the Bonny Kingdom Advancement Front (BKAF)”, says it will explore legal and civil means to ensure the Federal Government accepts its part on Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) offer to provide 50 percent of the funding (about N60 billion) for the completion of Bodo/Bonny road.
In a press statement signed and made available to The Tide, it lamented that the failure of the Federal Government to approve NLNG offer to complete the road, started by the military President Ibrahim Babangida administration has put untold hardship on the people, and a waste considering the huge amount already expended on the project.
They further observed that failure to complete the road has exposed the people to frequent security and safety challenges ranging from sea piracy, kidnapping and loss of persons to turbulent sea voyages in outboard boats.
It said, “NLNG offered the Federal Government N60 billion for Bonny-Bodo Road on February 3, 2016. NLNG called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to partner it in the development of Bonny-Bodo road, a long-standing government project which will help improve the infrastructure in the Niger Delta.”
The body recalled that before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta in Abuja made fresh call to complete the project, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited(NLNG) had restated its offer to provide 50 percent of the funding, worth N60 billion, provided the partnership was accepted and matched by the Federal Government.
According to them, during a visit of Bonny Kingdom led by King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple XIII and his delegation to the Presidential Villa during the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, the former president promised to look into the stalled project.
Recalling that the ex-president had complained of lapses in the first procurement of the Bodo Bonny road, as responsible for the stalling of the project, first awarded 11 years ago under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, he said this led to its eventual cancellation under his administration.
However, it regretted that the project was yet to be completed after 12 years.
“In any project, a time frame is established by the bidders. The winning bid is obliged by the contractual laws to complete it on schedule, and before you publish a bid, the project should have a final design. You do not go to the construction phase without a final design,” the statement said.
The body said the failure to complete the project was an indication that Bonny people have been marginalized.
“We have been measured, scaled, weighed and then prioritize. We call on the Federal Government, President Muhammadu Buhari and the minister of transportation to look into the Bodo/Bonny road, resurrect all efforts for its completion, and muster the political will and sincerity to liberate the Bonny kingdom and the plight we have suffered for more than 15 years.”
While enumerating some of the Federal Government abandoned projects in Bonny, the body pointed out that all capital projects that would be of great benefit to the Bonny people have either been abandoned or uncompleted.
These include: Federal Housing Estate Bonny, Bonny Ring Road flagged off but abandoned, including the Federal Polytechnic(Oil and Gas), which is 90 pet cent completed but currently not operational, among others.
“This is really sad for a kingdom that contributes so much to our National GDP, and if these issues raised are left unaddressed, we would no longer keep mute and watch. Bonny people might resort to legal, civil and democratic means to drive home our demands.
We call on all agencies involved to act fast and now, Bonny kingdom refuses to be prioritize”, the statement further said.