Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday flagged off Ogoni power project, Centre of Excellence for environmental restoration and the Ogoni specialist hospital.
The President also gave approval for the reconstruction of the Eleme axis of the East- West Road in Rivers State.
Buhari who spoke virtually during the flagging off of the triad projects in Wiiyaakara, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers, urged the people of Ogoni to cooperate with the government for the speedy completion of the projects.
He also stated that the Center of Excellence will initiate studies of home-grown methods in the remediation of other impacted environments in the Niger Delta, while the power project will enhance economic development of Ogoniland.
He noted that his administration had not only established the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, to clean up the environment of the Ogoni people, but also deployed huge investment in the construction of the Bonny/ Bodo Road which will link to the East-West Road in a bid to catalyze the socio-economic development of Ogoniland.
“It is instructive to know that Ogoni clean-up is not the only project being undertaken by this administration to give the people a sense of belonging in national affairs.
“This administration is constructing the Bodo/Bonny Road – a multi-billion-naira project to link the Bonny Island – host to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Plant. This all-important economic road passes through the heart of Ogoniland and the benefits it will bring to the local economy can only be imagined. We have also given approvals for the rehabilitation of the Ogoni axis of the East/West Road which the Bodo/Bonny Road opens into and serves as the gateway to the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne,” he said.
While expressing joy over the implementation progress in several awarded projects that would impact on the livelihoods of the Ogoni people, the President said the Ogoni Power Project upon completion will bring sustainability to the Potable Water Schemes, Livelihood Programme, and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and the Specialist Hospital projects, will also catalyze the socio-economic development of Ogoniland and create job opportunities for artisans and enhance entrepreneurial growth.
Earlier, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, disclosed that 20 out of 65 clean-up sites have been remediated to date adding that work is at various stages of completion for the six potable water schemes, spread through the four local government areas of Ogoniland.
Also, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Ogoni Trust Fund, Nwielaghi Michael, appealed to the President for more funds either as the ones they can directly solicit from donors or as additional releases to the initial $1billion by the Joint Venture Partners, promising that the project office will ensure they are delivered on time, on target and on cost.
“Considering the global rise in inflation rate, we will as a Board this will augment for whatever shortfalls inflationary trends have caused and enable the Project to deliver more services to the people,” they said.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project, Dr Ferdinand Giadom, assured that the Specialist Hospital project when completed, will service three Niger Delta states that do not have federal medical centers.
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