The outgoing President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has expressed confidence in the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to build on his achievements, when he takes over on the 29th of May.
The President made the declaration while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the triad projects of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, and the Ogoni Power Project, in Wiiyaakara community in Khana Local Council of Rivers State.
He urged the people to support Tinubu, who he believes, will sustain his achievements.
‘It is my desire that you will continue to support this administration, and the incoming administration, led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who I am confident will consolidate on the gains achieved from this project,‘ he said.
Buhari, however, stated that he has given approval for the rehabilitation of the Ogoni axis of the East/West Road in Rivers State. The President, who joined virtually to perform the flag-off of the triad projects spearheaded by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), emphasised that his administration had not only succeeded in establishing the HYPREP to clean up the environment of the Ogoni people, but also ensured it deployed huge investment in infrastructure, which were evidenced in the construction of Bonny/ Bodo Road.
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He said: ‘It is instructive to know that Ogoni clean-up is not the only project being undertaken by this administration to give the people a sense of belonging in national affairs. This administration is constructing the Bodo/Bonny Road, a multi-billion-naira project to link Bonny Island, host to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Plant. This all-important economic road passes through the heart of Ogoniland. 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, Onne.’
He added that the projects, upon completion, would bring sustainability to the Potable Water Schemes, Livelihood Programme, adding that the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and the Specialist Hospital projects, would also catalyse the socio-economic development of Ogoniland and create job opportunities for artisans and enhance entrepreneurial growth.
Earlier, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, disclosed that 20 out 65 United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) sites had been remediated and work was at various stages of completion for the six potable water schemes, spread through the four local councils of Ogoniland.
Also, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Ogoni Trust Fund, and Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Nwielaghi Michael and Ferdinand Giadom respectively, appealed to the President for more funds.
Nwielaghi urged President Buhari to consider the global rise in inflation rate and help to release more fund to the one billion Dollars, saying: “This will augment for whatever shortfalls inflationary trends have caused and enable the project to deliver more services to the people,” he said. Giadom, however, promised that the project office would ensure the projects were delivered on time, on target and on cost.