UPDATE: BUHARI APPROVES REHABILITATION OF DEPLORABLE ROADS IN RIVERS

“This all-important economic road passes through the heart of Ogoni land 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 in Onne, Rivers state.

Buhari expressed his satisfaction with the level of development in a number of awarded projects that will affect the Ogoni people’s standard of living.

He explained that once completed, the Ogoni Power Project will support the Livelihood Program, the Center of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and the Potable Water Schemes. Meanwhile, the specialist hospital projects will also advance the socioeconomic development of the region by generating employment opportunities for artisans and accelerating entrepreneurial endeavors.

Buhari expressed hope that Bola Tinubu, the incoming president, would build on his accomplishments while thanking Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, for his support of the federal government, particularly for the relative calm in Ogoni territory and Rivers State.

Therefore, the President urged the Niger Delta’s Ogoni and other residents to support Bola Tunibu’s incoming administration, which he claimed would continue the initiatives that would help him succeed.

Buhari said, “It is my desire that you will continue to support this administration and the incoming administration led by His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who I am confident will consolidate the gains achieved from this project.”

Mohammed Abdullahi, the environment minister, stated earlier that 20 of the 65 UNEP sites in Ogoni had undergone remediation as of this point.

Abdullahi added that the six potable water systems spread throughout the four local government areas that make up Ogoni land were nearing completion.

Nwielaghi Michael, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund, and Dr. Ferdinand Giadom, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, make separate statements to the President, pleading for additional funding to see the many existing projects through to completion.

They claimed that this cash might either come from donations they can directly seek or from joint venture partners who would contribute more money to the original $1 billion release.

The duo promised that the project office will ensure they are delivered on time, on target, on cost and transparently too.

“Considering the global rise in the inflation rate, we will act 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.