Nation
Otti Tasks NDDC On Completion Of Abandoned Projects
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has requested the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to mobilise contractors back to site to complete abandoned projects being executed by the Ministry and agency across the State.
The Governor spoke when he received the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, and his team, who called on him while in Abia State to inspect roads and other projects by the Ministry and the NDDC.
Governor Otti attributed the primary reason for abandoned projects initiated by the NDDC to outstanding debts owed contractors and urged the Minister to assist in resolving the payment issues, stating, “Abia State is a major beneficiary of abandoned NDDC projects, and there is one, just around here (in Isialangwa South) that goes all the way to the Expressway. The reason for abandonment was that they (the contractors) were being owed, since 2018.
“I am sure that the details can be provided for you to get them to come back to work. There are others around Umuahia, around Aba, and if we can get them to come back to work, I would really appreciate it, but the major issue is about payment.
“Sometimes in the past, it was like a herculean task to get paid when handling NDDC project, so if you can look into it, you can get a lot of the projects that were abandoned back to life.”
The Governor said both the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NDDC were important to Abia State and expressed his appreciation to the Minister for visiting Abia to see things for himself, adding “I want to say that Niger Delta Ministry and of course, the Niger Delta Development Commission, both of them are very important to us because these are two institutions that represent us at the same time even though we own one, that is the NDDC but the Ministry we do not own.
“You also chose to inspect the road projects under you and under the NDDC, so we are quite pleased. These agencies are very important to us as interventionists in the normal course of the business of governance. The truth is that any road done by either the Ministry or agency under you is a plus to the State and we will not go back to it.”
Earlier in his speech, the Minister said he and his team were in Abia to inspect projects by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NDDC.
He lauded Governor Otti for the huge infrastructural development and improved security situation witnessed in Abia within a short period of his assumption of office, and appealed to him to continue to make peace in the State and region a top priority for economic prosperity of the people.
He said the Ministry of Niger Delta is not in competition with the NDDC states but would collaborate with them to achieve meaningful development, adding that there should be a robust relationship between the two to achieve results.
“Your Excellency, you’re one person that everybody loves because when the issue of visiting your state was mentioned there was no dissenting voice. I was surprised that the Hon. Minister from this state (Abia) from the other divide (opposition party), was also in support just like the president himself said, yes. I think you’re generally loved by the people.
“From afar, we have also witnessed your developmental strides. I was reading recently and saw that in less than a year that you came onboard, 10 major road projects have been executed in the state,” the Minister noted.
Some members of the entourage included the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Dimbiagwu Okechukwu; his Project Monitoring counterpart, Hon. Obi Aguocha; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Shuaib Belgore; and many others.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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