Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has stressed
the potentials to transform oil bearing communities in the Niger Delta into
hubs for refining petrochemicals and related activities, reports NaijaAgroNet.
Speaking during his visit to the Bayelsa State, at the
weekend as part of his consultative and confidence building tour of the Niger
Delta states as mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari, Osinbajo said the
Ministry of Petroleum Resources in collaboration with the oil companies are
working on a 40-point agenda and other initiatives for the oil producing
communities.
Osinbajo challenged youths of the region to set up a Niger
Delta Chamber of Commerce and Entreprenuer Council to attract local and foreign
partnerships, stressing that part of the agenda was to build modular refineries
and acknowledged the need to make Bayelsa a hub for power generation as it is a
nutural location of gas deposits.
In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson called for synergy
between the state and federal governments on the development of critical
infrastructure, such as the three senatorial roads, airport and other projects
for rapid development to take place.
Governor Dickson, who aligned his administration's position
with the 16 point agenda of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), reaffirmed his
earlier call on the federal government and stakeholders of the region to
embrace dialogue rather than confrontation in resolving issues.
Commending Prof Osinbajo for facilitating the meeting
between the oil multinationals and the state government, the Governor urged the
federal government to prevail on the oil companies to comply with the tax laws
of the state.
In their separate presentations, the PANDEF and the Ijaw
National Congress, urged the federal government to urgently address the evident
socio-economic imbalances and inadequacies for the attainment of sustainable
peace and development.
President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Comrade Udengs Eradiri
highlighted some projects that could create massive job opportunities in the
state to include, Brass Fertilizer, Brass LNG,
Agge deep sea port, Pipe Mill and power projects in Gbarain and urged
the federal government to make them come on stream.
Speaking through its representative, King Frank Okoroakpor,
the Traditional Rulers of Oil and Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria,
TROMPCON called for the speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill.
Others who made presentations at the town hall meeting
include, Minister of State for Agriculture,
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Petroleum Resources Minister, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu, Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani, Environmental Rights Action
group, Host Communities of oil and gas, HOSTCOM.
Dignitaries, who attended the event include members of te
National Assembly from the State, former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief
Timipre Sylva, former NDDC Managing Director, Chief Timi Alaibe, Alaowei
Brodericks Bozimo, who represented Chief Edwin Clark, former Military Governor
of old Bendel State, Gen. John Yeri and an elder ststesman, Prof. Ebiegberi Alagoa.
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
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