By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has berated the Federal Government for failing to release her counterpart fund of N60billion for the execution of the Bonny-Bodo road project.
According to a statement signed by his Special Assistant Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, he expressed this while speaking when he granted audience to the management of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) at the Government House Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Governor Wike said that the inability of the Federal Government to treat all sections of the country fairly is generating tension.
He said that Bonny and the adjoining towns produce a great percentage of the country’s wealth, yet they have been denied quality road infrastructure.
He said: “We produce the oil that makes Nigeria to survive, yet the road leading to Bonny Island is a source of politics.
“The failure of the Federal Government to release her counterpart fund for the Bodo-Bonny has made it difficult for several construction work to begin.”
The governor stated that the recourse to the piecemeal annual budgeting process would stall the project. He charged the Federal Government to take funds from the Excess Crude Account to pay her counterpart fund.
He said the Federal Government did same thing on the Ogoni clean up which has been abandoned. He said by March, the Federal Government is likely to start propaganda on that project .
The governor charged the NLNG to improve on her corporate social responsibility to her host communities. He said such investments should also accommodate Omoku and Kalabari communities , which supply gas to Bonny
He commended the NLNG for the construction of their head office in Port Harcourt, saying that all oil companies should be domiciled in the Niger Delta.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of NLNG, Mr Tony Attah informed the Rivers State Governor that the Train of the NLNG will become a reality in 2018.
He said that the work on the project will be flagged off by the Rivers State Governor.
The Managing Director informed that work has reached advanced stage on the construction of the headquarters of the NLNG in Port Harcourt.
He said: “We produce the oil that makes Nigeria to survive, yet the road leading to Bonny Island is a source of politics.
“The failure of the Federal Government to release her counterpart fund for the Bodo-Bonny has made it difficult for several construction work to begin.”
The governor stated that the recourse to the piecemeal annual budgeting process would stall the project. He charged the Federal Government to take funds from the Excess Crude Account to pay her counterpart fund.
He said the Federal Government did same thing on the Ogoni clean up which has been abandoned. He said by March, the Federal Government is likely to start propaganda on that project .
The governor charged the NLNG to improve on her corporate social responsibility to her host communities. He said such investments should also accommodate Omoku and Kalabari communities , which supply gas to Bonny
He commended the NLNG for the construction of their head office in Port Harcourt, saying that all oil companies should be domiciled in the Niger Delta.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of NLNG, Mr Tony Attah informed the Rivers State Governor that the Train of the NLNG will become a reality in 2018.
He said that the work on the project will be flagged off by the Rivers State Governor.
The Managing Director informed that work has reached advanced stage on the construction of the headquarters of the NLNG in Port Harcourt.
