N140 billion is required to complete 35 percent
of the remaining work on the East-West road
criss-crossing the Niger Delta region, Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe
said yesterday. In an interactive session with newsmen in
Lagos, Orubebe also lauded what he described
as the security situation in the region as he
asserted that the spate of recent kidnappings
in the region to armed robbers who he said
were operative in all parts of the country. He said the improved security had rubbed
positively on the country through improved oil
earnings. Orubebe who has been variously linked to the
governorship of his native Delta State,
however, shied away from a question on
whether he would be on seat to herald the
completion of the road project which he said
remained fixed for December, 2014.
Flanked by senior officials of the Ministry of
Niger Delta Affairs, he said the present
administration took over the project when it
was just 10 per cent completed and without a
design. Orubebe said: “Today we stand at over 65
percent completion and as we stand over N209
billion has been spent on that road and what is
needed to complete that road is about N140
billion.” He assured that funding for the project was no
longer a worry given financial framework
worked out with the President and other
stakeholders upon which N50 billion was
obtained from the African Development Bank.
Besides, he said funding for the project is also being derived from SURE-P and the annual
budget of the Federal Government. He said: “Based on the pressures from us and
the understanding of Mr. President, we have
been able to put a financial framework that is
geared for us to complete the road and we
believe that in the way forward, that finance
may not be a serious problem again. “We are making arrangements with the African
Development Bank and we have been able to
get about N50 billion from the African
Development Bank and of course, the SURE-P
fund is also there as support for the East-West
Road and besides that, the annual budget. “So with these three areas put together we are
on course to say that the road is completed by
December 2014.” Affirming that whatever crisis in the area is
largely due to activities of criminals, he said
that the former militant movement instigated
by the Movement for the Emancipation of
Niger Delta, MEND, has been confirmed dead
by its former leadership. “So whatever crisis we are having now, I think
that they are criminals, it is not Niger Delta
youths that are doing that, these are criminals
which we have in every society. “The kidnapping that you hear of today is done
by criminals. It has nothing to do with the
challenges that we have, these are purely
criminals that are doing their activities and I
think that the security agencies are handling
them very well. “The former leader of MEND came on air in a
paid advert and told Nigerians and the world
that MEND is dead. I am talking of Government
Ekpemupolo (Tompolo). So, anybody talking
about MEND should go and talk to Tompolo, he
announced to us that MEND is dead and as far as government is concerned, MEND is not in
existence because the leader said so.” “Today, Tompolo is doing a lot of good job for
this nation, he is working with government in
tackling the issues of security in the Niger
Delta.”
of the remaining work on the East-West road
criss-crossing the Niger Delta region, Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe
said yesterday. In an interactive session with newsmen in
Lagos, Orubebe also lauded what he described
as the security situation in the region as he
asserted that the spate of recent kidnappings
in the region to armed robbers who he said
were operative in all parts of the country. He said the improved security had rubbed
positively on the country through improved oil
earnings. Orubebe who has been variously linked to the
governorship of his native Delta State,
however, shied away from a question on
whether he would be on seat to herald the
completion of the road project which he said
remained fixed for December, 2014.
Flanked by senior officials of the Ministry of
Niger Delta Affairs, he said the present
administration took over the project when it
was just 10 per cent completed and without a
design. Orubebe said: “Today we stand at over 65
percent completion and as we stand over N209
billion has been spent on that road and what is
needed to complete that road is about N140
billion.” He assured that funding for the project was no
longer a worry given financial framework
worked out with the President and other
stakeholders upon which N50 billion was
obtained from the African Development Bank.
Besides, he said funding for the project is also being derived from SURE-P and the annual
budget of the Federal Government. He said: “Based on the pressures from us and
the understanding of Mr. President, we have
been able to put a financial framework that is
geared for us to complete the road and we
believe that in the way forward, that finance
may not be a serious problem again. “We are making arrangements with the African
Development Bank and we have been able to
get about N50 billion from the African
Development Bank and of course, the SURE-P
fund is also there as support for the East-West
Road and besides that, the annual budget. “So with these three areas put together we are
on course to say that the road is completed by
December 2014.” Affirming that whatever crisis in the area is
largely due to activities of criminals, he said
that the former militant movement instigated
by the Movement for the Emancipation of
Niger Delta, MEND, has been confirmed dead
by its former leadership. “So whatever crisis we are having now, I think
that they are criminals, it is not Niger Delta
youths that are doing that, these are criminals
which we have in every society. “The kidnapping that you hear of today is done
by criminals. It has nothing to do with the
challenges that we have, these are purely
criminals that are doing their activities and I
think that the security agencies are handling
them very well. “The former leader of MEND came on air in a
paid advert and told Nigerians and the world
that MEND is dead. I am talking of Government
Ekpemupolo (Tompolo). So, anybody talking
about MEND should go and talk to Tompolo, he
announced to us that MEND is dead and as far as government is concerned, MEND is not in
existence because the leader said so.” “Today, Tompolo is doing a lot of good job for
this nation, he is working with government in
tackling the issues of security in the Niger
Delta.”
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