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Dry Dock: N’Delta Youth’s Protest Sparks Tension In NLNG
Fear is said to have gripped the management of multinational gas corporation, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) and her investors over a strongly worded protest letter presented by a coalition of Rivers State youth and stakeholders over the proposed location of NLNG’s dry dock.
The letter, which content made startling revelations previously unheard of, lay overwhelming credence to the fact that NLNG, in spite of its sustained denial, was actually the sponsor of the proposed dry dock project in Badagry, Lagos State.
In a nine-page letter articulately written and copied to government and strategic agencies in the country by the youth leaders representing various groups in Rivers State, stakeholders and other youth of Niger Delta under the aegis of Joint Niger Delta Youth Movement led by activist, Ann Kio-Briggs, they expressed their resolute demands for reversion of the decision, insisting that it must be sited anywhere in Niger Delta.
Also present at the civil protest to NLNG complex in Port Harcourt include; Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State chapter, Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, National Secretary General of Ijaw Youth Council and Leader of Rivers Ijaw Youth, Engr Emmanuel Bristol Alagbariya, Leader, Bonny Youth Federation, Barr. Simeon Wilcox, among others, to express serious disappointment and regret in the non-inclusion of host communities who are critical stakeholders of NLNG projects, condemning in the process perceived as high level deceit, fabrication and deliberate intention to foist crisis in the region.
Sources in the company, who spoke under anonymity, had disclosed that there is rumble among the rank and file of NLNG management, adding that the atmosphere is tensed, especially with indications that in spite of alleged attempts by the company to incite other NLNG communities and youth against Bonny Island through a recent publication enumerating what Bonny people are benefitting from NLNG, the youth of Rivers State have remained resolute and undeterred in pressing for their demand and pursuing their joint objective over the dry dock issue.
This development, according to the source, is said to be against NLNG’s divide and rule plan to forestall further protest by youth against the planned dry dock location.
More worrisome for the company is that the protest had gone smoothly without aggression as the youth made their positions known without the usually violence associated with Niger Delta youth.
Part of the demands during the protest is to have the dry dock located in any of the Niger Delta states for the purpose of creating job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths, in addition to the demand that NLNG should organize a road show in the Niger Delta and give practical assurance to the investors that they will patronize the investors and make available all their vessels to the dry dock facility to be built in the Niger Delta.
The letter, submitted amidst tight security mounted by NLNG, neither deterred the youth and stakeholders who matched on within the NLNG premises to deliver the strongly worded letter received by one of NLNG’s key management officers.
Some contentious issues were raised in the letter which reads in parts: “It is not in dispute that you, NLNG, conceived the idea and sponsored the disputed dry dock feasibility studies, received, accepted, gave approval to the report, and indeed, mobilized banks and investors, and also organized a road show to actualize and give effect to your desired decision to site the dry dock in Lagos as pre-determined.
“It is necessary here to note that before the feasibility study and road show of Decenber 9th, 2014, organized by you, there were no foreign or local investors (company or consortium) for the dry dock, but to our chagrin, NLNG had already named the project, Badagry Ship Repair and Marine Engineering (BSME)”.
To further give credence to NLNG’s pre-determined and lopsided feasibility study, the statement gave reference to various reports, including one made available by news giant Reuters on Friday, June 19th, 2015, which was also hoisted on NLNG website captioned ‘NLNG EYES $1.5 BILLION DEBUT SHIPYARD IN NIGERIA’.
“The first paragraph aptly captured that ‘Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) is sponsoring the construction of the first major ship yard in Africa’s biggest economy at the cost of $1.5 billion, in its attempt to turn the country into a hub for maritime operations on the continent”.
Reuters went further to quote NLNG spokesman, Tony Okonedo, as corroborating statements that indicate that they are actually sponsoring the dry dock project.
Further statements to bolster claims by the youth coalition group referenced publications and strategic quotes by NLNG management on Nations, Guardian, and Sun Newspapers, among others.
The letter in part countered strongly and referred to as unsubstantiated NLNG spokesman’s claim that technical grounds like, Natural water depth; Proximity to an international airport and Proximity to an active offshore and onshore West Africa oil and gas hub were practicable parameters used to decide on siting the Dry dock in Badagry
Countering the claims the Joint Niger Delta Youth Movement stated in its letter that it is yet to come to terms on why Badagry which natural water depth of 11-12 meters was chosen ahead of Bonny island with natural water depth of 14.30 meters and the Onne/Ikpokiri which has about 15.2 meters of natural water depth.
On proximity to airport, it states that the distance between Lagos International airport and Badagry is about 68 kilometers while from Port Harcourt international airport to Onne Port is about 40 kilometers, even as Bonny Island has the advantage of a mini air strip.
Dissecting the issue of proximity to an active offshore and onshore West Africa oil and gas hub, it states “Niger delta is the most active offshore and onshore oil and gas hub in Nigeria and indeed in the whole of West Africa. Hear this: It is a global established known and accepted empirical fact that only the management of NLNG Bonny and its hired agents the Royal Haskoning DHV are disputing this very obvious fact”.
The protest organized in the most civil and intellectual manner attracted the admiration of security operatives who commended the organizational ambiance exhibited by the protesters. There was staked consensus among, Ann Kio Briggs, Sukubo Sara Igbe, Bristol Alagbariya and Simeone Wilcox and other stakeholders that NLNG’s hidden but now open agenda can never be allowed to see the light of the day, they assert that the decision if allowed to fly will be detrimental not just to the present generation of youths in the Niger delta, but to those yet unborn. While they wait on NLNG to reply the letter they are strongly maintaining a capital NO stance to siting the Drydock in Badagry.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.