.…….Group Appeals To President Buhari As A Matter Of Urgency To Direct Nddc Management To Pay Up All The Abandoned Projects In Ilaje & Ese-odo Local Governments
Worried by the situation, the Niger Delta Youth Movement, NDYM in Ondo State, has called on President Mohammadu Buhari to direct the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission to pay up all the abandoned projects in Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments.
The Chairman of NDYM in Ondo State, Comrade Akinfemi Omojuwa made the call on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen in Akure.
He noted that, the various NDDC abandoned projects in Ilaje and Ese-odo local governments have caused a huge detriment and total set back to the region and it is a major issue that should be looked into by the Federal Government.
While speaking, Comrade Omojuwa specifically mentioned the Ayetoro shore line protection project, the Ugbo-Oghoye road, the Agadagba Obon – Arogbo bridge and many others Projects abandoned in the areas which however affecting development in the areas.
“In 2005, Gallet Nig Ltd was mobilized by the NDDC for the Aiyetoro shore line project but the company did not show up at all, let alone starting the project which it was mobilized for.
“Therefore, we are using this medium to call on Mr. President to take a necessary action and order the management of the NDDC to the needful for the benefit of our people”.
“Furthermore, in August 2009, NDDC re-awarded the project to Dredging Atlantics Ltd., this time around, the company mobilized to site, met with all critical stakeholders in Ilaje land including traditional rulers, community heads, the various Youth groups and Aiyetoro community.
“The company brought new equipment for the job, including the Geotube materials needed for the job which were imported and also brought to site.
“From our findings, there is no sand anywhere in Ilaje to do the job, except in Araromi Sea side, so, NDDC should be ready to use Upper dredger that can take sufficient sand in metric tons urgently needed for the job before the community is swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean”.
“We also discovered that both Aiyetoro shore line protection project and Ugbo Oghoye road were wrongly designed by the Commission and ditto for Agadagba Obon-Arogbo bridge.
The NDDC was aware of the peculiar nature of Ilaje land, unlike other coastal areas in the Niger Delta region that have sharp sand, yet they kept awarding shore line protection projects in other areas in the land with poor funding”
“In view of the above, we urge NDDC to carry along critical stakeholders in ilaje land, the State government and ensure more research are carried out about Ilaje terrain before making another design that will fail again.
“We also want to tell Mr. President not to take the advantage of the peaceful co-existence of the Ondo State youth as a being cowardice as no one has the monopoly of violence in the region. Consequently, if necessary actions are not taken to permanently rectified this pressing issues, we won’t hesitate to stage a massive protest in Abuja”.
“However, we are aware that the government has put Ugbonla-Aiyetoro road in the 2020 budget of the Commission to facilitate transportation of sand to the Aiyetoro Coastline using trucks after completion but our concern and position is that the best must be achieved for the people”.
“We want to thanked the state government for their genuine concern over this and the recent distribution of NEMA & SEMA relief materials to Aiyetoro community and call for urgent attention”
“We thank Hon. Akpabio for carrying out this forensic auditing in the NDDC Commission”
“Lastly, we therefore ask that the use of Upper dredger in the sea to first dyke the community from being flooded before the road is completed will help in a unique way”.
In the same manner, the NDYM Chairman, Comrade Omojuwa while addressing appreciated the leadership roles of President Buhari and appealed to him to give due respect to the law of the land, stressing that Ondo State is long over due for the position of NDDC Managing Director.
He said, “this time around, Ondo State will strongly resist the continuous marginalisation of oil producing communities in Ondo State. The position of NDDC Managing Director is the turn of Ondo State and we ask for what Constitutional belong to us in Ondo State,” Akinfemi Omojuwa opined.
